SearchHow to tell if gold is real: the stamp, the scale, the magnet, and is TraxNYC real gold?
From the counter at TraxNYC, 47th Street.
The short answer
- Yes, TraxNYC sells real gold jewelry. The chains we sell are karat gold, 10K, 14K and 18K, and the marks to look for on them are 417, 585 and 750. We do not sell gold-plated chains as gold.
- Every chain is weighed, stamp-checked and appraised at the counter.
- You can check one yourself at your kitchen table, with a light, a scale that reads in grams and a magnet.
- If anything you bought from us ever tests under the metal it was sold as, a gold karat or sterling silver, you get your money back in full, with no time limit.
A chain in the cart, or one that just arrived? Text us or call 212-872-9692. Our team texts back 10 AM to 10 PM ET; later texts are answered the next day.
Men's Gold Chains
All men's gold chains
Looking for a gold bar? Our 24K gold, sold by the gram in .999 gold bills, has its own guide: buying gold by the gram.
How to spot a fake gold chain
Three people ask me this: one bought a chain from us and then read something that made him doubt it, one has a chain from somewhere else, one has a chain in the cart and a thumb over the back button.
The checks are the same for all three, in this order: the stamp, the scale, the magnet. The stamp tells you what the piece claims to be. The scale tells you whether the claim is possible. No one check settles it alone.
How to spot fake gold. Our 2019 video on telling real gold from fake. 1.6 million views on YouTube, read September 26, 2026.
The stamp: where it sits and what it says
Look in three places: the clasp or its tongue, the small tag beside the clasp, and the end link. Hold the chain under a strong light and turn it. The numbers are small; a phone camera zoomed in does the job of a loupe.
| The mark on the piece | What it is | Gold in it |
|---|---|---|
| 417 or 10K | 10 karat gold | 41.7 percent |
| 585 or 14K | 14 karat gold | 58.3 percent |
| 750 or 18K | 18 karat gold | 75 percent |
| 875 or 21K | 21 karat gold | 87.5 percent |
| 916 or 22K | 22 karat gold | 91.6 percent |
| 999 or 24K | 24 karat gold | 99.9 percent |
| 925 | sterling silver, 92.5 percent silver | none; a silver mark, not a gold mark |
| a number with letters after it (GP, GEP, HGE, GF), or the words plated, filled, bonded, vermeil | a skin of gold over another metal | not gold through; never sold here as gold |
A 14K mark means 14K within the legal tolerance, which is small: the federal stamping law lets the metal run under its mark by no more than three parts in a thousand, or seven for the whole piece where solder is used.
Most of what you will see from us is 585.
What we list and what we sell, by karat
Gold chain listings
Chains sold, last twelve months
The three karats side by side, purity, weight and which one to buy: 10K vs 14K vs 18K gold chains.
A stamp can be struck on anything. A plated piece can carry a 585 if someone wants it to. So the stamp is the first check, not the last. What plated, filled and vermeil each mean, side by side: gold plated vs gold filled.
If you cannot find a mark you can read, do not guess. Text a photo of the piece to 212-872-9692, with your order number if you have one, and ask the desk.
From the counter
“Under-karat chains are a real problem: a chain stamped as more gold than it holds. It happens more than it should. A real jewelry business would never do that to you.”
The scale: your chain against its own listing
This is the one I would do if I could only do one. A chain from us can be checked against its own listing in three steps:
- Open the listing and read the Weight line, in grams, and the length it is given for.
- Put the chain on any scale that reads in grams.
- Compare the two numbers.
No Weight line, another length, or a chain still in the cart: text 212-872-9692 with the link and the length and ask for the grams.
Most kitchen scales round to the whole gram, so one gram either way is the scale, not the chain. More than that on a light chain, or several grams on a heavy one, is far apart: stop and text us with your order number and both numbers.
