Turkish gold attracts tourists with its unique, oriental design and low cost. Gold jewelry in Turkey can be bought for the price of silver - this attracts buyers who strive to take as much gold as possible from Turkey at any cost. But why does the precious metal have such a value? Few people think about this; the truth emerges only upon arrival home.
Gold Bazaar in Turkey
Origin of luxury Turkish gold
The popularity of Turkish gold is due not only to price, but also to origin. Türkiye is a foreign country; everything foreign seems of high quality to our compatriots.
An interesting fact is that gold is not mined in Turkey.
What then is the nature of the origin of the noble metal?
Turkish gold comes in almost any color
Bargaining
The cost of Turkish gold, indicated in the price list of many stores, is deliberately inflated in case of inevitable bargaining with buyers. Knowing this, tourists buy jewelry at 2 and sometimes 3 times cheaper than the original cost.
You can bargain even in large stores. Managers receive a percentage of sales, and in some cases even a fine if a certain number of visitors leave without purchasing. You can use this to get discounts on certain products.
What distinguishes Turkish metal from Russian
The jewelry market is filled with jewelry for every taste. It is difficult for an inexperienced buyer to figure out which one to choose and how to determine their quality. How does Turkish gold differ from Russian gold?
The differences are expressed by the following indicators:
- Russian metal is mined in Russia, Turkish metal is mined outside the country;
- Turkish products may contain low-quality alloys;
- marking.
In a word, the quality of Turkish metal is worse compared to Russian. Hence the low prices for jewelry and the short shelf life.
Russian and Turkish gold bars
Sources of raw materials in the jewelry industry
Gold is called Turkish only because the products are produced by Turkish jewelers. Metal for processing is purchased from America and Germany. Therefore, if we talk about the origin of the metal, it would be more correct to call it German or American. The same can be said about Egyptian gold: Egypt does not produce the metal, but only uses it as a raw material.
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What is the standard of Turkish gold? Table of correspondence of gold content in samples and carats
It is important to know that the test on Turkish precious metals is marked differently than on Russian ones. The sample does not indicate the quality of the alloy, but the size, that is, the number of carats. Therefore, the marking will be indicated not only by three-digit numbers. This measurement system is used by European countries and the USA. Examples of Turkish gold samples are given in the table:
| Russian sample | Turkish marking/carat number |
| 999 | 24 |
| 958 | 23 |
| 750 | 18 |
| 585 | 14 |
| 500 | 12 |
| 375 | 9 |
For example, 12 carat gold jewelry corresponds to the Russian 500 standard. But a test on a Russian alloy speaks about its composition, and if we talk about a Turkish alloy, it is impossible to know what its ligature is.
The fineness of Russian gold is an indicator of the quality of the metal; the fineness of Turkish products cannot be trusted. Each jewelry manufacturer sets the sample independently; there are no general standards. According to reviews, it is known that sometimes you can ask the seller, and he will immediately, at the counter, brand the product as needed.
Hallmark 585
Variations of Turkish gold alloys
Turkish jewelry does not look the same as Russian jewelry. They are not the usual gold color, but red, white, pink, yellow of all shades. Of course, such a product looks unusual and beautiful, but it’s worth thinking about its quality. The color of the alloy indicates that a large number of additional metals are present.
- electron is an alloy of gold and silver;
- goldin - an alloy of aluminum and copper;
- platinor – platinum alloyed with any metal;
- Belgica is an alloy of three metals: iron, nickel and chromium.
It's one thing when the composition of the alloys is known. This is not to say that such products are not jewelry. Naturally, their price should be lower compared to high-quality gold. The problem is that alloys are often passed off as pure precious metals. Sometimes gilded silver is passed off as gold.
And it is almost impossible for an ordinary buyer to tell whether a product is original or fake.
By the way, gold in its pure form has one color: yellow, gold. White color is obtained due to impurities of silver or palladium, red - due to copper. If rhodium is added, the jewelry gives off a bluish tint. Also, gold jewelry mixed with palladium is often sold on the jewelry market as platinum, which is valued even higher.
