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Message:: [QUOTE="George Chaney, post: 4289297, member: 19137"]I have found it to be a common theme in general with the stuff I run into. I am in the U.S. so most of what I come by is U.S. & made for U.S. market imports from Italy & China stuff. Under karat does not have to mean significant. so a ring assayed at 18k may test at 17.5k. Thailand is horrible about marking stuff 14k & 18k (think princess/harem rings) and it only being 9k or 10k to the point I won't knowingly buy Thai gold. In the states, they allow for a "tolerance" in under karat within the marked gold content and still be able to call it a higher karat gold. That was why I said it was probably sold as a 10K ring but given the age, could have been sold as a higher Karat given no standards. For a hobby seller, I buy a lot of gold & silver and I have seen a lot of gold jewelry test out using the Niton xl2. It is rare I get a piece that is spot on as marked but I don't see a lot of international stuff. Off the top of my head, the only one's I have not seen that with are bits marked as KP (karats plumb) and the French pieces I have acquired. Even some of the UK stuff comes in light.[/QUOTE]