How to Acid Test Gold; Advice, Tips & Tricks, and Examples of 6k, 8k, 9k, 10k, 12k, 14k, 18k, & 22k

Video Description

In this video we talk about acid testing gold. We go through examples of what test acid looks like on 6k, 8k, 10k, 12k, 14k, 18k, and a natural gold nugget (22k). We talk about the pros and cons, and the little subtleties involved in this kind of testing. The Tools: A Cheap Loupe: https://amzn.to/4fWPjIy ($7USD at the time of upload) Good Magnets: https://amzn.to/4hf65nd ($7USD at the time of upload) The Gold & Silver Test Kit: https://amzn.to/4kugYnt The Scale: https://amzn.to/43EKBvM ($6USD at the time of upload) - Also of note: these scales are branded all sorts of things but all seem to be manufactured by the same outfit. As far as I know they are all the same, they just sell for different prices. #gold #acid #testing This video provides a detailed guide on how to acid test gold and silver (0:11). The creator, who admits to not being an expert but shares learned insights, aims to show viewers what various acid reactions look like on different karats of gold and types of silver (0:37-1:17). Here's a breakdown of the video's content: Introduction to Acid Testing The creator explains that acid testing involves scratching a small amount of metal onto a testing stone and observing how different acids react to it. The stronger the acid, the higher the karat of gold it can dissolve (5:20-6:31). Safety Precautions The creator emphasizes that testing acids are corrosive and should be handled with care, ideally with gloves. Proper ventilation is also recommended to prevent the acid from aerosolizing and potentially rusting nearby metal items (6:38-7:55). Items Tested The video features a variety of gold and silver items with known purities (determined by an XRF machine) for demonstration (1:20-3:00): Silver: Coin silver (90%), sterling silver, 800 silver (80%), and fine silver (more or less pure). Gold: 25% gold (75% silver alloy), 333 (8 karat) gold, 9 karat, 10 karat plum, 10 karat white gold, 12 karat, 14 karat, 18 karat, 18 karat white gold, and a 22 karat natural gold nugget. Testing Process and Observations The creator demonstrates scratching the items onto the stone and applying different karat acids (10K, 14K, 18K, 22K) and a silver solution (5:40-5:51). Key observations include: Destructive Nature: Acid testing is a slightly destructive process as it involves scratching the item (8:18-8:28). Acid Reactions on Gold: Different karats react differently to the acids. Lower karats tend to dissolve or show significant changes with lower karat acids (13:40-16:25). The video provides visual examples of how 9K, 10K, 12K, 14K, 18K, and even 22K gold react to their respective acids and higher karat acids (18:02-29:50). Silver Reaction: Silver is shown to react with silver test acid, potentially turning blue with 18K acid (14:24-14:53, 26:33-27:02). Ambiguity and Acid Quality: The creator highlights that acid testing can be ambiguous due to potential variations in gold content and the degradation of testing acids over time (25:44-26:17, 29:36-30:04). Future Videos: The creator mentions that silver and gold-filled material testing will be covered in separate videos due to the length of this one (30:52-31:11). The video serves as a practical guide, offering visual examples and honest insights into the challenges and nuances of acid testing for gold and silver.