Featured N/A cuff?

Jumble find today. Heavy gauge, one turquoise piece missing.
I’ve cleaned the marks but can’t make out the image near STERLING. Any thoughts people please? Is it likely N/A, modern, is there much even made using Opal? Thanks.

 

some NA artists do channel work....... & I would expect some design stamping....but it could be NA !!

 

And they use a lot of lab opal nowadays. Sometimes natural opal too.
The mark isn't in my SW NA marks book, but it is probably too recent to be anyway.
Is there one stone missing, or is that an optical thing?

 

one turquoise piece missing...............

 

ADD strikes again.

 

Lab opal is dead common now. It's affordable, stable and can be cut to size and shape. Real opal is far less affordable, highly unstable, and can only be cut by an expert. If you're doing a multi-piece inlay and need the pieces matching it's a lot easier to do with synthetic stones. It's the jewelery equivalent to quilting in cotton instead of using silk. You can do the silk, but you have to be crazy. (and if you're not, you will be before you're done!)

 

Thanks to all. The lab Opal seems a good bet even though there’s some lovely reds and greens in it. The glue looks modern ish, well not the yellow stuff you often see on older glued in things. It’s a good fit on me so I’ll wear it as is. It was only 50p so a good buy.

 

I'm sure u can find something to fill the gap......

 

Lab opal can have lovely colours, including reds and greens.
Check if the colours stay in the same place if you move the stone around. If they do, it's a lab opal. If they vanish and new colour specks and spots appear, it is a natural opal.

 

Hmm, having another look AJ and it may well be natural. The top right in particular changes as I change the camera angle. I don’t know how good the lab ones are.

 

I don't see changes in the shapes of the spots, it is more of a difference in visibility.
If the spots don't change, it is a leopa.... uhm lab opal.
SW NA jewellery usually uses lab opal.

 

I agree, lab opal. Super common in NA jewelry made for the masses.
A bit of turquoise can easily be shaped and glued right back in there.... If you're handy!

 

If not...ohhhhh Kyraaaaa?

 

I am pretty handy, got Dremels, angle grinders etc but there’s such a big pile of stuff here to mend, re frame, re string……..

 

any of that other stuff something you're going to wear ????????

 

Definitely lab opal. They come in a dizzing array since the 70s. The "lizard skin" style is easy to spot, especially from the side since it grows in straight columns, but manufacturers are wily.



They still look very pretty and most don't know the difference, which is great I say.

 

Probably not.

 

Thanks for the reference chart, I had no idea they were so good.

 

The Gilson factory in France used to make some really nice ones. No idea if they're still around.