How to Spot Fake Gold Plated Jewellery Online in Pakistan
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To spot fake gold plated jewellery online, check five things: the seller names the base metal and plating karat, the price is realistic, the photos are original, cash on delivery is offered, and the piece passes a magnet and colour check on arrival.
"Fake" means two different problems when you shop for jewellery online in Pakistan. The first is a fake product: a piece sold as 24K gold plated that is really gold-coloured lacquer, a flash of plating thinner than a hair's shadow, or plating over a cheap iron alloy that rusts and turns your skin green. The second is a fake seller: an Instagram page with borrowed photos that takes an advance payment and disappears. This guide covers both, with checks you can do before you order and in the first five minutes after the parcel arrives.
What does "gold plated" actually mean?
Gold plating is a thin layer of real gold bonded onto a base metal, usually brass or copper, by electroplating. The gold is genuine; there is simply very little of it. That is what makes gold plated jewellery affordable, and it is also what makes it easy to misdescribe, because a buyer cannot see how thick the layer is.
| What the listing says | What it usually is | How long the colour lasts with regular wear |
|---|---|---|
| Gold tone, golden, gold colour | No gold at all. Lacquer, paint or PVD coating over alloy | Weeks to a few months |
| Gold plated, no karat given | Often flash plating, well under 0.5 microns | A few weeks to a few months |
| 18K or 22K gold plated | Real gold plating, thickness varies by maker | Months to about two years |
| 24K gold plated over brass, anti-tarnish coated | Real 24K plating on a stable, non-magnetic base with a protective top coat | 1 to 3 years, longer with good care |
| Real gold, 22K, "same as gold" at an artificial price | A false claim. Solid 22K costs many times more | Not applicable |
A useful reference point: in international trade standards, "gold electroplate" starts at about 0.175 microns of gold and "heavy gold electroplate" at about 2.5 microns. A human hair is roughly 70 microns thick. Few Pakistani sellers publish a micron figure, so in practice you judge plating by the base metal, the karat named, the finish and the price. Our guide How long does 24K gold plating last? explains plating life in detail, and gold plated vs gold filled vs rolled gold covers the heavier alternatives.
Seven checks before you order
1. Does the listing name the base metal?
Honest sellers say what is under the gold: brass, copper or 925 silver. Brass is the standard base for good Pakistani plated jewellery because it is stable, heavy and holds plating well. "Alloy", "mixed metal" or no answer at all usually means a cheaper zinc or iron alloy that pits, tarnishes through the plating and can irritate skin.
2. Does it name the plating karat?
"24K gold plated" or "22K gold plated" is a specific claim a seller can be held to. "Gold finish" and "golden" are not. If the karat is missing, ask on WhatsApp before ordering. A seller who cannot or will not answer is telling you something.
3. Is the price realistic?
Brass, 24K plating, hand setting and an anti-tarnish coat all cost money. A full pendant set with chain and studs sold at Rs. 900 cannot carry all of them. Our guide to artificial jewellery prices in Pakistan sets out the realistic range for each category. The opposite also applies: anyone selling "real 22K gold" at an artificial jewellery price is not selling gold.
4. Are the photos their own?
Long-press a product photo and use Google Lens. If the same image appears on ten other pages, or on a wholesale site from another country, the seller may never have handled the piece. Genuine makers show their own photographs, videos with natural movement and light, and pieces on real hands and necks rather than only on white backgrounds.
5. Can you reach a person?
Look for a working phone or WhatsApp number, a city, business hours and a website with written policies. Send a message and ask one specific question, such as the base metal or the chain length. A fast, specific answer is a good sign. A page with comments switched off, no number and payment by bank transfer only is the pattern most online jewellery scams follow.
6. Is cash on delivery offered?
Cash on delivery means you pay the courier when the parcel reaches you, which removes the biggest risk: paying for something that never arrives. Be wary of sellers who insist on full advance payment for a standard, in-stock piece. A partial advance on a custom or bridal order is normal. Our guide to buying jewellery with cash on delivery in Pakistan explains what COD protects and what it does not.
7. What does the returns policy say?
Most Pakistani jewellery sellers do not accept change-of-mind returns on jewellery, for hygiene reasons, and that is fair. But every genuine seller should replace a piece that arrives damaged or different from what you ordered. If there is no written policy at all, assume there is no recourse.
