Two pieces of jewellery can weigh the same and still be worth very different amounts. The difference is purity — how much of the metal is actually gold. That is why the purity test is the most important step when you sell gold.
What do karat and purity mean?
Pure gold is 24 karat (24K), about 99.9% gold. Jewellery is usually mixed with other metals to make it strong:
- 22K = 91.6% gold (most common for jewellery in Andhra Pradesh)
- 18K = 75% gold
- 14K = about 58.5% gold
When a buyer says your chain is "91.6", it means 91.6% of its weight is gold.
Common ways to test gold purity
Touchstone test. The gold is rubbed on a special stone and the streak is compared with known samples using acid. It is quick and traditional, but it depends a lot on the tester's experience and only checks the surface.
XRF (karat meter) test. An X-ray fluorescence machine reads the metals in the jewellery in a minute or two, without damaging it, and shows the purity on screen. It is widely used by organised gold buyers and jewellers.
Fire assay. The most accurate method, used in refineries and hallmarking centres. It melts a small sample, so it is not used for jewellery you are selling over the counter.
What about hallmarking (HUID)?
Hallmarked jewellery carries the BIS mark, the purity (for example 22K916) and a 6-character HUID code. It tells you the purity claimed when the jewellery was made. A good buyer will still test it, because repairs or soldering can change the purity of a piece.
What to ask when you sell
- Test every piece in front of me, please.
- Show me the purity reading on the screen.
- How much do stones, beads or solder reduce the net weight?
- Which rate per gram are you applying?
At VRGOLD
We test every ornament with modern equipment in front of you and show you the result. Only the gold content is paid for; stones and beads are weighed separately. See how it works on our Sell Gold page, or estimate your value with the gold calculator.