For a chain with no listing in front of it, here is what our solid 14K Miami Cubans weigh by width, from our listings, counted September 25, 2026 (medians; multiply by your length in inches, or read the 22-inch column).
| Width | 14K solid Miami Cuban, grams per inch | At 22 inches, grams |
|---|---|---|
| 2 mm | 0.35 | 7.8 |
| 2.5 mm | 0.50 | 11.0 |
| 3 mm | 0.83 | 18.2 |
| 4 mm | 1.25 | 27.5 |
| 5 mm | 1.92 | 42.3 |
| 6 mm | 2.76 | 60.8 |
| 7 mm | 3.65 | 80.3 |
| 8 mm | 5.37 | 118.1 |
| 9 mm | 6.64 | 146.0 |
| 10 mm | 8.36 | 183.9 |
| 12 mm | 10.86 | 239.0 |
In the same count our 10K runs lighter at the same width and link:
Grams per inch at the same width, our solid Miami Cubans: 10K against 14K
The 14K weighs 7 to 15 percent more per inch because the alloy is denser, not because the link is bigger. We have not measured enough solid 18K Miami Cubans for a fair per-inch number. More of our weights by link and width are on how much does a gold chain weigh.
Is a hollow chain real gold? Yes. A hollow chain is karat gold with air inside the link, not a fake, and it weighs far less than a solid one at the same look. Solid means not hollow; semi-solid is a trade word for a hollow-core link.
Our gold chains are solid unless the listing says hollow or lightweight. The Weight line is the check: for a Miami Cuban, read it against the table above. What you should never see is a chain sold as solid that weighs like a hollow one.
The same scale answers the price question. At the counter a karat gold chain's price starts from its grams and the day's gold price, and the making sits on top.
So a price far under the metal for its stated grams and karat is not a bargain. It means the tag is wrong: plated, a wrong karat, or a hollow chain sold as solid. A chain that looks the same size for much less is usually hollow.
Your chain's grams, times the gold share from the mark table above, is the pure gold in it. Today's gold price is on our spot page. I do not print it here because gold moves every day.
Solid chains to weigh against their listing. These three are among the solid gold chains that sold the most with us in the last 90 days, counted September 26, 2026, and each listing states its weight in grams.
Why does a magnet pull on some real chains?
Where you put the magnet is what matters. At the counter, when a real chain pulls, it is almost always the clasp. The rest of what we see:
- Gold does not pull to a magnet, and neither does a yellow 10K, 14K or 18K alloy.
- Put the magnet on the links, away from the clasp. The spring inside a lobster clasp is steel and pulls on a real chain.
- Some white gold alloys pull a little. A weak pull on white gold is not a verdict.
- No pull proves nothing by itself. Plated brass does not pull either.
- Some fakes carry a tungsten or steel core. Tungsten does not pull; a steel core does. The scale and the stamp narrow it; the bench catches the rest.
So the magnet is a screen, not a verdict: it catches steel and clears nothing.
Read the three together. A chain that carries a karat mark, weighs what its listing says and does not pull on the links has passed what a buyer can do at home. The rest is a jeweler's job.
What a jeweler tests with
When the three home checks disagree, the piece goes to a bench. A jeweler tests with acid on a stone or with an x-ray reading.
The acid is not pass or fail: a small scratch on the stone, a drop of acid, and the karat is read from how the streak reacts. The x-ray reads the alloy at the surface.
The acid test. Two Cuban chains from our store and a 24K gold coin, each scratched on a test plate, then a drop of the 10K, 14K and 18K solutions on each line. 3.6 million views.
View counts on YouTube, read September 26, 2026.
At our counter a chain is karat tested and weighed, and the appraisal that comes with a gold purchase prints its gram weight.
Why did my chain darken, and does that mean it is fake?
No. At the counter we see karat alloys darken from skin, sweat and lotion. Darkening is wear, not a fake. What each kind of darkening means is in does gold tarnish, or is it fake. The stamp and the scale answer the same way on a dull chain as on a bright one.
What the counter does before a chain leaves
From the showroom page: "Every chain is weighed, stamp-checked and appraised at the counter." And: "Every purchase comes with an official appraisal: carat and gram weights, diamond grade and color, current market value, and our corporate seal. Silver jewelry does not come with an appraisal."
The appraisal is prepared before shipment by a TraxNYC diamond jewelry expert; for international orders the terms of service, read September 25, 2026, say the appraisal is digital. The same terms say "we do not offer post-purchase appraisal services": the appraisal comes with the purchase, not later.
We have been on 47th Street since 2004; the reviews are on our reviews page.
★★★★★
“The weight was correct. The length was correct. Came in a really cool box with great customer service prior to sale. Quality piece.”
★★★★★
“Well made product you can tell is real gold and delivered 3 days after my orfer was placed”
★★★★★
“As always great quality and they definitely always deliver what they show you size. Weight clarity, quality, it's all there.”
