LAHORE – In Pakistan, uncertainty always looms over the minds of people. Some people remain unsure whether the gold they bought is pure or not, so in case of such a scenario, here is what you can do.

Ways to verify your gold:

• Check Official Markings

Look for engraved markings on the inner side of the jewelry; it may say 24k, 22k, 21k, or 18k. In Pakistan, 21k means 87.5% purity; on the other hand, 24k means 99.9% purity and is mostly used as investment bars.

• Professional Ways to Test

If you remain unsure about your gold, then you should consider visiting major gold markets such as Karachi’s Sarafa Bazaar or Lahore’s Liberty Market.

Three such ways include:

Electronic Gold Testers: In today’s modern world, jewelers use handheld electronic devices to measure the electrical conductivity to provide the user with immediate karat reading.

XRF Spectrometry: This method is widely regarded as the best and most accurate way; most high-end gold laboratories use X-Ray fluorescence to get the exact elemental composition of the item.

Touchstone Test: This is known as the Kasauti Test, the gold is rubbed against a dark stone(Kasauti), and the streak is then compared with known purity needles, or it is treated with acid.

• Test at Home

Magnet Test: Gold is not attracted to magnets if the item is powerfully attracted towards a powerful magnet, then it is likely that it contains some sort of base metals, most probably iron or nickel.

Floating Test: Gold remains a dense element if gently placed in a bowl filled with water and sinks all the way to the bottom. Then, it can be considered pure gold. However, if the gold item floats or sinks slowly, it is most likely fake gold or the item is gold-plated.

Vinegar Test: By applying a few drops of vinegar on the item, you can check its purity because pure gold retains its shine, but fake gold loses it altogether.

Ping Test: This is a sound test. First of all, take the gold item in your hand and gently strike it against another metal. Pure gold produces a high-pitched ringing sound, whereas base metals produce a “thud” sound.

Note: It is pertinent to mention here that methods to test at home aren’t completely reliable, and the results shouldn’t be considered as the final results, as there are chances that they can be influenced by other factors. That’s why it is better to follow the other ways mentioned in the article.

• Precautionary measures before buying

Before buying the gold item, request a certificate of confirmation of the purity of the gold being bought. Before paying the price for the gold, verify the daily price of the gold from the Jewellers Association or upfront.pk to avoid being overcharged for lower-quality gold.