What questions should you ask when buying gold?

Buying gold is simple once you know what to ask. The right questions do two things: they confirm you are getting real value, and they quietly tell you whether the seller is trustworthy. An honest seller answers every one of these plainly. If someone gets vague, that is your answer.

Is it solid gold, or plated?

This is the first and biggest question. Solid gold is gold all the way through and holds its value. Plated, gold-filled, and vermeil pieces are mostly base metal with a gold surface, and they are worth very little at resale. You want solid.

What is the purity, or karat?

Ask for the karat: 18K, 14K, or 10K. Higher means more actual gold in the piece. 18K (stamped 750) is the fine-jewellery standard and holds more value than lower karats.

What is the exact weight in grams?

The gram weight is what the gold is actually worth. A trustworthy seller states it without hesitation, because that is the number the value is built on. If they can't or won't tell you, walk away.

Is it hallmarked?

Real gold is stamped with its purity, like 18K or 750, usually on the clasp or inside a band. Ask to see the hallmark. No stamp is a red flag.

How is the price set?

Ask whether the price is based on the weight of the gold or on a brand name. Then compare it to the current metal value for that weight. A fair investment piece sits close to the metal, not at three or four times it. This one question separates a real asset from an overpriced trinket.

Can I get a receipt or certificate?

You want documentation of the purity, weight, and price. Keep it. It matters for insurance and for the day you sell.

What is your return policy?

A confident seller offers clear returns. Know the window and the terms before you pay, especially when buying online.

Do you buy it back, and at what value?

This is the question most people forget, and it is one of the most important. A seller who will buy your gold back at its value is telling you the piece is a real, liquid asset. Most boutiques will not. It is the difference between owning something you can sell and owning something you are stuck with.

Solid? What karat? How many grams? How is it priced? Do you buy it back? Ask those five and you're safe.

At Asil we answer all of these before you ask: every piece is solid, hallmarked 18K gold, with its gram weight shown, priced by the gram, shipped insured, and bought back at value whenever you choose.