Featured 18Kt Gold Necklace. Is this an antique?

This has been in the family since at least 1960 and possibly well before. It was gifted to my mother before 1960 by someone from Italy and I don't have any clue as to how long they owned it prior to that. I've looked online for a matching link or clasp design to no avail.

It's 25.93 grams and 17 inches long. There aren't any stamps or engraving anywhere on it except for one link stamped 750 on the reverse.

Does this qualify as an antique and if so, is the value as such greater than just the current market value for 25.93 grams of 18Kt gold?

Thank you in advance for any appreciated help.

 

Nice gift.
It looks very Italian, and was probably new when it was gifted to your mother.

No, it doesn't qualify as antique. It is typical of 50s-60s Italian Modernist style jewellery. As such it will sell better than some antique gold necklaces. The market value is more than just the gold value.

 

I concur.......... & it has a little , wow factor!

 

Definitely a vintage piece and a nice one.

 

Very pretty. Many would wear it. I hope someone in your family tries it out!

 

Thank you so much! I myself have never been a jewelry person, except for wearing an inexpensive watch not prone to accidental damage in the gym, and that was prior to cell phones. It really doesn't match anything my wife already has, all of her jewelry white gold or platinum, which she prefers to gold.

I can't find any recorded online data for past sales of items similar to this, and that likely is because lacking jewelry savvy, I just don't know where to look.

Any suggestion as to the retail value of this piece would be appreciated, if that is allowed?

 

We don't talk value here. You can use the keywords given to search eBay, check the SOLD box in filters, and see what similar goes for on open market. If you sell to a jeweler/pawn/dealer, of course they will only offer a percentage of retail so they can make their money.

I used to only do white gold but I tried yellow and it turns out both sparkle and stand out with different things/colors. Variety is nice and gold color mixing is totally fine too.

 

I'd keep this piece even if I didn't wear it. It belonged to someone important to me and/or my spouse. That's worth more than the metal.

That said, the place to start is a scale that measures in grams and a gold scrap calculator. Figure out what it's worth in metal weight alone; that's your base value. Pawn shops won't even give you that much because they have to make money on the flip and can only count on getting a percentage of melt themselves. Jewelry stores and jewelry auctions may net you more and may not.

 

I wasn't sure if market values were open for discussion, but now aware that it's a sensitive issue I will not repeat that when I post items I have questions about.

 

Thing of it is that even when my mother was living, she never wore it. In fact, no one in my immediate family ever did. The only time I ever saw it before her passing was as a child, soon after she got it and then again about 3 years ago, after her passing.
So, there are really no fond memories of her or any loved one being attached to the piece, which sat in a small black velvet box in a dresser for about 60 years with many other pieces of both fine and costume jewelry that I never saw my mother wear!

 

Aah maybe Mom wasn't big on jewelry...or maybe she was one of those who was too scared of wearing it because of what it was worth. Jewelry is made to be worn though! So, if no one in your family is interested, then I hope it finds someone else who would love to take it out for a spin.

 

Yes, pass it on to someone who will enjoy WEARING it, as intended, rather than place it back in a drawer to remain in darkness until I go is what I'm inclined to do.

It's amazing that someone who didn't often wear jewelry had so much of it squirreled away in boxes. She may have worn some of it in her younger years, but she became an avid bowler, so having been a bowler myself at one point, I can well understand her reluctance to wear jewelry; especially rings.

 

I wouldn't leave it sitting in a drawer other, but maybe she was too scared to wear it out. I don't wear my earrings to church because I have to use earplugs during the music, and screwbacks and earplugs don't mix well.