newbie question

[Dwsj65]

First of all let me say what a great source of information. I already have the refining bible and have read it twice already... working on my third... My question is actually PRIOR to any of the refining process... what is the best way to check something for gold? As an example, my grandpa had an OLD clock that appears to have gold on the face of it and on the surrounding "plate" that the clock is mounted in... it would be antique, but it has been in his garage and the gears and other workings have all rusted together... according to the antique shop nearby it isn't worth anything in that regard... which leads me to wanting to see if the platings are real gold... I should also tellhave that the plate part of the clock is metal, not ceramic... I understand there probably isn't much value to this one piece, but I also have lots of fingers, pins, flatpacks, a few cpus, and some plated jewelry that I will be processing later after I have a more thorough understanding... I refuse to ask uneducated questions.. just not my style... thanks in advance for your help... I tried searching for an answer first, but everything I found was testing after the refining process had started, and I am not quiet there yet... if I missed something, if someone will just give me a keyword to search for I will be glad to search it out myself.... thanks again guys...

DWSJ65

 

[butcher]

Dwsj65.

Most of the time you can tell if something is plated with gold. And when an article is exposed to elements base metals will corrode, the gold plating will not.

Although brass can be polished and oiled or sprayed with protective coating to fool you.

Here is something I might try on that old clock. Find a place where you can make some damage to its surface, dilute nitric drop on gold plate unscratched surface should give no reaction, scratch or file through plating (if base metals or brass underneath) a drop of nitric will turn green. if this plating is on glass or ceramic it is a very high likelihood to be gold plating

 

[publius]

Another way is to spot test it by dropping (one drop) of either AR or Acid-Bleach on to the suspected gold and after waiting for a reaction (3-10 seconds) suck the reagent off the piece and add a drop of Stannous chloride. If it is gold your will get a purple spot (hence the name of the test) on the paper.

 

[Dwsj65]

Thanks for the replies. I will give that a try. You mentioned acid-bleach? Willing to share more about what you mean?

Thanks!

 

[philddreamer]

"You mentioned acid-bleach? Willing to share more about what you mean?"

HCl/Cl, (muriatic/clorox). You should do a search on the topic & learn the safe way to use this process; chlorine gas will kill you!

Take care & be safe!

Phil