Tools to help you find gold while thrift store flipping

Thrift store kits:

'Don't leave home without it'-DLHWI

Loupe: a loupe makes viewing Hallmark's, Maker's Marks, quality of metal, and inclusions or damage on gemstones easy and portable. Find one with two magnifications and led lights here

Magnet: well not entirely reliable due to the alloyed nature of most gold and silver jewelry as well as the addition of steel springs for clasps, is still a valuable time saver while sorting jewelry. Find a strong one here (unless you have a pacemaker!)

Gold acid testing kit: while I suggest that you use this as a last resort because it can wear or damage the integrity of jewelry, It is entirely worth it's small investment because especially for gold rings the marks wear off extremely quickly. For every 10 or so heavy gold colored rings that are unmarked I can often pull out one or two real gold with the assistance of a gold testing kit and you can find a better one that won't damage the jewelry further down. You can find it here.

Jackson's hallmarks pocket edition: this small book holds a vast wealth of knowledge for identifying Maker's Marks and hallmarks quickly and efficiently. See it on Amazon here.

'Gold sellers basics'

DLHW and

0.01gram scale: using an accurate pocket scale is an absolute necessity when understanding the value of your gold by scrap. I found a great one here with a calibration weight.

Diamond tester: Diamond testers are a cheap and efficient way to check multiple stones. Yet another tool that can pull out real jewelry quickly. Useful for authentication. Find an affordable one here.

Gold and silver tester kit: another acid testing kit though this one includes the ability to test for various purities of silver. Find it on the number one spot here on Amazon.

Ring sizing mandrel: a mandrel is the long stick with ring sizes see here.

'Gold sellers advanced'

DLHWI and

"Gem & jewelry appraising (3rd edition)"

"Illustrated guide to jewelry appraising (3rd edition) " both written by the same author, Anna M. Miller. She was a renowned gemologist and jewelry appraiser who authored five books on gems and jewelry. Between these two books is a wealth of knowledge for authenticating what is real. The more you learn, the faster you'll spot the valuables, thereby making money even faster.

Presidium gem tester 2: The Presidium Gem Tester II is a portable device that can identify diamonds, moissanites, and up to 16 common colored gemstones based on their thermal conductivity. It features a retractable probe tip, a metal alert buzzer, a clear analog dial, and a built-in calibration disc. The device can be easily self-calibrated to your testing environment using the included assisted thermal calibration feature. You can see here The Gem Tester II is a versatile and reliable tool that provides consistent results every time

The Mizar M-24 Gold Tester is a portable device that can determine gold karat values equal to or greater than 9K, 10K, 12K, 14K, 16K, 18K, 20K, 22K, and 24K in seconds. It is battery-operated and comes with a two-year warranty. The device is fully portable, has an automatic shut-off function, and a low battery indicator. The M-24 Gold Tester is an easy-to-use and reliable tool that provides accurate results every time see it here.

Microscope ( Carson MicroBrite Pro 60x-120x LED Lighted Pocket Microscope with Aspheric Lens System and Smartphone Digiscoping Clip is a pocket microscope

TOMLOV 1000X Error Coin Microscope with 4.3" LCD Screen, USB Digital Microscope with LED Fill Lights, Metal Stand, PC View, Photo/Video, SD Card Included, Windows Compatible, Model- DM4S is a digital microscope,

or AmScope GM400TZ-M Digital Trinocular Gemology Stereo Zoom Microscope, WH10x Eyepieces, 3.5X-90X Magnification, 0.7X-4.5X Zoom Objective, Halogen and Fluorescent Lighting, Inclined Pillar Stand, 110V-120V, Includes 0.5X and 2.0X Barlow Lenses, 1.3MP Camera with Reduction Lens, and Software is a Gemology microscope) A microscope is an essential tool for jewelry appraisal. It allows gemologists, jewelers, and stone setters to examine gemstones and jewelry to determine worth or make repairs. Microscopes for gemstones and jewelry will also show alterations such as assembled stones, fillings, diffusion treatments, and dye concentrations. They can also be used to take photos of appraisals or even as sales tools when explaining different features to customers or why they’re proposing a certain course of action. Gemology microscopes are typically more advanced than ordinary microscopes as they have a darkfield condenser on the bottom light source and an iris. They also have a set of jewel clamps or tweezers that are built to hold the stone in place and help determine the interior condition and outlook of the stone’s surface. A modern gemological microscope is every appraiser’s go-to tool in their repertoire of equipment. It packs sophisticated illumination capabilities, high-grade lenses, and the ability to zoom from about 7x magnifications up to 60x or more.