My GT-3000 paid for itself today (5 times over)

[Husker]

At an antique show. Found one of the main vendors I deal with frequently (one hell of a digger of "stuff"), had 124g of 14k rings and heavy chains. All were VERY heavy, and looked good (3 rings and 2 chains, so you can see how heavy each were).

He took $1000 offer (about $1900 spot value). However, sale was based upon elect test, and filing test to make sure it was 14k and not filled.

Tested, and each piece tested as not gold, no matter how much I used my pencil eraser to try to remove tarnish. All of the material tested almost exactly the same, 170-175 on the digital scale, and for gold colored gold, anything under 370 is listed as not gold, and 370 is just the start of 6k.

Certainly glad I tested. Not sure what it was, but it was certainly not gold. Money certainly saved. Word of warning to jewelry buyers, beware of the hallmark, there are thieves everywhere. Leroy, the "junk" dealer who had these is not the thief, but whoever hallmarked this crap was. One piece was marked Mx, so I bet the whole lot was mexican made, and probably some tarnish resistant brass or something like that, which the same person or shop made. It simply looked like (and felt like) older antique 14k jewelry I buy day in and day out.

Jim.

 

[Noxx]

How does a GT-3000 works ? Do you think it is possible to make his own ?

 

[Husker]

How does a GT-3000 works ? Do you think it is possible to make his own ?

The GT-3000 has an electronic unit that is about the size of an old TI calculator (inch in height, and about 3"x6"). Runs off a 9v battery. There is a dual cable, that has sort of a Y connector in the middle. The Y is plugged into the meter. Then one end of the Y is plugged into a alligator clip (might be platinum or platinum plated) that is attached to a plastic pad. The other end of the wire has a pointed connection, and is plugged into a socket on this "gel tube", that looks like a very fat pencil.

Then you simply turn it on, clean off the item to be tested (using pencil eraser), and put it into the clip. Then twist the gel "pen" like thing, to get a tiny gel blob on the end, touch the piece to test with this gel, CLOSE to the aligator clip, but never allow gel to touch, and then press a button. In a couple of seconds, there is a digital reading.

On the GT-3000 (older "legacy" version), you get a number from some negative values, up to about 1200. There is a scale (3 of them actually, yellow, white and red/green) If the number is under 390, then it is registered as not gold (but worn GF and plate will read there, along with all non-gold metals). Then there are just ranges. It reads, 6k, 8k, 9k, 9.5k, 10k, 12k, 13.5k, 14k, 16k, 18k, above 18k and platinum (all are simply ranges, somewhere in that 390 to 1200 range). The better the gold, the higher the number.

The thing works like a champ, with the exception that GF will read like "real" gold. On GF, you will have to file, but when doing that, it will expose base, and cause the reading to drop substantially. Karat will not drop when filed.

The unit measures capacitance (some how). I have no idea, but that is what it advertises. I think many of the electronic gold testers use some form of this gel or fluid to operate, and all operate on "similar" principals.

NOTE it is not 100% damage free. It WILL leave a red spot on 14k (and to lesser extent on 18k and some on 12k GF). The mark does come off, but you have to work pretty hard to do so. I am pretty sure it is pulling some metal or metal oxide to the surface. I am pretty sure the gel is some acid based stuff. Also, many times on plate, where you touch the item with the gel, you will end up with base metal showing (if it is thin costume like crap).

However, I would not buy gold without using it. The only few exepctions are when someone runs up to me (at say an antique show), and offers a tiny tiny ring or 2, that I offer next to nothing for. Many of the antique dealers know I buy gold (now), so they often have little broken 10/14k stuff, that I pick up for 10-15. In that case, it would be more of a hassle to setup, than the ring was worth to me. I rarely have any issues with little stuff like that.

This is the dealer I bought it from (cheapest deal I could find). http://stores.ebay.com/IGEM/Gold-Testing-Diamond-Testing-Guide.html


Jim.

 

[Noxx]

Thanks a lot

 

[Kbow]

Thanks alot for the information. We have started buying jewelry and are researching electronic testers. The link you gave has many different ones.

The only problem I have is knowing which one.

We are looking at the Tri-Electric GXL-18,
GT300, and the Rs Mizar M24....

Anyone have any suggestions? If these testers are the way to go, then I wonder why I haven't heard catfish mention them?

Thanks again for the link,

Kbow

 

[Anonymous]

most likely works on the skin effect, high frequency current, possibly measuring the back emf - that is how slot machines detect slugs -

 

[lamp]

I have a M24 and I've been happy with it,but my advise would be to find someone who has one so you can to see it used. I visited a pawn shop that had one they used before i decided to buy mine .

 

[Kbow]

Thanks Lamp. I will try to find someone that can demonstrate.

 

[Gold Trail]

old post, i know, but outa curiousity, how do people feel about you filing into there rings and things?

example, you file into a piece the guy thinks is worth what he PAID for it in gold, but not there EG: he paid 500 for a ring, that tests electronicly to be worth 50.00 and hes not selling, but YOU filed into his ring..... hows that work?

kinda why have not persued things other than E scrap

Do you have to have a license or cert to buy gold? thought i heard that some where

Just wondering

Ryan

 

[aflacglobal]

old post, i know, but outa curiousity, how do people feel about you filing into there rings and things?

example, you file into a piece the guy thinks is worth what he PAID for it in gold, but not there EG: he paid 500 for a ring, that tests electronicly to be worth 50.00 and hes not selling, but YOU filed into his ring..... hows that work?

kinda why have not persued things other than E scrap

Do you have to have a license or cert to buy gold? thought i heard that some where

Just wondering

Ryan

The purchase or sale of precious metals by unlicensed dealers, or violations of any other sections of the precious metals law, are third-degree misdemeanors, punishable by up to one year in prison and a $2,500 fine.

http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/press.aspx?id=3349

The laws very from state to state.

