It’s no secret that the custom jewelry industry is a pretty lucrative business, so it comes as no surprise that people have successfully made a lot of money by producing and selling fake jewelry supplies (mostly materials, like gold and silver). People who produce counterfeit jewelry today have even become so good at what they do, that even the best jewelers and collectors in highly-respected jewelry districts have been tricked into buying fake items.

Additionally, many people successfully sell custom jewelry that’s made from a variety of materials, making it harder for jewelers to detect which materials are real and which are fake; for the average consumer, knowing how to spot fake jewelry can be nearly impossible.

Here are just a couple things to look out for if and when you’re shopping around for fine jewelry pieces:

• One of the easiest ways to spot fake gold or silver materials is to run a magnet along the surface. This “test” is convenient because it doesn’t pose any threat to the condition of the item, and it will work with small pieces (like rings) or highly detailed pieces (like engraved silver jewelry). Basically, all you need to know is that gold and silver do not stick to magnets. You might feel a bit of resistance between a magnet and piece of silver, but the jewelry itself shouldn’t stick. If it does, you’ve got a fake.
  

• If you’re looking at silver jewelry, you can actually determine the authenticity of the silver by placing an ice cube on it. Sounds weird, right? The thing is, metal materials tend to conduct thermal energy (i.e., heat) very easily, and silver conducts this energy best of all. It won’t necessarily make a room-temperature object melt, but if something like an ice cube is placed on it, the heat from the silver will quickly transfer over to the ice cube. This “test” is also pretty convenient, because if you do have a piece of authentic custom jewelry on your hands, a bit of water won’t hurt it at all.
  

• Finally, if you’re analyzing a piece of solid-metal jewelry, you may be able to determine its authenticity by weighing it. Gold, especially, will be much lighter if it’s counterfeited, and you’ll be able to notice weight differences easily with bigger items (like watches or heavy necklaces). For smaller items, like gold wedding bands, you might have to turn to a scale for a more precise measurement.

Remember, these are only the basics! Buying a good piece of fine jewelry definitely is an investment, and you should never hesitate to find a good jeweler who is willing to answer all of your questions. Check out this website for more.