There are plenty of things you can do to test whether a piece of jewelry is made from real gold or silver. One of the most popular tests is to use a magnet.
This is a quick and easy way to tell if an item has any gold or silver inside it. But it doesn’t tell you everything about the item.
Gold
Gold is one of the most popular precious metals used in jewelry. It is very malleable and durable, making it ideal for wearable jewelry.
However, it is not magnetic. You cannot make an item made of pure gold magnetic by alloying it with a metal such as iron or nickel, which would promote magnetism.
Other metals that are not magnetic include aluminum, zinc, and pewter. Many pieces of jewelry and other valuables are crafted with non-magnetic material, so it is important to perform a magnetic test before buying them.
Silver
The Earth’s magnetic field attracts a variety of metals. Those include iron, nickel, cobalt and many of their alloys.
Some of the metals that don’t attract a magnet are aluminum, copper, lead, tin, titanium and zinc. These are commonly used in watches and other non-precious metal jewelry.
Brass, which is an alloy of copper with varying amounts of zinc, is another metal that’s highly valued and widely used. It has been found in tools and adornments since ancient times and was one of the earliest known alloys.
The metal is also a popular choice for coins, jewelry and other accessories because of its high durability and luster. It is one of the most widely mined elements in the world, and it can be extracted as a by-product of mining for other metals.
Copper
Copper has been used by humans for over 10,000 years and is the world’s most widely used precious metal. It is a soft, ductile and malleable base metal that is valuable for its high thermal and electrical conductivity.
It is also biostatic, which means it does not grow bacteria or other microbes, and can be a natural antimicrobial. This makes it a good choice for netting in aquaculture as it prevents bacteria from attaching to the netting and therefore preventing disease.
Copper can be found in the Earth’s crust as a pure metal or as part of alloys, such as brass and bronze. These are mixed with other metals to create other useful alloys and binary compounds.
Brass
Brass is a metallic alloy that contains copper and zinc. It can also contain tin and other elements to vary its properties and appearance.
The percentages of copper and zinc in a brass alloy vary depending on the desired properties, but most varieties will contain 55% to 95% by weight of copper.
Brass is a metal that is malleable and has a high degree of strength, which makes it an excellent material for manufacturing and construction. It is also used in musical instruments and for other decorative purposes.
Bronze
The magnetic properties of some metals are known, but what precious metals are magnetic? Among the list are gold, silver, copper, brass, and bronze.
In the past, they were often used for decorative and utilitarian purposes. Today, they are used in components that need to withstand harsh environments and high corrosion rates.
At MetalTek, we produce hub bodies and shaft sleeves using bronze alloys. They’re durable and hard, able to withstand corrosion in saltwater environments.