How to tell if gold is real: the 585 or 750 hallmark, the certificate and the tests that don't work

You don't need to be a goldsmith to spot real gold. You just need to know where to look, and which tricks to skip.

Atelier TOV5 min readUpdated 12 November 2026

The short answer

You can tell real gold by its hallmark: 585 is 14 karat, 750 is 18 karat. It sits inside a ring, near the clasp or on a small tag. A certificate and the gold weight help too. The magnet test proves little, and biting or scratching damages your piece. Want to be sure? A jeweller tests it with acid or with an XRF machine.

In this story

What does the hallmark on gold mean?
Where do you find the hallmark?
The certificate and the weight
Magnet, biting, scratching: the tests that don't work
Want to be sure? Have it tested by a jeweller
Gold-plated, 9 karat or real gold?
Frequently asked questions

What does the hallmark on gold mean?

The hallmark is the quickest answer. The number tells you how many of 1000 parts are gold. The higher the number, the more gold.

Hallmark	Karat	Gold	What you know
999	24 karat	99.9%	Fine gold: deep in colour and very soft
916	22 karat	91.6%	Deep yellow and soft, less suited to every day
750	18 karat	75%	Real gold, warm and rich in colour. At TOV
585	14 karat	58.5%	Real gold, strong and ideal for every day. At TOV
375	9 karat	37.5%	Real gold, but a lot less of it
333	8 karat	33.3%	Real gold, with the least gold

See 925 on a gold-coloured piece? Then it's silver with a layer of gold. Letters such as GP, HGE or GF also mean a layer. A hallmark is a strong sign, but not proof: a hallmark can be faked too. That's why the other checks below count as well.

Where do you find the hallmark?

Small, and always somewhere you don't see while you wear the piece.

A ring: on the inside of the band.
A necklace or bracelet: near the clasp, or on a small tag right next to it. Often no bigger than a grain of rice.

Grab your phone camera, zoom in and hold the piece to the light. Every TOV piece is stamped 585 (14 karat) or 750 (18 karat), with our own signature next to it. Exactly where depends on the design. On our gold rings it's on the inside. On a gold necklace you'll usually find it near the clasp.

The certificate and the weight

The certificate

A good seller tells you in black and white what you're buying. Every TOV piece comes with a personal digital certificate of authenticity. For diamonds, it also states the cut, colour, clarity and carat weight. What else you can check for yourself is in is TOV Essentials legit.

The gold weight

Every TOV product page shows the gold weight in the specifications. If you have a jewellery scale that weighs to 0.01 gram, you can compare it with your own piece. Bear in mind: that weight is for an average size, and stones weigh something too. A small difference is normal. A big one? Ask about it. Weight is a clue, not proof.

Magnet, biting, scratching: the tests that don't work

The internet is full of home tests. Most tell you very little, and a few ruin your piece.

Test	Does it work?	Why
The magnet	Half	Gold isn't magnetic. But plenty of other metals aren't either, and a clasp sometimes has a little steel spring that does react.
Biting	No	Gold is soft, so you leave tooth marks. It proves nothing and your piece is damaged.
Scratching with a needle or on a tile	No	You leave scratches that stay, and without testing acid you still know nothing afterwards.
Acid at home	Better not	Acid can damage stones, pearls and your skin. Leave it to a professional.

If a piece sticks to a magnet, it isn't real gold. If it doesn't stick, you still know nothing. So always test the links themselves, not the clasp.

Want to be sure? Have it tested by a jeweller

A jeweller or gold dealer has two reliable tests:

The acid test. The jeweller rubs a tiny streak of the gold onto a touchstone and adds a drop of testing acid. The reaction shows the karat. A professional does it somewhere you won't see.
The XRF test. A machine uses X-rays to measure exactly which metals are inside, and how much of each. It takes a few seconds and leaves no trace.

Not sure about a TOV piece? Go ahead and have it tested. We're fine with that. More on karat, colour and strength is in our gold guide.

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Gold-plated, 9 karat or real gold?

Two questions that often follow "is it real?":

Gold-plated or real gold? Gold-plated is a wafer-thin layer of gold on another metal. The hallmark, the letters and the edges give it away. The full difference is in real gold vs gold-plated.
9 or 14 karat? 375 and 333 are real gold, but they hold only 33 to 37.5% gold. With 585 it's more than half. Read 9k vs 14k gold.

At TOV you always wear at least 58.5% gold. All our gold jewellery is 14 or 18 karat, never gold-plated.

Gold Jewellery Real 14 and 18 karat gold, never gold-plated. Shop Gold Jewellery

Frequently asked questions

Is gold magnetic?

No, gold isn't magnetic. But a piece that doesn't stick to a magnet isn't automatically real gold: plenty of other metals aren't magnetic either. And a spring in the clasp can react.

What does 750 on gold mean?

750 means 18 karat: 750 of 1000 parts are gold. 585 is 14 karat, 375 is 9 karat and 333 is 8 karat.

Where is the hallmark on a necklace?

Usually near the clasp, or on a small tag right next to it. On a ring, it's on the inside of the band.

Is gold jewellery without a hallmark fake?

Not necessarily. Old or handmade pieces sometimes have no hallmark, or it has worn away. Want to be sure? Have a jeweller test it with an acid test or an XRF machine.

How does a jeweller test if gold is real?

With an acid test on a touchstone or with an XRF machine. XRF measures in a few seconds which metals are inside and how much, without damaging your piece.