Silver Italy Cuff Bracelet?

Anyone to help me out with the ins and outs of this piece? And could I get a bit for it? I think I will keep it though. If I could get it cleaned up I think it will be very pretty! Oh and how do I get it cleaned up!?? I've tried the baking soda and aluminum foil trick and it didn't do much as you can see...maybe take it to be cleaned?

 

That design almost had to be Italian, but unfortunately it doesn't have to be silver. The Italians are generally pretty good about marking the real stuff, and odds are that's nickel.

 

Just so you know, Ashley, that "baking soda and aluminum foil trick" is not worth using on anything and definitely not on actual silver.

 

Hi Ashley,
Please stop using the baking soda and foil cleaning. It ruins silver and is just messy.
greg

 

What he said. I'd use it to strip plating off of copper, but that's about it. Silver-plated copper that is, once it's worn out anyway.

 

What they said, it is like using Tarnex, too harsh, you just need a gentle silver polish to clean silver.

That said, you may want to invest in a testing kit. I test silver with 18k gold acid. The silver testing kits are hard for me to read but I get good results with the 18k gold acid. If you want to give it a try we can tell you what to do and what to look for

 

Hi, I am one of those people that see things that may not even be anything but above the word Italy it looks like 925 but very worn. It also looks like it was scratched in by hand. Would someone do this to make people think it was silver or is it nothing. Just trying to learn. Thank You.

 

I'd lay better odds it's 800 if anything. If this is an older piece it could be 800 grade rather than sterling. The Italians made a lot of it. It definitely requires testing.

 

It is very nice, with that Renaissance type motif. It definitely needs testing.

Despite the size I would call it a panel bracelet. To me cuff bracelets are rigid, testing on the arteries when you put them on, but once on the best bracelets to wear.

 

Hmmm ok I need to purchase a test kit.. check!!! Thanks again! EEveryone is so helpful and I learn so much!

 

All that being said...will this ever look pretty again? Could I take to an antique shop and they can clean it up? And how would I clean the silver? It works wonders on other pieces. I just soak it in the vinegar salt and bKing soda for 30 seconds and polish with a cloth

 

Some folks use cheap toothpaste. I'd use real silver polish or a polishing cloth. If you use the paste just be sure to clean off all the paste. Caked in paste looks nastier than tarnish. I wouldn't use any sort of soak; these sorts of pieces were supposed to have darker recesses. Removing that is damage, not cleaning.

 

Thank you!

 

I use Haggerty's Silver foam.... I know a lot of people use Wright's silver polish.

 

Yes, the foaming polishes are great because it washes away unlike the paste polishes!