# How to tell if jewellery is real gold or silver

Canonical: https://materiumapp.com/learn/is-jewellery-real-gold-or-silver/

By Materium. Published 2026-10-20. Language: en.

Begin with readable marks, the item's construction and its provenance. A photo is useful for documenting those clues; a professional assessment or assay establishes composition when authenticity or fineness needs confirmation.

## What to check yourself

1. Photograph every readable mark near clasps, inside a ring or on the back of the item. Keep letters, numbers and symbols together instead of recording a number alone.

2. Compare the complete set of marks with an official hallmark reference for the relevant country. A mark is a claim to investigate, not a chemical test of the object.

3. Read receipts and manufacturer descriptions for wording such as plated, filled, vermeil or solid. Note separate stones, clasps and base-metal parts.

4. Take the item and its documents to a reputable jeweller or assay service for a confirmed finding. Keep the written result with the item before making an exact resale claim.

## Make the next step useful

A gold or silver colour does not establish the underlying metal. Keep an AI material estimate, a stamped declaration and a verified test result labelled as different kinds of information.

## Explore it with Materium

Materium can help organise visual material clues and a saved assessment. Use it to develop the material question and keep observations together; use the appropriate professional evidence for a claim about precious-metal purity.

## Related material references

- [Aluminium](https://materiumapp.com/materials/aluminium/) (en)
- [Stainless steel](https://materiumapp.com/materials/stainless-steel/) (en)

## Sources and further reading

Sources checked 2026-10-20.

- [The Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office — What is a hallmark?](https://www.assayofficelondon.co.uk/hallmarking/what-is-a-hallmark)

Educational content prepared with AI assistance. Sources provide supporting reading, separate from the app’s generated assessment. [Editorial and corrections policy](https://materiumapp.com/editorial/).

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