Try
The yellow tint does not affect the sample in any way - it is the same here, 585. It is only designated differently - the number 585 corresponds to 14K (karat). Products with precious stones are often higher, 750 grade or 18K. And finally, pure gold (coins and bracelets) have 999 purity - 24K.
There must be a hallmark on the back of the product, but it can be indicated by carat value - there is no deception here.
In large shopping centers, a certificate is issued for each product, which indicates the carat of gold (fineness) and the carat (size) of precious stones. A separate certificate must also be issued for designer products from Cartier, Tiffani, Roberto Bravo.
Rules for purchasing precious metal in Turkey
Of course, not all precious metal in Turkey is low-quality or counterfeit. There are truly valuable products that are of high quality and attractive appearance. To avoid disappointment after purchasing jewelry, it is recommended to follow the following rules:
- You should only buy gold items in jewelry stores. Such stores must have a license, and the employees are specialists in jewelry. Istanbul, the capital of Turkey, is known for its good jewelry stores. You can buy good jewelry in the markets only if you are well versed in the properties of the precious metal. You should also avoid online stores, but if we are not talking about official dealers.
- Inspect the metal carefully. There should be no physical damage on it: scratches, breaks, stains. The chain links must be connected correctly and neatly. Pay attention to the clasp. By the way, the seller should have a magnifying glass with which you can carefully examine the jewelry. Turkish manufacturers love to make large, elaborate, complex decorations. Such rough work is almost always noticeable, even to the naked eye.
- You need to weigh the product. In Turkey, jewelry stores sell gold by weight; it must be weighed. A chain or pendant that is too light should raise suspicion. For example, a thin wedding ring weighs approximately 2 grams, a wide ring weighs 10-12 grams. In practice, a Turkish wide ring will weigh 5 grams and cost less. Light weight is achieved due to the hollow interior of the decoration.
- Another way to check Turkish gold for quality is to throw it lightly on a display case. The product will make a ringing sound when it touches a hard surface. If the sound is dull, then the product contains other metals.
- In Turkey, gold is sold by the gram, so the price is roughly fixed, based on market value. The price for the work is also added to the cost. If the price is too low, it means that the item was not made by a professional jeweler.
- The color of a piece of jewelry can say a lot about its quality. If it has a reddish tint, then the alloy contains a lot of copper. Subsequently, it will darken and dark spots will appear on it. The hallmark, that is, the engraving of the hallmark on the gold, also needs to be checked. But, since Turkish manufacturers themselves brand jewelry, it is almost impossible to identify a fake.
- Perhaps the surest way to check the quality of a precious metal is to use a jewelry detector. This is a special device, electrochemical or digital, that determines the metal sample quickly and accurately. Usually jewelry or antique stores and pawn shops have such devices.
- If you understand people and can understand by their behavior whether they are deceiving you or not, then it’s time to use psychological techniques with the merchant. You need to behave confidently and show the appearance of a competent buyer.
- Don't forget to read the reviews. If the purchase is made in a specific jewelry store, you need to see if they have a website, whether customer reviews are published there, and how feedback is received. Here you can get acquainted with the product catalog and subsequently compare whether the product corresponds to the picture in reality.
Application
Turkish gold is used in making jewelry. Specialists create jewelry with interesting designs. Many unusual models are made in a modern style. The examples used are the works of world-famous jewelers.
Most of the decorations are made richly and colorfully. Greek and Byzantine motifs combined with precious and semi-precious stones are mesmerizing. To be fair, it is worth noting that low-quality Turkish gold is used to make jewelry.
It contains no precious metals at all.
Category: question - answer
Turkish gold, price in Russia per gram?