Here in alabama i had to buy a county lic and be reg with the state as a precious metals broker and buy a state lic also as well as being Incorporated.

http://arc-sos.state.al.us/cgi/corpdetail.mbr/detail?corp=252518&page=agent
http://arc-sos.state.al.us/cgi/corpdetail.mbr/detail?corp=252519&page=agent

 

[Oz]

When I buy scrap gold I buy it as just that “scrap”. I look at the hallmarking and quality of the pieces and do a rub test on a stone with acid. I then give a price I am willing to pay based on the rub test and mass. If they are ok with my offer I inform them that I must check to be sure the hallmarks are not counterfeit by filing a notch and testing with acid to be sure they are not plated.

By this point of the transaction it has been made clear that I am buying on a percentage of the gold value of the piece and am not buying for resale as jewelry. If they are ok with my price after that discussion it is clear that they place a value on it as only scrap as well. No harm is done by filing a notch after negotiation of price, if they are selling as scrap. It is hard for them to argue if their piece is not plumb. If they disagree with my gold content determination they can sell the pieces I fail elsewhere. As scrap, no harm has been done, they can keep the piece as well as the filings.

 

[goldsilverpro]

Husker,

I am curious. When you filled a notch, did you test it with nitric? How did it react?

 

[Husker]

old post, i know, but outa curiousity, how do people feel about you filing into there rings and things?

example, you file into a piece the guy thinks is worth what he PAID for it in gold, but not there EG: he paid 500 for a ring, that tests electronicly to be worth 50.00 and hes not selling, but YOU filed into his ring..... hows that work?

kinda why have not persued things other than E scrap

Do you have to have a license or cert to buy gold? thought i heard that some where

Just wondering

Ryan

When I buy old jewelry, I basically look at everything, sorting into piles. I then elect test each piece, and things that test 'right' (surface test), are put into a new pile. If they do not test right, then I also put them into a different pile. So when done, I have a pile of 14k marked, that tested as 14k (or 13.5k, etc), a pile of 18k that tested right, an a pile of 10k that tested right, and possibly a few items which DID NOT test right. I then try to further validate these mis read items. I look for signs of possible gold filled (i.e. layers or different coloration at the high points or wear points). I also try to remove tarnish (or varnishes, etc), and test again, possibly several times. Note, I have gotten pretty good at being able to detect 'real' karat gold, simply by looking at it.

If I have items which I simply can not get a reading on, I simply do not buy them. Once I have piles sorted, I will then compute the amount of gold in total, and shoot an offer of whatever percentage of spot I am using, but I shoot that offer based upon further testing, which I absolutely DO tell the seller will be a destructive test. If they accept the tentative offer, I then file (at least on many of the items). I have become pretty comfortable in knowing that certain items will be karat, but that others might be 'suspect'. The ones that I have any suspect for, I will then file and re-test.

If the seller has a problem with this, then they would have already HAD a problem with the price I was offering. If the seller has already accepted the price, based upon a percentage of gold value, then they already demonstrated to me that for this item(s) they are not holding on to their perceived sentimental value, and I have no problems filing.

Note, on true hall marked jewelry, which has passed initial surface testing, it is pretty uncommon to not be proper karat value. The times I have had problems, were where the item was heavy plated or GF, but marked as karat. Then, when I file, I can pretty easily see that it is GF, and the tester simply has the value fall a lot, showing further confirming my suspicion.

I do NOT buy 'fine' jewelry. I am buying gold scrap. People not comfortable with that, will not go for the deal anyway, so it is not a problem. I am not buying jewelry for resale of any form.

Jim.

 

[Husker]

Husker,

I am curious. When you filled a notch, did you test it with nitric? How did it react?

Nope, I do not use acids regularly in the field, if I can avoid it.

Once I get a good file mark, if the item is not karat, but is filled, I test putting the daub of gell into the file mark, and re-test. If the reading drops significantly, it is an indication that the item is filled or plated.

I have seen some 'decent' looking 2-karat material (I hear it is coming from Saudi Arabia). It is 8 or 10k underneath (the base metal), with thick 18k plating on top, and hallmarked 18k. Well the elect tester shows this really quickly. It simply reads as about 12k, but with the hallmark of 18k. I then file, and the reading drops to 10k or even lower (such as 8k). Seen several of these pieces recently. Even if it were GF, so the tester read it at 18k on the surface, if you file, and test in the file notch, it will read much below this (in this case, it might drop from 18k to 12k). You could be more precise, and try to use some clear coat or something, on the non-filed parts (to try to keep contact away from it), but it really does not matter. If I test something which 'drops' like this, I simply toss it into a pile that I will buy at GF rates, or simply pass on it totally, if there is not enough GF material to put a bid on.

There is enough scrap out there, that if I do not want to 'worry' about some item, I will simply pass on it. Let the seller dump it on some other person.

Jim.