Don't Assume Anything When Evaluating Jewelry

image picjumbo

Even the experts have to look closely when examining jewelry. They look to see if there are markings of any kind stamped usually out of sight. The mark can tell a lot about the item. Sometimes the metal content will be revealed, the maker, where it was made and sometimes when it was made.

Wait just a minute. Don't assume just because you can't find any visible marks that it is not valuable. I myself have found a solid gold piece that was not marked, in a thrift store.

I have also found items that were marked gold but were not. Crooks will not stop at anything to get your money. Be aware. Don't assume. Don't invest any money that you can't afford to lose. That would take all the fun out of it. Use common sense. I promise you will come across a treasure of your own some time if you havn't already.

There can be significant value in a well made piece of costume jewelry by the right maker with or without marks also. That is why it is so important to do your research.

I've put together a list of some tips that will be useful on your hunt for treasure.

image pixabay

• Take your tools like a magnifier or magnet with you when shopping second hand.
• Waiting for a sale can be profitable on silver and gold pieces of jewelry at the thrift store. D.A.V. thrift stores in my area have 1/2 price sales.
• Make yourself familiar with the different markings for gold and silver. There are many to consider. Sterling, plated, HGE, 10 K, Plat, Vermeil, etc. 
• Glass is cold to the touch at first but will warm in your hand as you hold it. 
• A semi-precious stone will stay cold to the touch.
• If an opal looks too perfect it is faked. Same size, shape and color in the flecks is a dead give away it's faked. If there are gaps evenly spaced, more than likely fake.  
• Opals come from Australia. A country of origin mark is a clue for dating purposes.
• Knowing laws and when they were implemented helps to date items. 
• Learning when a certain technique for jewelry making was invented will help date an item.
• Aurora Borealis aka AB was invented by Swarovski and Christian Dior in the 1950's.
• Russia and Hong Kong create a large amount of synthetic stones.
• You never want a cloudy gemstone. The richer the color the better.
• Look at the metal setting around your gemstone. If it is super fancy and outshines your gemstone, it could be over compensating for some where it is lacking. Might be a fake stone. 
• A real diamond does not fog but fake will.
• Check weight. A heavy solid construction usually indicates an older more valuable item. But not always.
• When you look at the back of a piece of jewelry, is it many settings or one solid setting. Separate settings is what you want. If you can look at the back and see that it is just as beautiful as the front you know you have got a really nice piece very well made. 
• Gold and silver are never magnetic and do not turn skin green.
• Look for any worn spots that show a different color metal underneath.
• Learn what tarnished silver smells like. Seriously.
• The facets will be cut sharp when the stone is authentic. If facets are rounded not so much.
• The corners or edges of gold jewelry are never sharp. Gold is too soft to form a sharp edge.
• Mystic topaz and Rainbow topaz are the stone. Vacuum disposition is the treatment used to enhance a clear topaz that is an actual semi-precious stone. 
• Lots of gemstones are "treated" "enhanced" "heated" or what-not.  

Some of these tips I was aware of already but I have been watching a very informative Dr. Lori on you tube lately. You should check her out. She is smart about all antiques. She educates as she appraises and spices it up with a unique sense of humor that's down to earth. She also has a website packed with tips. https://www.drloriv.com/

I guess my final tip for this post would be to keep educating yourself. Don't be afraid to make a mistake because that is how we learn. Happy hunting! 

3 Tests 2 Rules 3 Marks Solid Gold Or Plated?

In a perfect world you could trust everybody. Truth to be told, that's just not the case especially when it comes to money. Arm yourself with the knowledge needed to determine the authenticity of any piece of jewelry. You will never get scammed.

Rule #1  Real gold and silver are never magnetic.
Rule #2  Real gold and silver does not turn your skin green.

Test #1

Place the jewelry to be tested in a small stainless steel container. Drop a small amount of nitric acid on the item in a spot that is not obvious. Look for the presence of a reaction and it's color.

• reaction color is green, your metal is gold plated.
• reaction color is gold, your metal is brass or gold plated.
• reaction color is milky, your metal is gold plated over sterling 
• no reaction at all, you've got real gold.

Test #2

Bleach will not affect real gold. If it's fake the bleach will change the color of the metal it comes into contact with.  Always pay attention when using bleach. It is a strong colorless chemical that can cause damage to most surfaces.

Test #3

One more test to try is the scratch test In an inconspicuous place scratch item in question until you see the metal underneath. A scratch may not be required if corners show wear and reveal the metal underneath.


Item stamped with .417 is the equivalent to 10 K.
Item stamped with .585 is the equivalent to 14 K.
Item stamped with .750 is the equivalent to 18 K.

Clues For Dating Vintage Earrings Hallmark Mistakes Cost Money

Something to add to your detective toolbox. What the hell am I talking about? You'll see. Read on!

Helpful clues when determining the age of vintage earrings is knowing how they attached to the ears and when that attachment was invented.

               circa 1800 shepherd hook wire
               circa 1873 no name given for this style (hard to explain)
               circa 1882 kidney wire
               circa 1894 screw back (pierced)
               circa 1900 lever back
               circa 1909 screw back style #2 (piercing not necessary)
               circa 1929 post & butterfly
                                  circa 1934 spring clip better known as Clip On
                                  circa 1960 omega back

Earrings have a history way before what is listed above. Earrings have been worn by both men and women. Sometimes worn to reveal your status in the community or mark a specific accomplishment. Sometimes worn as a fashion accessory. The hair and clothing styles of the day often dictated the practicality of wearing earrings at all. 

With that being said, I should not have to tell you that it all comes down to your own personal style. Whether you choose to wear what is currently trending or prefer to be on the cutting edge, be yourself and the best you will shine too.

Mark found on jewelry: AK 14 k "It has nothing to do with gold plating" e-bay seller.

It was my understanding for a long time that AK 14 k stamped on jewelry from Turkey meant your item was gold-plated. I stand corrected. Further research has revealed the AK represents Atasay Kuyumculuk. This is a well known jewelry manufacturer in Turkey. They exported a lot of jewelry to the United States over the years. Nothing to do with gold-plating. They say the word "Turkey" is commonly included in the mark. For example: AK Turkey 14 kt.

AK is also the mark for the manufacturer, Armin Kurz, in Switzerland. The e-bay seller goes on to say that Armin Kurz only deals in 18 k gold jewelry. Here's a link to the conversation on ebay. The posters seem to know what they are talking about. The fact someone commented about the gold plating idea and got shot down helped to convince me.

What does the PL stand for in the marking 14 K PL? Platinum? Plated?

If you find this marking,14 K PL, don't mistake it for "plated" like I have. The "PL" actually stands for "plumb" or full weight. Instead of weighing 13.5 for instance, the item is the full weight at 14 K.

If you find this marking 14 K PL, don't mistake it for "plated" like I have. The "PL" actually stands for "plumb" or full weight. Instead of weighing 13.5 for instance, the item is the full weight at 14 K.

The lesson to be learned here is no matter how much you think you know, you should never stop learning and updating that knowledge.

Here's one more tip to keep you tuned in.

If you have a piece of silver jewelry marked with 925, you can be absolutely sure that it is not a native american piece of jewelry. They might not have used a 925 marking to represent silver, but the word "sterling" was used often by the native american. Good to know.