Can you melt down gold jewelry?

The short answer is yes, but and the long answer is no. I'm assuming the reason people are asking this question is that they would like to re-use the gold they have melted down. If they are merely preparing the gold to sell to the refiner, then the answer is certainly yes. Also, by the way, if your crucible is not coated in borax the gold will stick and you will be in a real mess. Gold you melt down needs to be refined before you use it again. You do not know what solder has been used on it and how much. Even a small amount will drastically affect how the gold acts. Most commonly the gold will crack when you try to work with it.

Jeanette Caines VP Jewelry Arts Institute