Gold and coral bead brooch - need help please

I think he was hoping to convince you it was worth little.

It's nonsense about the gold

The decoration looks like pearls unless the colour in your picture is way off. They should feel rough on the teeth. Cultured pearls, mid 20th C design. 1950s to 70s possibly.

 

It looks like angle skin coral beads,there also appears to be a "mark" about a quarter of an inch to the right of the 14K.

 

I agree with Hollyblue - those do look like angle skin coral balls. You can test them with a small drop of lemon juice (from an actual lemon - not from a bottle) placed on a spot on the backside of one of the balls. Coral will make bubbles, visible with a loupe) when it reacts with the acid in the lemon juice. Just be sure to wash the juice off right away with lots of water to stop the reaction.

I am also skeptical about that customer saying it was thinly plated with gold ... as opposed to heavy gold plate ... or even just plain gold plate. Sounds as if he was trying too hard to make the pin sound worthless. Does it feel unusually lightweight to you? Not suggesting that I think it's plated (I don't), just questioning his choice of words.

 

That person had no clue or was trying to undermine it's value. As others have said, looks like Angel Skin Coral in 14k.

 

Agree. Certainly look like angel skin coral.

Debora

 

Book, I don't think you should test the beads. I don't see a need to test the metal as it is marked 14k.

 

I agree with others, he either didn't know as much as he claims or he wanted to buy it cheap.

Looks 1960s style with the brushed pattern.
Also agree with coral. I wouldn't test either.

 

The metal looks like it has a bad case of porosity,but the area where the "numbers" are appears to have been burnished smooth.

 

I see the numbers - might be an insurance mark. It's definitely gold and coral; I wouldn't even be bothered testing one like that. It's a suit brooch from the 60s.

 

Plated, my a$$. I've a similar shaped brooch, similar marks, but no stones.

 

next time that sometime customer shows up....show him the door !

 

Yessss, numbers are almost but not really quite readable!! I think I see some 9's, 5's, and maybe a 3, but just a bit closer and sharper and you'll have it!!!!! Like you got with the "14K"......

 

Yes.(LOL) All of the above. The prettier the design the higher price you can charge. Since it's retail, I'd figure out the gold weight and charge triple that. You can always discount if it doesn't sell and give someone a "deal". Retail new pieces are generally at least 5x gold weight, if not more.