Black Hills Gold is a beautiful tradition of jewelry born in South Dakota. Real Black Hills Gold is manufactured only in the Black Hills region of South Dakota and has distinguishing features different from those of jewelry created elsewhere. You should be able to tell if Black Hills Gold is real by carefully examining it.
Look at the colors of the gold in the jewelry. Black Hills Gold comes in yellow gold, green gold and pink gold. The oldest, traditional designs feature pink and green leaves on gold background with gold vines and grapes. Newer designs can feature flowers made of pink or yellow gold, or even pheasants, rainbow trout and eagles using the different colors of gold. Some Black Hills Gold pieces also have silver or black enamel as part of their design. Most Black Hills Gold pieces still use pink and/or green gold leaves in their designs, however.
Examine the underside of the piece of jewelry to find the karat marking. Black Hills Gold is typically 10k or 12k, as it is a gold alloy, meaning it is mixed with other metals. Next to the karat marking you may also find a manufacturer's marking, signaling the Black Hills Gold piece is real. For example, Landstrom's, a well-known and respected Black Hills Gold jewelry company, places an L in script on all of its Black Hills Gold pieces. See Resources for a list that shows manufacturers' marks for many brands of Black Hills Gold.
Examine the green or pink gold leaves on your possible piece of Black Hills Gold. The leaves will have been plated in 24k, and then plating will have been partially removed, creating a textured, frosted look. If the leaves on a new piece look smooth or artificial, this is not Black Hills Gold. The textured look of Black Hills Gold does age over time, resulting in a smoother look. If the Black Hills Gold piece is older and smoother than a brand new piece of Black Hills Gold jewelry, it can still be genuine.
Examine the leaves on your jewelry further. Veins in the leaves on Black Hills Gold jewelry have been hand-engraved to create a light-catching finish. If the jewelry is new and the veins on the leaves look dull, this may not be Black Hills Gold. The light-catching finish, however, may wear off after time and use.
Purchase Black Hills Gold jewelry from a reputable Black Hills gold seller. Landstroms and Stamper are among the trusted and respected Black Hills Gold sellers. See Resources for a complete list of manufacturers.
