Is this really a 22ct gold ring?

roses

Hi, I bought a plain gold 22ct wedding band on ebay on Thursday and it arrived this morning. Here is the auction:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320694880883&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

It was advertised as 22ct gold and weighing 3.4g & I paid £82 for it (scrap gold weight of 22ct - this seems to be the going price for gold rings on ebay)

In the photo, I could see two lines on the ring although there was no mention in the auction.

On arrival this morning, I can see the ring is resized - this I don't have a problem with. What I am concerened about is that I am not sure that is is solid 22ct gold as I can see different colours around where the join is. See photo:

http://img36.imageshack.us/i/dscf2235v.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/685/dscf2234b.jpg/

Does anyone have any advise if this looks like solid 22ct gold or if the resized gold looks impure? There aren't any jewellers in my area where I can take it unless I make a special trip into town, which I don't have time for until early June.

lookingforsun

Hi, it doesn't mention it in the listings - but the two lines are visible in his photos - so I don't think he tried to conceal them as such, though he should have mentioned it in his listings - as in your photos they are very noticeable, and I personally wouldn't want a ring with obvious marks like those in.

You may be able to claim that the item was not as described, as he didn't point them out, and I knew they were there, they may be less obvious if you weren't looking for them.

As to the question of the gold - I don't know I' afraid. I'm sure that someone else will know, but I would have thought that taking them to a jewellers would be the only way to know for certain.

LEJC

too difficult to tell by just the photos...take the ring to a jeweller who will be able to test the metals ....it does look like the ring has been resized but i'm guessing that it wasn't recently...you have to remember the age of the ring and in the 40s and 50s and even 60s resizing was common as peoples fingers chaned size over the years...it could also be down to the fact that it was a ring that was passed down through the generations and sized to reflect the size of the recipient...

I think what you have bought is a lovely ring with a history that has been played out....the hallmarking is all in tact so its my guess that the extra was added professionally and see no reason why they wouldn't have used 22c in the extention

theoretica

When resizing a ring you need to use solder which has to be a different metal to the ring (because the solder needs to melt and you don't want the ring to). Are the marks just the solder not matching well?

bravobeastie

the hallmark should show the carats of the ring. I bought a 22ct gold from ebay for my wedding, made in 1939 and it clearly shows 22 within the hallmarks

Hammyman

Seconded. Just look at the hallmark. If its not got a hallmark, it can only be sold as yellow or white metal and if you shift it on, you cannot sell it as gold.

shaun_from_Africa

it can only be sold as yellow or white metal and if you shift it on, you cannot sell it as gold.

Provided that you are not selling as part of a trade or business, it is perfectly legal to sell unhallmarked precious metals and still call them gold provided this is what they are.

This is clearly stated in the Hallmarking act 1973

Prohibited descriptions of unhallmarked articles.

(1)Subject to the provisions of this Act, any person who, in the course of a trade or business—

(a)applies to an unhallmarked article a description indicating that it is wholly or partly made of gold, silver or platinum, or

(b)supplies, or offers to supply, an unhallmarked article to which such a description is applied,

shall be guilty of an offence.

soolin

So is a private seller not trading on ebay then..and therefore in breach of the rules. I would like to see someone trading and try to argue that they can legally sell brass as gold.

Mrs_justjohn

soolin wrote: »

So is a private seller not trading on ebay then..and therefore in breach of the rules. I would like to see someone trading and try to argue that they can legally sell brass as gold.

I have no idea if what Shaun is saying is correct or not...but he didn't say you could sell brass and call it gold - he said

"Provided that you are not selling as part of a trade or business, it is perfectly legal to sell unhallmarked precious metals and still call them gold provided this is what they are. "

soolin

Mrs_justjohn wrote: »

I have no idea if what Shaun is saying is correct or not...but he didn't say you could sell brass and call it gold - he said

"Provided that you are not selling as part of a trade or business, it is perfectly legal to sell unhallmarked precious metals and still call them gold provided this is what they are. "

In the UK though the only proof that something is gold is a hallmark, so it is a Catch 22 situation. No hallmark means it can only be treated as yellow metal and if you sell it as gold you may be asked to prove it is gold..and without a hallmark you cannot do that.

The main stream auction houses I use often sell items that are marked as 'tested as 22 carat gold but unhallmarked so selling as yellow metal'. If I bought one of those items as a private buyer but then sold it on I still could not sell ti as gold.

shaun_from_Africa

you may be asked to prove it is gold..and without a hallmark you cannot do that.

Of course you can.
There are gold testing kits available, and you can get gold tested (assayed) easily enough.
How do you think gold buyers prove unhallmarked gold is genuine before they pay people for it?