Featured Gold or not gold? Antique chain bracelet!

Gambled on this at a flea market... I had it tested with XRF and it came up as solid 10k two times and 11k one time. On the fourth time it came up as 10k GOLD PLATE PROBABLE. There were multiple times where it displayed no plate probable... I went over it with a loupe 20 times and I can see no brassing on the main part of the chain except for the clasp (which is marked GF but is a much newer replacement) and the little replacement links on each end. Do you all think it is solid 10k or so? Is it true that gold alloys back then weren't always the same and varied? The xrf analysis was AU 41.14 , AG 3.65 , Zn 1.58 , Cu 48.00

Also I think this is really old possibly Victorian or early 1900s? The etching on it is very cool!

 

Cool chain!! It does look antique to me.
Do I see that the links are not soldered? If so, then I think this might be plated.
A solid gold chain would have soldered links.

You could also file a small area and look for base metal showing through.

 

Every link is soldered and your arrows point to right of the solders haha! I can get a better photo if needed?

 

Great...soldered links! That's a good sign. You may have solid gold there!
Maybe file a small area to rule out plating.
I like the design on the links!

 

I’ve got lots of bits like this that are inconclusive from acid testing but it’s interesting to know that XRF can be too.
Probably the only way to really know as Stracci says is to file deep enough to be sure but, unless my finds are scrap, I can’t bring myself to do that!

 

I saw some bracelets with a design on the links when I was in Italy. FWIW. Same clasp as well, although the clasp was gold. How heavy is the bracelet? Are the links solid or hollow?

 

Would the same apply to silver and silver plate?

 

Yes, from my experience. But I'm not saying that unsoldered links mean plating in every case. Anything is possible!

It's mostly about quality. If solid gold or silver is being used, then links and especially jump rings are soldered.
Soldered links and jump rings are the first thing I look for when viewing used jewelry at estate sales, etc.
(However, spring ring clasps on sterling chains are usually not soldered )

 

Thanks all the links are solid but it is pretty light I'll have to weight it! How old do you all think it is? Victorian?

Also, I will bring it to one more place who has a few different gold testers and they will know for sure!

 

The reason I asked is I bought a white and yellow gold bracelet in Italy that has etching on the gold links. I wore it right out of the store. Unfortunately the links are hollow and they got smashed when I was lugging my luggage up a steep stairway (that's why they call it luggage or that's the origin of the word lugging, who knows). I still have the bracelet and wear it from time to time. You have to look closely to see how my luggage banged up and flattened the links, lol!

Anyway, if it's hollow, it would be new-ish because I was told that's a fairly new Italian innovation. You could try a hammer on one of the links to see for yourself. No! don't do that.