Recommendations for testing kits, please?

I'm new to playing with jewelry. I inherited piles of jewelry, mostly good costume, but some nicer, that I'd like to do preliminary tests on so I don't overwhelm a real jeweler.

I see many of you talking about gold/silver and stone testing. May I get your recommendations for testers/kits for both? I tend to buy better than I need. I'm looking for tools that are reliable but affordable.

Thanks!

 

I always look for the cheapest option.
I use a regular silver and gold testing set, make sure you buy one with a testing stone (touchstone), that is what you rub the metal on. Always try to find a hidden part of the jewellery you want to test, the back or something. Never put the liquid directly onto the metal.
The sets come with one bottle for silver, the liquid reacts in a different colour to every different fineness of silver. For gold there are different bottles for different carats/karats. There is one for platinum.
Remember, these liquids are acid. The platinum one in particular can really sting if it touches your bare skin.
For gemstones I use a diamond tester, they usually also test other stones. You need one with different lights for the different hardnesses. In the ad you will see green to red lights. Mine also makes sounds. They come with a chart, and instructions of course.
These are the lights I mean:


Good luck!

 

Hi Any Jewelry, sorry to but in here, but I have that same diamond tester that you pictured. How do I use that for gemstones?

 

1st...you have to get gemstones.....
2nd...send them all here & I'll figure out the rest for you....

It may take a while....

 

But in anytime, no one owns a thread.
You use it the same way as with diamonds, but not all the lights come on. Count the number of light blocks, that's your hardness. I always triple or quadruple check, but I do that with diamonds as well.

 

Books on gemstones also give the hardness on the Mohs scale.
If you don't have gemstone books, this is a useful site:
https://www.gemselect.com/gem-info/gem-hardness-info.php

 

I the books but not the tester. A lot of gemstones you can just eyeball, but some can be synthetic or outright fakes. If you know how to "look", sterling acid isn't strictly necessary; the 18k solution will also test for sterling. When scratched on a stone and hit with the acid, silver will turn white/gray and "curdle" up. Silver acids go bad quickly, so having a backup is a good idea.

And if you do run into a conundrum, post away and the boardies will figure it out as often as not.

 

DON"T
More jewelry has been ruined by people who don't know what they are looking at and ruin it with testing.

Look for a book by Warman's. Can't remember the exact title Jewelry through the ages/history of jewelry. It is a breakdown of styles by time period. Familiarize yourself with style and what was being used at the time.

If you get the diamond tester and the stones come up as gemstones, more than likely the material used will be gold or silver.

 

Not in my experience. I have antique gold jewellery with glass stones, and the glass will always come up as glass. Maybe it depends on the diamond tester.
And I always start by looking for bubbles of course.

 

I have heard this before on this forum, maybe from you. I have no idea what those people do with their jewellery to ruin it. Put the acid directly on the metal, maybe? Obviously you should never do that, but I know there are videos on youtube where they do. People, please don't do that, don't do anything invasive or damaging with precious materials.

 

Only test on the piece if a) it's almost certainly a fake and "needs" burning though, b) it's damaged and going into the melting pot regardless. Otherwise, use the stone.

 

Coincidentally, I found this little gem (poor pun) in the boxes as well. It describes stones including their hardness' ...okay starting point? Published 1965.

 

I hadn't heard of a thermal conductivity tester being called a hardness tester

There is little reason for using a stone or whole slew of acids

Use one acid and learn what it is telling you

Acid will only leave real damage on real poor stuff

 

Thank you everyone!

I'll get right on that...oh darn! The postman already came today...

 

Great site! Thanks!

 

I doubt most gemstones have changed much since 1965...so....still a good book !

 

Still in publication too; I have one of the newer ones.

 

...just ordered one. Thanks for the guidance!

 

Yep.
They test so they can sell by weight rather than the fact that it is an antique piece of jewelry. When it doesn't test as silver or gold, then they try selling to shops as collectible jewelry - now ruined of course.

They wreck flatware as well. Always on the front.

 

Some people also make a nice, deep scratch or gouge in the metal, since plating can test falsely for, say, solid silver. Once you've marred the surface badly like that, there's nothing to be done to fix it!