Five checks when the parcel arrives
Do these the day it arrives, before you wear the piece, and record a short unboxing video. Most couriers in Pakistan ask for payment before the parcel is opened, so the video is your evidence if something is wrong.
| Check | How | What a problem looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Magnet | Hold a fridge magnet against the main body of the piece, not the clasp or spring | It snaps on: the body has an iron or steel core, not brass |
| Weight | Hold it in your palm next to a similar piece you already trust | Stone-heavy work that feels light is often hollow alloy with glass stones |
| Colour in daylight | Look near a window, away from warm indoor bulbs | A flat, plastic-looking yellow or a pinkish tone where 24K was promised |
| Edges and inner surfaces | Check the back of the pendant, the inside of bangles and around each stone | Bare grey or reddish metal showing, bubbles or peeling in the finish |
| Stones | Use your phone torch in a dim room | Flat white glare with no rainbow fire suggests glass, not zircon |
For the stones, our guide on zircon vs glass stones walks through five quick home tests in detail.
Tests to avoid
Skip the acid test, the scratch-on-tile test and biting. They were made to test solid gold, and on a plated piece they strip the gold layer and ruin the item even when it is genuine. Vinegar and toothpaste "tests" from social media do the same damage more slowly.
Is it fake if my skin turns green?
Not necessarily, but it tells you something. A green mark comes from copper in the base metal reacting with sweat once the gold layer or top coat has worn through or was too thin to begin with. If it happens within the first few days of wear, the plating was likely a flash coat. If it happens after a year of daily wear in a Lahore or Karachi summer, that is normal plating wear, not a fake. Our guide to gold plated jewellery for sensitive ears covers skin reactions and which pieces carry a lower risk.
What honest sellers tell you up front
A trustworthy listing answers the questions above before you ask them. It names the base metal and plating karat, describes the stones accurately, shows real photographs and videos, gives a realistic delivery time, and explains what happens if a piece arrives damaged. It does not promise that plated jewellery is the same as gold, and it does not claim the colour lasts forever. Gold plated jewellery is a beautiful, affordable alternative to gold. If you want something to hand down for generations, buy solid gold.
How Metcos describes its jewellery
Every Metcos piece is 24K gold plated over a brass base, set with top-grade American zircon rather than glass, finished with an anti-tarnish coat and gift boxed. We make each piece to order in our Lahore studio, confirm every order with you on WhatsApp before we start, and deliver across Pakistan with cash on delivery. Delivery is Rs. 300 on orders under Rs. 4,000 and free from Rs. 4,000. If a piece arrives damaged or different from what you ordered, we make it right.
Run every check in this guide on a Metcos piece when it arrives. We would rather you check than take our word for it. Browse the full 24K gold plated jewellery collection, or start with pendant and locket sets, studs, bangles and rings. Every guide is listed on our jewellery guide page.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if gold plated jewellery is fake online?
Check that the seller names the base metal and plating karat, that the price is realistic for plated brass, that the photos are their own, that cash on delivery is offered and that there is a written policy for damaged items. When it arrives, do a magnet check and look at the colour and edges in daylight.
Does a magnet stick to real gold plated jewellery?
No, not to a brass or copper base, which is what good gold plated jewellery uses. Gold and brass are not magnetic. If a magnet snaps onto the main body of a piece, the core is iron or steel. Clasps and springs can contain steel, so test the main body only.
What is the difference between gold tone and gold plated?
Gold plated jewellery has a real layer of gold electroplated onto a base metal. Gold tone jewellery has no gold at all; it is coloured with lacquer, paint or a PVD coating. Gold tone is cheaper and usually loses its colour much sooner.
Is 24K gold plated better than 18K gold plated?
24K plating gives a deeper, warmer yellow, which is the traditional colour of Pakistani gold jewellery. 18K plating is paler and slightly harder. How long either lasts depends more on the plating thickness, the base metal and a protective top coat than on the karat alone.
Is it safe to order jewellery on Instagram in Pakistan?
It can be, if the seller offers cash on delivery, answers questions quickly on WhatsApp, shows their own photos and videos, and has a website or written policies. Be cautious of pages that only accept full advance payment by bank transfer, have comments turned off or cannot tell you what the jewellery is made of.
Why did my gold plated jewellery turn black or green so fast?
Fast discolouration usually means a very thin flash plating or no protective top coat, often over a copper-rich or low-grade alloy. Sweat, perfume and humidity then reach the base metal within days. Good plating over brass with an anti-tarnish coat should keep its colour for a year or more with sensible care.
Should I use an acid test on gold plated jewellery?
No. Acid and scratch tests are designed for solid gold. On a plated piece they remove the gold layer and damage the jewellery even when it is genuine. Use the magnet, weight, colour and edge checks instead.