Bill, you can buy devices/substances that will help confirm karatage.
You still need to be aware of a plated item being sold as solid. In the
jewelry business, there are very few 'accidents' due to experienced
craftsmen knowing from whom to buy mill goods and casting grain and
being intimately aware of differences in 'workability', color and
'heft'. If you deal with someone who is just reselling stuff they got
from some importer, they could accidently or purposefully defraud
someone. There are of course no certainties in life, but would you
rather buy a car from a guy who blows into town for a coupla weekends
and does business out of a tent, or the family owned dealership that's
been a member of the BBB for 42 years? Frankly, 14kt jewelry isn't
considered 'high end' in most places. 18k is. In many parts of Asia 22kt
is the norm for jewelry. 10k should be called brass with some gold. I
believe Abrasha (IIRC) wears a 24k (pure gold) ring.

Actually, very few folks make an effort to educate themselves as you are
trying to do. Unfortunately I have only book learning and extremely
little experience in this matter. I'm sure others will chime in.
one place to look for testing instruments might be www.kassoy.com

Carl
1 Lucky Texan


Bill wrote:
Anyone care to comment about under karating? In particular, 10K being
sold for 14K. Every so often there are exposes in the local media on
shops that have sold 10K as 14K.

From what I saw they tended to be in flea market-type environments.
Would you advise against shopping for 14K in flea market or jewelry
bazaar type settings?
Do you still run some risk getting underkarated jewelery even from an
established jewelry store? ( I guess the owner would even be unaware
of it)

I've been told best the best way to choose a 14K piece is to look not
only for 14K stamped on the ends and clasp but also for initials ( the
manufacturers?) and that something marked 14K Italy with initials is
most likely the best bet.
Is this true?

Thanks again.

Bill


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