Help Bracelet Signed "MEXICO"

The only mark on this bangle bracelet is "MEXICO." I don't have a silver tester, so I'm wondering if this is silver plated or alpaca. I have other pieces of Mexican jewelry that are signed alpaca, but have never seen a piece that's stamped Mexico with no other marks. The bracelet was tarnished and didn't show any signs of a plated finish wearing off when I polished it. Has anyone seen this type of mark? Do you know whether the bracelet is new or old?

 

that's an ugly mark.....with no silver mark.....I'd be thinking it's newer...and not silver..

 

Thank you....you're most likely right.

 

The outside says "dunno" but the inside says modern costume.

 

Thanks. The inside does look like modern costume in my photo, but in real life it looks handmade and I can see the seam where it was soldered together.

 

That spun look is what I was referring to, along with the color; the texture is almost always costume.

 

Define handmade. It looks like it was cast,where is the solder seam?

 

I think my photo of the inside is kind of deceptive -- it doesn't really have a spun texture, but has a sort of uneven slightly wavy feel when I run my fingers around the inside. It also has a few teeny nicks here and there. The pattern on the outside repeats, but there are some slight variations from one section to the next. There's a little spring to it when I squeeze the whole bracelet in my hand, and if I pressed hard enough I could probably turn it into an oval. Maybe it's silver plated brass?? Attached are more photos.

 

This photo shows the edge where it was joined together. Would the ends of the wax model have been joined together before it was cast? Or would it have been cast as a flat strip, then shaped into a circle and soldered together afterwards?

 

cast as a flat strip,...I'd say....the design seems to repeat itself...

 

You're right, the design does repeat but has slight variations.

 

Looks like it was cast flat and then hand bent some what round and the ends soldered.After soldering probably put over an iron pipe and hammered round which would explain the uneven inside surface,then sanded and not polished on the inside.

 

Does anyone know if there are any modern-day jewelry makers in Mexico "cranking out" quantities of cast bangle bracelets -- silver plated? I've looked online, but the silver plated Mexican jewelry I found was mainly made out of wire. Bangle or cuff bracelets were gold plated.

 

Impossible to date many of this type,made in small shops for tourist,sold on the street,etc.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/677822...uery=mexican+bangles&ref=sr_gallery-1-3&pro=1

 

Thanks for this link. I noticed the bracelet is just stamped Mexico and the seller is calling it alpaca.