Pillar
Real vs. fake — the authenticity toolkit
Not every gold-toned piece is solid gold, and not every red stone is a ruby. This pillar bundles the guides that help you tell material and technique apart — from hallmarks and karat tests to imitation stones, doublets and stylistic reproductions.
The pages below give indications, not certifications. For valuable pieces, always consult a sworn appraiser or a gemmological lab (HRD, GIA, IGI).
Recognising real gold at home
Hallmarks, magnet, colour and density — what you can reliably test without a lab.
Recognising imitation stones
Paste, doublet, foil-back and synthetics — visible clues per technique.
Rolled gold, gilt and pinchbeck
Why a gold-toned piece without a karat mark is often not solid gold.
Recognising reproductions by style
Victorian revival, Art Deco imitations, plastic cameos and marquise-ring copies.
Material and karat
The basics: alloys, hallmarks and what 585, 750 and 925 actually mean.
Cuts through the ages
Rose, old mine, old European and transitional — the facet pattern dates the piece.