While looking through some old jewelry that belonged to a deceased relative or that you obtained through an estate sale, you may come across some pieces that appear to be made from gold. If you do not like them or have any sentimental attachment to the jewelry, you may decide to try to sell the jewelry based on its gold content.

However, if you do not know the exact origins of the pieces, you may be uncertain as to whether the metal is actually gold. If so, there are a couple of simple preliminary tests you can do to determine whether or not the jewelry is likely gold before you take the time to bring the pieces to the buyer for a more definitive test.

1.  Drop the Piece in a Glass of Water

One way that you can narrow down the possibility that a piece of jewelry is made from gold is to drop it into a glass full of water. Since gold is heavy, it will sink to the bottom, unlike fake or gold-plated metals that will often float on top of the water.

However, if the piece has a thin, delicate chain, the chain itself may either float up from the bottom or stay in the middle of the glass. In this case, you may need further testing to determine its authenticity.

2.  Hold a Magnet to the Piece of Jewelry

Another way you can tell if a piece of jewelry is made from gold is to test it with a magnet. You can either hold the magnet above or beside the piece to see if the jewelry is pulled toward the magnet.

If the metal moves toward the magnet, it is not gold, since gold has no magnetic properties. However, if the jewelry has small pieces of metal around the chain, pendant, or other parts, these may not be gold and may be drawn to the magnet.

Even if you perform the above tests to see if the jewelry you wish to sell is really gold, you may still have your doubts. Or, if the metal appears mixed with other ones, you may wonder if the piece is still worth something. If so, take the jewelry to a gold buyer in your area so that they can perform chemical testing of the piece and give you a price if they find that the metal is really gold.

For more information, contact a local gold buyer, such as Beaverton Coin & Currency.