06.08.2026 15:20
The moments when a jeweler cut an old gold bracelet produced approximately 25 years ago revealed the incredible frauds committed in the industry in past years. Rock salt pieces, placed inside the bracelet cut by the experienced tradesman to make the gold appear heavier, spilled out.
Scam methods experienced in the jewelry sector in the past have come back to the agenda with a video a tradesman shot in his shop. Suspecting a quarter-century-old bracelet brought to him, the jeweler cut the jewelry with pliers to check the material inside.
"STONE PIECES FELL OUT OF IT"
While recording the moment, the tradesman said, "We are now cutting a bracelet produced about 25 years ago. Normally, we don't cut bracelets. Why are we cutting it? To see if there is any material other than gold inside. And unfortunately, there is. Look at what's falling out."
"IT'S COMMON IN OLD BRACELETS"
Pointing out that this situation is common in old bracelets, the jeweler said, "We normally cut bracelets, but we cut old ones more often. Why do we cut them more? To make old bracelets sturdy, they hollow them out and fill them with sand, similar things, stones, or something else—anything other than gold to make them sturdy."
Showing the white pieces that spilled onto the counter after the cutting process, the tradesman said, "Look, salty stuff came out of it. This was the only bracelet I suspected. They hollowed it out and, let's say, if the bracelet is 11.5 grams, they put rock salt in it to make it weigh a bit more."
"EVEN JEWELERS DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS INSIDE"
Stating that he started the profession in 1996, the jeweler explained that such tricks were a bitter reality of the market from the 1990s to the early 2000s.
The experienced tradesman described those days, saying, "When I started this job in '96, these bracelets were unfortunately being produced and sold by jewelers. Many jewelers didn't even know what was inside. Of course, after selling and buying them back, they would definitely realize it. But unfortunately, if you don't work with an honest workshop, you can fall for such tricks and scrap even if you're a jeweler."
The jeweler also explained the methods ill-intentioned manufacturers used for illicit gains, saying, "Manufacturers also told customers who wanted both a 10-gram bracelet and a sturdy one, 'We put sand inside to make it sturdy.' This was unfortunately the reality of the '90s."
"THE TRICKS ENDED WHEN THE STATE MANDATED CERTIFICATION"
The jeweler, explaining how this fraudulent production that damaged trust in the sector largely came to an end when the state stepped in, emphasized the importance of legal regulations.
The jeweler recounted the legal process as follows: "Until the early 2000s, such fraudulent scrap bracelets could be produced on the market. By 2001 or 2002, our state required manufacturers to obtain an ISO 9001 certificate. The purpose of this certificate is a quality management system, meaning the manufacturer's product must meet a certain quality and a certain standard. Manufacturers who couldn't obtain this certificate could no longer produce from the 2000s onward."
The tradesman, noting that such crude tricks no longer exist today, concluded his speech with these words: "After the 2000s, such tricks and scrap no longer happen. Different things can happen now, but this sand or stone-filling thing was unfortunately a situation present in the market from the early '90s to the 2000s."