Gold is one of the most sought after metals. There are many different reasons for this. Gold is beautiful, durable and valuable. Due to this, it is the first choice when buying jewelry. Yet, you need to be certain that you are getting a quality piece before forking over your money. Use these tips to determine if the piece is of acceptable quality.
Checking the BIS Mark
One of the best ways to check the purity of gold is to examine the BIS Mark. If a piece contains this mark, it is fair to say that its quality is reliable. The BIS Mark indicates that certain gold has been reviewed and verified by a participating licensee. Therefore, the first step to checking the value of gold is to look for this important hallmark. You’ll even find it on some pieces of Arabic gold.
Fineness Versus Karat
There are two main ways that gold’s purity can be expressed: fineness and Karat. Fineness tells you how pure it is in parts per thousand. The Karat number will tell you how much gold is in the piece relative to other metals. Pure gold is rated at 24KT. Thus, anything less than this will be mixed with other metals.
Identification Marks
You can also use a jeweler identification mark to get an idea of a piece’s purity. Again, it is important to look for BIS certification when considering this attribute. You can even check the website of the BIS to confirm that a particular jeweler is qualified.
Other Considerations
To sum it up, there are a few different indicators you should be aware of when buying Arabic gold. Try to purchase a piece that is already hallmarked. If not, you may have to pay additional fees to have the process done. In the end, hallmarking will help you prove the piece’s value in the future.
