Platinum, Perfect Choice to Invest in?

It can often be difficult to identify the precious metals in your jewelry. It is necessary to have a thorough understanding of precious metals and how to test them in order to accurately value jewelry. One of the most easy to misidentify precious metals is platinum, along with white gold and silver. We'll show you how to distinguish platinum from other precious metals by using a scratch test and visual clues.

Prior to precious metals testing, visual cues and weight can be used to determine whether a metal is platinum. The first method is to use visual cues. Jewelry that is either entirely or at least fifty percent platinum is typically identified by a hallmark, also known as a stamp. This mark, which typically consists of a number like 850 followed by the letters "plat" or "pt," indicates the product's 85 percent purity. If the item you purchased has the word "platinum" written on it, it probably is between 90 and 95 percent pure. Remember that platinum may not be marked if it comes from a country that does not require it or is extremely old when attempting to identify it. Additionally, metals with less than fifty percent platinum are ineligible for stamping.

To help determine whether a metal is platinum, there are a few additional visual indicators. Check to see if it appears bright white before proceeding. Platinum shines brighter and whiter than palladium, white gold, and other precious metals. Also, it's important to find out if your piece has any scratches. You shouldn't be able to see any scratches because platinum is so resistant to scratches. The final piece of advice is to examine your item to determine whether its shine has faded. If this is the case, you are carrying silver rather than platinum.

Feeling how heavy your piece is is another way to tell if it is platinum. Because it is denser than other precious metals, platinum weighs more when held in the hand than white gold, palladium, or silver.

Another interesting method for determining whether a metal is platinum is to use a magnet.

Using a Magnet Since platinum is not magnetic, if your item attracts a magnet, it is not platinum. Your metal is probably white gold and nickel mixed together if there is a slight magnetic pull.

Last but not least, performing a scratch test can make it easier to identify the metal.

Get a home acid scratch test kit if you've tried everything else and still don't know if you have platinum. If you don't want to do it yourself, you can hire a precious metal refiner or jewelry store to do it for you.

In a scratch test, your item is scratched against a scratch stone, leaving behind a small sample of its contents. After that, one or two drops of the acid are sprayed onto the sample with a dropper. In this instance, the sample taken from your piece that dissolves is not platinum.

If you decide to carry out this test on your own, protect your skin from the acid by wearing latex or vinyl gloves.

Au Bullion Canada’s premier bullion dealer. They specialize in buying and selling Gold, Silver, Platinum and Palladium. when you want to buy Gold and Silver at the lowest rates in Canada. they strive towards providing all our clients with the highest quality service both online and in person at Au Bullion offices in Toronto and Vancouver. Feel free to get in touch with their team and we will gladly help you out when choosing your next bullion investment.

In conclusion, if you are unsure of the kind of metal you bought or found, testing is always a good idea. There are so many different testing methods that there is no reason to be in any doubt regarding the value of your precious metals.