Expert opinion
Pribrezhny Gennady Valentinovich
Jeweler 6th category
As already mentioned, Turkish gold products are priced by weight. So the price for 1 gram varies from 30 to 50 dollars. Low cost is a sign of a fake, the presence of bad impurities. The cost of the precious metal depends on the place of sale: a jewelry store, a market or a pawnshop.
What is Turkish gold and what is its purity?
Expert opinion
Grishanov Mikhail Petrovich
Jeweler, director of the Grishanov and Co. workshop
These are products produced by Turkish jewelers. The metal itself is produced in the USA or Germany. Unlike Russian manufacturers, Turkish samples are measured not by the proportion of precious metal contained, but by the number of carats.
How to distinguish a fake from the original?
Expert opinion
Pribrezhny Gennady Valentinovich
Jeweler 6th category
To buy high-quality jewelry, it is important to pay attention to its appearance, absence of damage, color, weight, size. This is not always easy for the average person to do, as an enterprising seller expects.
Turkish gold jewelry
How to buy gold jewelry profitably?
We found out where the cheapest gold is in the world. Let's define the main points that you should pay attention to when buying jewelry. Finally, a few tips:
- Do not fall for the tricks of jewelry stores about sales and huge discounts. This is a marketing ploy, the purpose of which is to attract the largest number of buyers. As a rule, the price including the discount is the old inflated cost of the jewelry.
- You should be careful when choosing gold jewelry. Before purchasing it, you need to compare the price in different stores. As practice shows, the cost of the same product differs at different retail outlets.
- Sellers often divert buyers' attention from inflated prices by providing them with a lifetime warranty on the jewelry. This is also a publicity stunt. And we need to remember this.
- Jewelry stores often sell gold jewelry at prices that are 2-3 times higher than wholesale prices. Therefore, it is appropriate for the buyer to ask for a discount of at least 10-15%. Especially if the decoration is really expensive.
A person strives to save money, so he will always look for high-quality, but at the same time the cheapest gold. It doesn’t matter in which country he buys the jewelry. The main thing is not to succumb to excessively low prices, but to choose a high-quality metal alloy. Gold prices are the most important economic indicators. History proves that the yellow precious metal is eternal. Therefore, gold jewelry will always be in price.
Pros and cons of buying oriental metal
Among the jewelers in Turkey you can find those who produce high quality jewelry. If you approach the purchase correctly, you can buy a good product that will not be inferior to the Russian one. But low quality jewelry can:
- cause allergies;
- lose visual appeal: shine, color;
- in fact, be an alloy of any metals except gold.
Such jewelry can oxidize and leave dark spots on the skin after wear.
Also, Turkish gold jewelry is made hollow. For example, the rings inside are empty. This metal is fragile and bends easily. There are cases where people injured their hands and fingers due to clinging to wedding rings.
Jewelry made in Turkey is valued low in pawn shops. There, the products are checked on a jewelry detector, where the composition of the alloy and, accordingly, the quality are checked.
By the way, Europeans value Turkish precious metal highly. Most likely, this is due to the fact that European buyers simply do not know the quality of Russian metal.
Additional service
Any purchased product can be adjusted to size free of charge - stretched or reduced. There is always a special workshop next to the jewelry store or inside.
When making a purchase, you can ask to clean your old jewelry - everything is done very quickly and completely free. Engraving is done on children's bracelets or wedding rings.
The Turks readily accept orders - the jewelry they like is delivered to the store directly from the factory within 2-3 days.
Customer Reviews
Oksana:
“I have several bracelets and chains from Turkish masters of stunning beauty. I haven’t taken it to a jeweler, but it looks like real gold and I haven’t had any complaints in three years.”
Faith:
“While on vacation in Istanbul, we bought a bracelet, tempted by the low price. The bracelet ended up getting stained after 2 weeks. After another month, the top layer was worn off, and it turned out that it was silver with gilding.”
Valentin:
“We bought engagement rings from Zen Diamond in Istanbul based on reviews from good friends. They've been around for over a year now and no complaints. True, we clean it regularly, but we do the same with our domestic products.”