★★★★★
“Real gold for real people from a realest business TraxNYC High quality. Easy ordering and fast shipping.”
A few of the five-star reviews buyers left on our listings, chosen by us, quoted as written and trimmed only for length.
If you doubt one you bought here
If anything you bought from us ever tests under the metal it was sold as, a gold karat or sterling silver, you get your money back in full, with no time limit. That is the store's word. Text or call 212-872-9692 with your order number, or write to service@traxnyc.com.
The terms of service, read September 25, 2026, say: "We stand behind the quality and authenticity of all materials used, including diamonds, precious metals, and gemstones, as described at the time of purchase." And: "Most concerns are resolved within 2-3 business days when raised directly with our customer service team."
The windows in days, from the same terms: "In the rare case that you receive an item with a manufacturing defect, contact us within 7 days of delivery. We will assess the issue and, where applicable, offer repair, remake, or resolution at no additional cost to you."
The same terms add: "Damage resulting from wear, improper care, or third-party alterations is not covered under this guarantee."
From the refund policy, read September 25, 2026: "Eligible merchandise may be returned within fourteen (14) calendar days of confirmed delivery, as determined by the shipping carrier's delivery confirmation."
Returned items must be "in new, unworn, and unaltered condition" and "returned with all original packaging and materials"; "All returns are subject to inspection and final approval." A restocking fee and the return shipping are charged on an approved return, at the figures stated in the refund policy.
Get the return authorization first, from service@traxnyc.com or 212-872-9692; "Failure to do so may result in return denial." Then: "DO NOT attempt to ship items back by yourself. Please return items only using shipping labels issued by TraxNYC Corp., as these labels are fully insured against theft and damage."
A return past the 14 days that is not about the karat, or a warranty question: ask the desk.
A chain that is not ours
The second man has a chain from somewhere else. Bring it. The gold trade-in page says: "Chains, rings, bracelets, single earrings, pieces that are broken or out of style, it doesn't have to be ours." "We test the karat and weigh it in grams while you watch, then quote you a number."
"Trade-ins happen in person only." Bring the gold and a valid photo ID. And for anything you bought from us: "Every TraxNYC piece can come back to the counter and go toward your next one, whenever you're ready."
Text us or call
Not sure about a chain? Ask before you buy, or after it arrives.
Every chain is weighed, stamp-checked and appraised at the counter.
From the counter
“The most common mistake is the same one people make buying anything: buying from the wrong company, from someone who cares more about the money than about doing good business.”
The questions people ask Google about us
Is TraxNYC jewelry real or fake?
Real. Our gold chains are karat gold, 10K, 14K and 18K, and two thirds of our gold chain listings are 14K, counted September 25, 2026. Every chain is weighed, stamp-checked and appraised at the counter, and every purchase comes with an official appraisal, carat and gram weights and our corporate seal on it.
Silver jewelry does not come with an appraisal. If anything you bought from us ever tests under the metal it was sold as, a gold karat or sterling silver, you get your money back in full, with no time limit.
Does TraxNYC have real gold?
Yes. We sell 24K gold by the gram. Gold Currency bills are .999 pure gold in 1 gram, 5 gram and 10 gram sizes, each signed by hand by our founder. The price and today's gold price are on our spot page. Our chains are karat gold, 10K, 14K and 18K, weighed and stamp-checked at the counter.
What the bills weigh, how their price is set, and how to check one: buying gold by the gram.
Does TraxNYC buy gold?
Yes, at the counter, in person, and it does not have to be gold you bought here. From the gold trade-in page: "Say yes and the value becomes store credit, applied to whatever you're picking up or having made or cash out." How the karat is tested and what to bring: a chain that is not ours, above.
Who owns TraxNYC jewelry Company?
TraxNYC is owned by its founder. The store has been on 47th Street since 2004, at 64 W 47th St, Booth F-1, in New York's Diamond District, one block off Fifth Avenue. It holds Secondhand Dealer License 2123575-DCWP, printed in the site footer. Custom jewelry is designed and made at our bench: sketch, CAD, wax, gold.
What is traxnyc.com/smelt?
The Smelt, the smelting room on our site. Pour casting grain from the jars into the tray, hit smelt, and see what your recipe turns into, karat and weight. Try it at traxnyc.com/smelt.
The chains are on the men's gold chains page; read the Weight line before you buy and weigh the chain when it arrives.
Keep reading
More answers from the counter: all TraxNYC buyer's guides.