Featured Can you help with the origin of this pendant necklace? Unusual chain.

The leaf shape links on this necklace I thought would lead me somewhere. But I've searched and have come up with nothing. The chain is 14" with a spring ring clasp. Please ignore the tarnish; I polished it since I took the pictures and it shines beautifully. Not a dark speck on it now. I tested it with silver solution and got no reaction but my solution may have gone bad. I though Mexican or Middle Eastern but didn't turn up anything similar. Any suggestions on where it might have been made or search words?

 

well that's different !!
Sweet !!

 

Thanks Komokwa. It's very pretty and different.

 

it sure looks like silver from here...........??

 

It certainly cleaned up like silver. My silver testing solution was purchased last July so maybe it has gone bad because I didn't have any color changes on the stone.

 

One idea I use for testing. Take something you know 100% is sterling and do a small test next to the item you are testing. Makes the results pretty straight forward. Also will let you know if you testing acid is off.

 

The jewelry dealer standard is to use 18k acid to test silver. If you scratch test, the 18k will make the silver scrape "curdle" up and turn white. Works a treat and you're not messing with silver acid. With some experience the rate that it turns white gives you an idea of silver purity.

 

I will try both of these methods tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

 

Make sure and use a piece of known silver along side the necklace when you test with the 18k acid. That way you will know when you have a positive test

 

Just a guess, Greek?

 

Definitely tests as silver using the 18K acid and matching it with a known sterling piece. Thanks evelyb, Marie and Lucille for your tips.

Thanks Any Jewelry. I searched Greek pieces but didn't turn up anything similar.

The pendant with its fern like and flower borders keep leading my thoughts to Mexico or South America. But I have no practical reason why I think that. The chain links are so perfectly matched that they don't appear hand made yet the pendant does seem like it could have been artisian crafted. I am stumped as to where to look next.

 

American? The chain looks like some things I've seen from USA companies. Dunno about the pendant.

 

The way the whole thing is constructed, I think the pendant is original to the chain. I just can't find any thing even similar to the leaf shape links.

 

The chain looks like something Renoir might have done in the 50s. They didn't make a ton of silver, most of their output was copper, but they did make some. That said, designs hop borders with regularity.

 

True. If I can't find out where in the world it was made or what its style is patterned after, I'll have to get creative with key words to list.

 

Yeah that flower and wreath pattern around the circle I swear I've seen in American stuff...

 

Here is that patterned circular part used in a necklace I posted back in April 2021 (I believe there may have been another more recently shown similar piece as well)

 

Thanks for sharing Quirkygirl, was the origin identified?

 

Not yet ....