A consumer in Guangdong has disputed the gold content of a “pure gold” pendant purchased from Chow Sang Sang, after independent testing found purity readings ranging from 99.99% to 61.77%, with traces of iron and silver; the item cost RMB 2,366 ($318). On February 3, Qingyuan’s Qingcheng District Market Supervision Administration sealed the pendant in the presence of both parties and submitted it to a qualified third-party lab. On February 4, regulators said the results will be legally binding and no final ruling has been issued. Chow Sang Sang cited NGTC-style tests on an identical-batch pendant showing 99.99%, 99.99%, and 99.98%, arguing the batch meets the 990‰ standard.

Related reading: As gold hits $5,200, beauty discovers its new CNY lever