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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: ow9654 on March 05, 2012, 11:44:56 AM

Title: How to test for white gold?
Post by: ow9654 on March 05, 2012, 11:44:56 AM
Hi
I have a "white gold" Omega watch 18K or 0.750 in purity.
I sold it on ebay around a year ago for 170 and got it returned to me for being a "clear fake".
It has been in a drawer since but now since gold has been brought to my attention more I remembered I had it and decided to run some tests
1. It is not magnetic
2. It is extremely hard to file
3. Well there is no 3 so any suggestions
Title: Re: How to test for white gold?
Post by: fancypants on March 05, 2012, 12:13:39 PM
It may be true that what you've got there is a bogus copy of the real deal (AKA "a hustlers' watch') .... often distinguishable when the clockworks are inspected , if other methods fail .

Take your item to a local jeweler for touch-stone (or other) testing to be certain .

The 'fake' watch manufacturers can & will continue to put out products with false gold/plat & etc hallmarks/stampings on them !
Title: Re: How to test for white gold?
Post by: ow9654 on March 05, 2012, 12:30:11 PM
I`m afraid I won`t be taking it to a jewelers over here in Ireland it costs 70 euro to get a watch looked at, they send it away to a big building to be examined!!
Jewellers here have gone to rubbish now in their knowledge and skill.
I`m looking for a test for the metal itself because the watch does look a bit too "sparkly" to be a real Omega watch, I`d have more interest in the metal than the watch.
Thanks anyways
Title: Re: How to test for white gold?
Post by: kathyp1039 on March 05, 2012, 01:22:40 PM
Just a suggestion-any pawn shops over there that may test it if they think you want to sell it?
Title: Re: How to test for white gold?
Post by: ow9654 on March 05, 2012, 01:31:37 PM
I`m afraid there is no pawn shops BUT there gold for cash stands are plentiful maybe I could pay one to do an acid test for me ha just thought of it there now silly me  :)
A bottle of acid on ebay costs around $10 shipped so it can`t cost me too much.
Title: Re: How to test for white gold?
Post by: kathyp1039 on March 05, 2012, 01:39:57 PM
Yes-we have plenty of those now on every corner-thats where I take all my gold, our jewelers are idiots. I had a gold watch that was my grandmothers-jeweler wouldn't even appraise it-he said i'll give you $40-took it to a gold store and they appraised it at over $200-got over $300 for it on Ebay
Title: Re: How to test for white gold?
Post by: ow9654 on March 05, 2012, 01:46:44 PM
Ha same, I got a buyer on ebay for this watch and 8 other silver watches he pointed this out as fake and wanted to keep the silver watches he offered me 65 GBP his reason for this low price was scrap and the fact that 2 of them weren`t silver made them worthless.I took them back! The 2 "worthless" (Waltham and Elgin two great makes) ones sold for 128 euro and the rest 80 euro.

However this watch the Omega is 1. Probably fake 2. Missing winder, clasps etc. Basically ready for the scrap.
I`ll get it tested this weekend and if you want update the on this page!
Thanks all for your help  ;)
Title: Re: How to test for white gold?
Post by: ow9654 on March 05, 2012, 03:12:49 PM
Is there a possibility that someone or the manufacturer plated it with Platinum?????
I just noitced a small spot on the watch where some "plating" has come away, I scratched it with a piece of ceramic and it come out gold coloured which indicates gold!
I`ll still get the acid test but this is a new development for me!