Featured Gold plate questions

The seller I mentioned who sold me a broken pin is offering a partial refund if there was anything else I wanted to keep etc, so I'm looking at it again.

The horse pin that's broken seems to be set in at least 14k, but the pin evaporates quickly under 9k.



The other pin has some sort of black stone (what is it by the way? It's got a matte back), but this is the opposite gold wise. The pin tests between 9 and 14k, but the setting is based metal. Again no marks.

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Is that a break on the bottom of the setting, just right of the pin?

I would send them both back, and wait for all gold ones. They will come along.

 

This chain tests as 14k, but the clasp isn't and is marked for plated. I've gone through any plating on the chain just in case with the same results. Theres also an area with 'greenies' but it looks like it's by lying on something that was costume cause it comes right off and the gold is underneath.

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Can you remind me what Or Argent means on a watch? Its normally gold plated on silver, but this is testing as 14k. It's got small oval hallmarks (swiss?), but they're hard to distinguish, plus the silver crab mark. The strap is plated for sure. Spots on the top of the watch have a few signs of being plated, but I examined the areas I tested and they seem to hold up.

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Yeah I might have to. Theres a few pieces of Fix and oria that I could put in a lot and they tend to do quite well. There was a similar coral horse that sold on best offer of 130, and I'd keep the chain, but I have to decide if it's worth the work.

 

Wouldn't that be argent doré?
I am no watch person, but I would guess Or Argent means it has both gold and silver parts.

Ladies' watches don't sell as well as men's watches.

 

I had an 18K chain....and switched out the clasp for a stronger 14K one.........

 

yep I did think about that, but it seems inkeeping with the chain itself. Most probably the solution though.

Perhaps my assumption is wrong then! I usually would think it'd be argent dore but I've often seen watches marked like that dumped into the dealer's junk pile. Its a nice enough watch that I'd keep it if I replace the strap perhaps. I'll have a think.

If I can get half my money back it won't be such a bad deal, most of the rest isn't special but I'll get a good price if I put it all together.

 

Or over Argent - gold-plated silver would be my first guess, or = gold and argent = silver if you're French. I swear I'm seeing a Minerva head on the part that attaches to the band.

 

It does look like a minerva from that photo, but under my loupe its the crab.


What does this mean? Surely a gold plated item wouldn't have an eagle mark?



I ask because I had a closer look at the other marks on the watch, and they're both eagles...



Of course you can also get the eagle head without the cartouche for 18k solid, so I'm wondering what the difference is. Its odd that the strap attachement areas would be plated when the rest of the body is gold...