I’m going to be honest — the first time I ever bought what I thought was “real” 14K Gold Jewelry, I was so proud of myself. I walked out of the store feeling like I’d made an adult decision. A responsible one. A mature one. And then… three weeks later, the clasp on the chain turned a weird brownish-green that looked like rust mixed with regret. That’s when I realised how easy it is to think you’re buying gold and how easy it is to get tricked if you don’t know what you’re looking at.
Since then, I’ve learned more than I expected, partly from jewellers, partly from my own mistakes, and partly from that natural instinct you develop when you’ve handled enough jewellery to know what feels honest. And funny enough, the more you start paying attention, the more you realise how predictable fake or gold-plated jewelry can be… if you know the signs.