MagneticScreenScale
Magnetic scale for testing gold.
With the MagneticScreenScale, you can quickly and non-destructively check gold articles such as bars or coins for authenticity. The detection of tungsten inclusions or other foreign metal cores is therefore made possible without drilling or other damages to the object. On the contrary: the ingots or coins do not even have to be removed from the plastic blisters or capsules. Simply place the ingots or coins in the target area above the magnetic measuring head and get a clear result in the form of a differential weight.
The original - dependable and proven!!
- High sample output rate
- Tests bars and coins for authenticity
- Also capable of testing silver, platinum or palladium
- Ideal for banks or dealers trading in gold
- No removal from blister or plastic capsule required
- Delicate and non-destructive measuring method
- Ideal for bars and coins up to 250 g weight (penetration depth approx. 3 mm)
- Identifies professional gold forgeries with tungsten / tungsten alloys
Utilising the magnetic properties of precious metals
The measuring principle is based on the different magnetic properties of materials. While the precious metals gold and silver show diamagnetic behaviour, typical counterfeit materials with high density, such as tungsten, tantalum or molybdenum, are paramagnetic. This difference can be used to detect the presence of foreign metal cores consisting of these paramagnetic metals.
Frequently asked questions about the MagneticScreenScale
If you cannot find your question here, please use the contact form or send us an enquiry directly to gold-analytix@marawe.eu.
Under certain circumstances, a counterfeit item may yield a positive—that is, diamagnetic—result on a magnetic scale if the foreign core is hidden too deep inside and the paramagnetic “fake core” is therefore not detected due to the diamagnetic layer. The maximum thickness of a gold layer through which a measurement can be taken is approximately 2.5 mm. Similarly, a coating made of a strongly diamagnetic material that produces a strongly positive value (e.g., bismuth) can, so to speak, offset the paramagnetic core located further inside (which, of course, yields a negative value) and thus skew the reading toward “+.” However, such counterfeits would be difficult to produce, would require a relatively thick layer of, for example, bismuth, and would therefore be detected by a weight or density test.
There are many different alloys used in jewellery, containing a wide variety of metals. Because the magnetic scale measures with such high precision, even a small amount of a ferromagnetic or paramagnetic metal (e.g., nickel, platinum) can influence the result, rendering it unreliable. For this reason, the magnetic scale is generally not suitable for testing jewellery. For jewellery testing, we recommend the CaratScreenPen. It allows you to determine the fineness of gold (karat) in jewellery and other gold-containing objects in just a few seconds.
Yes and no. In theory, a magnet can be used to determine whether an object exhibits diamagnetism or paramagnetism. However, the magnetic forces produced by conventional magnets are often so weak that they cannot be detected by the human eye. To take a measurement, you would therefore need a very strong magnet. For this reason, a magnetic balance capable of measuring down to the hundredths of a gram is recommended. This allows you to detect even very subtle differences and obtain clear results.
Be sure to handle the magnet with care, as it can otherwise cause injury.
Keep electronic devices away from the magnet, as they may be damaged.
Electrostatic charge can distort the measurement results, so be sure to discharge any static electricity from the packaging or the Plexiglas assembly using the antistatic spray.
First, use the included bar magnet to check the objects for ferromagnetic materials or contaminants; otherwise, the scale may be damaged or the results may be inaccurate. This is how you can accurately detect counterfeits with the MagneticScreenScale.
If the magnetic scale returns a positive result, the material in question is diamagnetic.
If the result is slightly negative, it is paramagnetic; if the result is strongly negative, the object is likely ferromagnetic.
In most cases, a negative result means that the test piece is not a pure precious metal. However, there are some exceptions to consider: for example, older Krugerrand coins.
No, the magnetic scale cannot be used to draw conclusions about precious metal alloys, since the differences are far too small. It is only possible to determine whether the test specimens are made of counterfeit material.
There are many different alloys used in jewellery, containing a wide variety of metals. Because the magnetic scale measures with such high precision, even a small amount of a ferromagnetic or paramagnetic metal (e.g., nickel, platinum) can influence the result, rendering it unreliable. For this reason, the magnetic scale is generally not suitable for testing jewellery. For jewellery testing, we recommend the CaratScreenPen. It allows you to determine the fineness of gold (karat) in jewellery and other gold-containing objects in just a few seconds.
The magnet of the MagneticScreenScale is a strong neodymium magnet that must be handled with care. On the one hand, electronic devices and objects with magnetic storage (hard disks, credit cards) should be kept away from the magnet, otherwise they can be damaged. Secondly, you should keep it away from other strong magnets to avoid bruising, splintering or sparks.
People with pacemakers should also keep a sufficient distance from this magnet.
Information sheet: "Safe handling of magnets"