Putting Common Jewelry Myths to Rest

Putting Common Jewelry Myths to Rest

Date Icon 25 September, 2025

At AAA Jewelers, we’re proud to be your go-to expert for all jewelry areas. From engagement and fashion areas to custom jewelry pieces, our pros have years of experience and can provide the services you need.

Unfortunately, our years in the industry have also exposed us to a number of common myths. These myths start small, but when they spread around enough, they can run wild and even become an accepted part of jewelry culture. Here are a few of these myths, plus the actual truths behind them.

Diamonds Can’t Be Damaged

Diamonds are well-known as some of the strongest minerals on the planet, and there’s no myth here – this is true. Diamonds have a score of 10 on Moh’s Scale of Hardness, which is the highest possible score on the scale.

However, this does not make a diamond indestructible. A diamond can still be scratched by other diamonds, for instance, and two diamonds smashed together can absolutely break. There are also absolutely occasions where other materials can break or crack diamonds, such as in heavy impacts. Diamonds are tough, but damage can still occur if you don’t care for them.

Pure Gold Comes in Many Different Colors

Most people have seen different colors of gold, with popular options including white and rose gold. And while these can be wonderful and beautiful options, there’s a misconception that these hues represent real gold – they do not.

The only color pure gold takes in its natural form is slightly reddish-yellow. All other colors you’ll see involve some kind of combination with another element, such as manganese or nickel. There is only one color for true, pure gold.

Bite Gold to Check the Quality

This is a myth that grew from old movies, where some smart gold collector would bite into the gold to make sure it was authentic. As gold is a soft metal, the idea goes that you’ll be able to see bite marks when you do this.

This is ridiculous – not because it’s not true, per se, but because there are numerous other types of metal that are soft and will show impressions if you bite them. In the past, people have actually been duped and purchased lead painted gold; lead is a soft mineral that shows bite marks when you bite it, so unsavory characters just painted it gold and then sold it to people who believed this silly myth. Do not fall for this trick, needless to say.

For more on some common jewelry myths, or to view any of our pieces, speak to the staff at AAA Jewelers today.