Featured Does this clasp date the piece?

I'd think Indian too. It may be older than you think. Indian men had small wrists. Agree the snakes go on the outside.

 

Clean it with a silver polishing cloth, like a Shunshine Cloth, if the soap and water doesn't get it off. Even if it's not silver the polishing cloth should help.

 

Another vote for Indian, and the worms/snakes/whales on the outside.
In Yemeni jewellery terms the worms would be called whales, that is why I added it.
They are indeed related to the 'buta' or Paisley design.
The clasp doesn't date it, but my guess is early-mid 20th century, and it looks like a man's bracelet to me too.
I see no suspicious wear on the screw thread or any other places where another metal base would show, so I would say solid silver, which is also more tradtional.

@Xristina , I like your choice of worms, erm... words.

 

Well thank y'all for your amazing input! I do have one more question tho...
I really hadn't considered the possibility that it was silver--believe it or not, I cannot tell
Are all silver supposed to be stamped or marked somehow? Or would someone use silver and not mark it?

 

I have had silver pieces that were not marked, I have also had pieces marked silver that were costume. I test everything I get now, marked or not!

 

Wow...thank you for that. I had heard of fake markings but didn't think someone would nit mark their silver and gold...i will do the same from now on...but do you think i need a new kit? It's hardly used but i bought it about a year ago...reliable?

 

Most older Indian silver or gold isn't marked. It is the same for many ethnic pieces.

That depends entirely on the acid. Test it with a few pieces that you know to be silver or base metal first. Don't put it directly on the metal, but use the stone that goes with it.

 

Yup, and not even all British precious metal is marked.

 

There are no laws in the USA requiring precious metal objects to be marked for metal purity.

 

In my experience India uses 800 silver, not sterling. A test with acid that has lost some of its potency could be ambiguous. If you have something you know to be 800, try a test & see how that comes out.

 

That's good to know.
I started buying costume jewelry lots last year so that i can resell on ebay for gas money and such. (And my girls have started a collection of their own)
But learning about the items has been quite the challenge. I am so glad that this forum is available!!!!
I really appreciate all of you!

 

Is there a test for 800 or should good sterling acid work as well?

 

Some Indian non jools are 900 or above: teasets and such.

 

My understanding, which I hope someone will correct if I'm wrong, is that the acid for silver that comes with the little testing kits we non-pros use, only indicates the presence of silver above a certain fineness. It is not precise for sterling; will give a positive result for lower grades of silver.

 

I have never owned fine jewelry--or even sterling--other than my eng/wed rings. Not that my hubby won't buy me any...its just never been my thing.
So i do not own any such pieces. But now that i started selling (and collecting) costume jewelry i sometimes stumble upon marks like Italy 14k or 925 with other marks but i first check with a magnet ( as i learned from a youtuber). But i don't find those often. So this Indian clasp i didn't even think it could be silver...just vintage.
I will get me a new testing kit...sounds like fun

 

Some Indian jools as well, it used to depend on what the person who ordered the piece handed in to be melted. I even have a 1000 fineness mesh bracelet, marked as such and confirmed by a reliable jeweller, much to his and my surprise.
Other factors can be what is customary in the region, or the price a buyer is willing to pay.

 

Different result colours indicate different finenesses. But it is only a rough indication, it doesn't diferentiate between 925 and 935, for instance.
It works best if you're not colour blind.

 

Ok. Wormies on the outside.
Clasp is cleaner (i read online i could use water and baking soda so i soaked it overnight. Looks better

 

Heres a closer up of clasp.

 

I have a necklace with clasp stamped 925 and clasp plus necklace is not magnetic. But maybe only clasp is 925..??? I'd like to get your thoughts.
Should I start a new post for that one?