# Will a jeweler be able to tell what K of gold my ring is? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 12, 2006, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-jeweler-be-able-to-tell-what-k-of-gold-my-ring-is/376212 "2006-10-12T16:12:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-jeweler-be-able-to-tell-what-k-of-gold-my-ring-is/376212/1 "2006-10-12T16:12:33Z")
I have the 4-year itch. Literally. After wearing my wedding ring for 4 years, I can’t put it on anymore or I get an EXTREMELY itchy, red, lumpy spot on my ring finger where the ring is. I have been told that this can be the result of a lower quality of gold, like 10K, in the ring, that some people have a reaction to it. Why I’m having a reaction after 4 years is beyond me. This happened once about 2 years ago, but after a little while with the ring off, I was able to put it back on again and wear it for about 2 more years. This time, no dice, it comes back in a day as soon as I put it back on. Since this is my wedding ring, I really don’t want to trade it in, so I am considering having it plated in a higher-quality gold, but that will only work if I am having a reaction to the inferior gold, and not for some other strange reason. The problem is that I don’t know what type of gold my ring is made of. Would a jeweler be able to tell easily? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-jeweler-be-able-to-tell-what-k-of-gold-my-ring-is/376212/2 "2006-10-12T16:16:57Z")
Yes, but usually it is also stamped on the inside of the band. If it’s not or it’s worn away, they have various assays they can perform to determine the gold’s purity. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-jeweler-be-able-to-tell-what-k-of-gold-my-ring-is/376212/3 "2006-10-12T16:51:01Z")
My ring is somewhat unique, the back of the band is sort of textured. I couldn’t find a stamped quality rating on it. Thanks for the info. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-jeweler-be-able-to-tell-what-k-of-gold-my-ring-is/376212/4 "2006-10-12T17:49:27Z")
Joe, I have some jewelry that I can’t wear without my fingers breaking out as well - have you tried coating the inside of the band with clear nail polish? This has worked for me… ---
**Author:** ![Sonia\_Montdore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sonia\_Montdore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonia_Montdore)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-jeweler-be-able-to-tell-what-k-of-gold-my-ring-is/376212/5 "2006-10-12T18:46:11Z")
Yes, a jeweler can determine the karat of your ring: [http://www.shorinternational.com/TestGoldMakeSolution.htm](http://www.shorinternational.com/TestGoldMakeSolution.htm) ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-jeweler-be-able-to-tell-what-k-of-gold-my-ring-is/376212/6 "2006-10-12T18:50:38Z")
[QUOTE=crazyjoe] The problem is that I don’t know what type of gold my ring is made of. Would a jeweler be able to tell easily? [/QUOTE] Yes. There is a simple “scratch” test where the ring is rubbed on a piece of slate? (possibly something else) and known samples of gold alloys are also use to make a mark for comparison. Not perfect but reasonably close. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-jeweler-be-able-to-tell-what-k-of-gold-my-ring-is/376212/7 "2006-10-12T19:28:33Z")
[QUOTE=Missy2U] Joe, I have some jewelry that I can’t wear without my fingers breaking out as well - have you tried coating the inside of the band with clear nail polish? This has worked for me… [/QUOTE] Thanks. In doing more web-based research I think it might be plain old contact dermatitis. I am going to clean the ring and take it off at night, and see if that helps me. If not, the nail polish thing will tell me if I’m having a reaction to the gold, and from there, who knows. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-jeweler-be-able-to-tell-what-k-of-gold-my-ring-is/376212/8 "2006-10-12T19:39:25Z")
> [@](#): > > **Will a jeweler be able to tell what K of gold my ring is?** Sure - how many digits will fit in it? ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-jeweler-be-able-to-tell-what-k-of-gold-my-ring-is/376212/9 "2006-10-12T20:31:54Z")
They have to scratch it? Wouldn’t a displacement test and weighing it with a jeweler’s scale be enough to calculate the type of gold? ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-jeweler-be-able-to-tell-what-k-of-gold-my-ring-is/376212/10 "2006-10-12T22:34:22Z")
They’ll rub the ring on a piece of something - I forget what it is but it looks like slate. This will be compared to something else that tells them the karat. It won’t damage the ring at all. Weighing it won’t tell them the karat value. Sorry I can’t be more specific. I used to work in a jewelry store, but it was years ago, and I forget the exact process, but I just remember what they did. It was very quick and easy. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-jeweler-be-able-to-tell-what-k-of-gold-my-ring-is/376212/11 "2006-10-12T22:43:34Z")
[QUOTE=iamthewalrus(:3=] They have to scratch it? Wouldn’t a displacement test and weighing it with a jeweler’s scale be enough to calculate the type of gold? [/QUOTE] Eureka. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-jeweler-be-able-to-tell-what-k-of-gold-my-ring-is/376212/12 "2006-10-12T23:11:22Z")
Yikes **David** , stop running around like that and get back in the tub! ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-jeweler-be-able-to-tell-what-k-of-gold-my-ring-is/376212/13 "2006-10-12T23:24:13Z")
At my Dad’s jewlery store, we used to test gold with hydrochloric acid. We’d scratch the gold (this is only to expose the base metal it if is a plate --if you know it’s solid gold they could skip that) and put some of the acid on it. 14K and up: no reaction. 10K: brownish discoloration (can be polished off). goldplate: green bubbling and fumes. Here is a description of several testing methods: [http://www.lacywest.com/t\_goldt.htm#goldacidkit](http://www.lacywest.com/t_goldt.htm#goldacidkit)