posted on June 17, 2003 01:14:24 AM new
The top bracelet does not look like it's from the 50's! I have alot of mexican jewelery. It looks like it's from the 30's - 40's, Could be late 40s but not the 50's.
If your earrings are the same color as in your top foto, I would say that they are hemitite.
The "opal" bracelet could be real opal triplets or doublets or maybe fake but I have not seen too many fakes. I have seen alot of triplets though. That is when they take a slice of opal and put it under a clear stone. I can't remember how they do it but I know that it is not worth as much as a real opal. It's kind of hard to tell from a foto. It is best to see that kind of thing up close.
posted on June 17, 2003 03:32:29 AM new
I agree that the black earrings look like hematite. The green earrings could be malachite or glass. I don't believe the bracelet is jade. I have several pieces of jade and the color doesn't seem right. Too uniform, too solid if you know what I mean. I don't think that if you took these stones from their setting that you could see any light coming through at all. Jade coming out of Mexico would be unusual. "Green Onyx" would be my pick for this bracelet. All 1950's and really nice, tomwiii. Your mother had wonderful taste.
Cheryl
My religion is simple, my religion is kindness.
--Dalai Llama
posted on June 17, 2003 08:28:14 AM new
The green stones could be green aventurine which have a similar look to jade. There is also a green agate that is similar to the shade in the earrings. The opals could be real, but it could also be a type of dichroic glass. I can't tell enough about the black stones to tell if they are hematite - it is usually not that dark, even with the mirror like appearance - there is a "black stone" which is actually an agate - sometimes sold as onyx - could be that. Or, they could all be synthetic, but if the metal is actually sterling, they are probably natural stones.
Melissa
DivaMama Designs
[ edited by lissadivamama on Jun 17, 2003 08:30 AM ]
posted on June 17, 2003 08:55:25 AM new
If the earrings are a greenish black then I don't think they're hematite after all. I would think maybe obsidian. Some obsidian shines different colors. Here is a site that shows it.
None of your green jewelry is malachite as that has a very distinct striped look to the stone. The aventurine that I get in my shop is a lighter green than your bracelet and doesn't have such a solid look to the stone.
posted on June 17, 2003 09:36:11 AM new
Since the earrings are marked Danecraft, they are not Mexican. Danecraft is an American company that copied Scandinavian designs - hence the name. I am positive the opals in the bracelet are Faux ( glass) as well as the green stone in the other bracelet. As stated before, it is not the stones that were used that is important since Mexican silver jewelry rarely used expensive stones but whether or not the jewelry is actually sterling silver. Have seen examples of both bracelets - (common designs during that period) in both 925 and in non silver alloys. A lot of these were sold by street vendors to unsuspecting tourists.
buyhigh
I use a 4 megapixel dig camera -- this allows me to crop close
I do have close-up lenses, but I've been too busy with London & death to bother.
Other thing is: I try to use sunlight, as opposed to artificial lighting -- seems to work better. I'm sure the experts here will talk about WHITE BALANCE, etc...I've told Ralphie to bone up on tech issues, but he seems to be taking me literally!
Ralphie loves Mr Blonde:
"Are you gonna bark all day little doggie, or are you gonna bite?"
http://tinyurl.com/5duz
posted on June 17, 2003 04:28:44 PM new
Well...
I did ASK for help! Be pretty moronic to P&M about comments -- I appreciate ALL of them because I know NOTHING about this stuff, but I have to unload it all
The only unappreciated comment is a silent comment!
Kepp dem cards & letters coming folks!
Ralphie loves Mr Blonde:
"Are you gonna bark all day little doggie, or are you gonna bite?" http://tinyurl.com/5duz
posted on June 17, 2003 07:35:51 PM new
Tomwiii, it's Mrs. Zookeeper Sounds like its time to upgrade my camera. I have tried to shoot through a magnifying glass, sometimes they turn out, sometimes not.....oh well
