Featured Mexican Silver Bracelet - Stone or Glass?

I found this bracelet with green stones\glass that is only marked "Silver Mexico" My question has to do with the stones\glass, but any other comments would be appreciated. I know you can't tell a stone from glass in a photo, but there is a chip in one of the stones\glass that might reveal something.

 

Looks like glass or dyed chalcedony.

 

That very round conchoidal fracture argues for glass. Quartz chips similarly, but not usually so neatly.

 

Thanks for looking at this. I really like the deep green color against the silver.

 

I was thinking glass but wasn't sure with all that silver. I appreciate your comments. I only discovered the chip while I was taking photos. I figured the owner might have kept it if it was undamaged, so I get to have it and enjoy it now.

 

Gorgeous bracelet, Kiko.
I'm with Bronwen, glass. This colour glass was used a lot in Mexican jewellery from the 30s-40s, the period this lovely was made. It is typical of the fresh new Mexican designs of the time, a mix of pre-Columbian inspired and Art Deco/Modernism.

You probably don't see the chip when you wear it, and I agree, the colours look perfect together, so it is a stylish bracelet you can really enjoy wearing.

 

You are so wonderful for sharing the bracelet's history with me. It's so exciting to think it has been around for 80-90 years hanging on who knows who wrists, going about daily life, or to special events. I love the idea of the Art Deco\PreColumbian mix in the artist's design. Again thank you for your insights.

 

love this bracelet! I have one somewhat similar (glass stones+ silver cushiony-ball design (not a technical term) ) and from the same era and also just marked "silver mexico" so yes I would also guess these are glass!
this is the one I have:
https://www.antiquers.com/media/pink-glass-stones.5052/ I love that in yours the stones are more much nicely set (mine have these pokey prongs that catch on absolutely all fabric I'm wearing ) and I love the silver twists that run across the stones! very cool!

 

A very nice wearable bracelet.... Enjoy !!!!

 

I love that you have one that is very similar. Your glass pieces are a wonderful color. I can see how all those prongs would catch, so maybe that's why they went to cages to hold the glass in. Thanks for sharing your treasure.

 

my pleasure! yes, it's super annoying, I would wear it much more often if it weren't for those darn prongs!! alas! I hope you get much more wear out of yours =)

 

After years of finding similar bracelets I have a caution for you. Have the metal tested. I can’t tell you how many times I have come across similar bracelets marked silver that are not!

Make sure you know what you have, especially if you are going to try to sell it

 

I will. Thanks for the kind words.

 

oh my that's a shame that you've come across that often!! good tip!
I must say, my silmilar bracelet that I linked to has proven harder to polish up than the rest of my silver.. wonder if that's a sign that maybe it's not! hmmm... I don't own testing materials (I don't sell btw)

 

Marie, Thanks for the caution. I bought a silver testing kit, but can't seem to get it to work right yet. I testing a spoon marked sterling and it didn't turn red as expected - it turned blue. I bought it because I found a handmade cuff, (poorly done) that I wanted to test. As soon as I figure out how to make it work, I'll check it out. I don't buy to sell, though.

 

That's interesting. I bought a cheap testing kit from Amazon with liquids and a stone, but it's not proven to be of much help yet. I figure I'm not doing it right and I should have gotten a white stone. I polished mine a little (it needs much more) and it came up pretty shiny with a sunshine cloth. Not a seller either.

 

that's a very interesting looking cuff! I hope someone will be able to help you troubleshoot the testing kit!!

 

I debated a long time before buying it, as it not the quality of a skilled artisan. Maybe a student piece. I was attracted, though, to it's amalgamation of metals and materials. The silver part is light weight, so I thought they may have started out with silver sheet upon which they hammered a texture.

 

I don’t use silver testing kits because it’s near impossible for me to see the subtle differences in the reds, especially on a dark stone. I test using 18k gold acid. The scraping disappears then reappears as silver-blue flakes. I always test a new piece along side a known piece of sterling. If the results are the same I know I have sterling.

 

Thanks for that. I'll try that with some sterling to see what happens.