Featured Strange mark on Victorian locket/book chain parure.

It oxidizes, but should last at least a year. I guess the acids are like the materials they test, silver oxidizes too, gold and platinum don't. I don't know how long the acids for gold and platinum last though, I have had mine for years and they are still ok.

 

Gold acids last just about forever; the silver goes bad ASAP. That's why most of us use 18k acid to test silver.

 

Good to know, thanks!

 

That and scraping on a black touchstone makes it impossible to see the silver acid's results!

 

If you're using the 18k, the test on the black touch stone is unmistakable. The silver scrape curdles up and turns white. I don't test on the item itself unless I'm scapping it or extremely dubious.

 

I’ve got a couple of lovely pieces completely ruined by someone chucking acid across the front- not even discreetly on the back- makes me so cross that they care so little about the item, only if they can get scrap value for it .
I’m quite confused about the gold testing as
I have two lots of gold acid, one 9k and one 18k but the 18k doesn’t seem to do anything to any metal. I was wondering if it was a bad lot now you’ve said this rather than user error.
I need to watch a good YouTube video on using the touch Stone

 

The touch stone is the way to test without significant damage
Rubbing an edge hard enough to reach metal under plating will leave a good trace on the stone on which the applied acid will say what alloy.
I can't understand why people think dropping the acid directly on the piece is a better method (except for damaging it)

 

Exactly!

 

Yes and yes! And can we talk about a tester filing across the front of a piece when testing???

 

omg I'm obssesed with this kyratango! a silver locket on a book chain is one of my dream "things to own" - just beautiful!! and they tend to be SO expensive! that you got the whole parure for the price you did is a win!!

 

It's just vandalism!. If it's not gold that they can scrap they don't care

 

That set is stunning, congratulations! And I learned about 18k acid testing silver!

 

We can say even worst!!!

@Kimbert, it was on my « want it now » dream list since a long time... the big plus is the original presentation case (collecting too old ones!)
But, these spring rings, not attached at one end of the chain, are a PAIN to clasp and UNCLASP...

ABSOLUTELY

Thanks Marko I’m glad I learned this trick too

 

Woohoo that's so awesome to find something on your dream list!! That's so cool that it came in the case and everything!
That sounds really annoying about the clasp though! Worth it though, I'm sure!

 

That set is outstanding.

I used to sell my scrap silver to a guy who bought tons of it. He taught me the 18K acid test described here, and also taught me that to really confirm silver, a second test could be used. That test is to rub an edge fairly hard on the testing stone, hard enough to get through any plating, and then dip the edge in a drop of 14K acid. If it turns a grayish color that can be polished back to silver, it is silver. If it is not silver, you can look under a loupe and see it bubbling, and maybe turning green. This test can be destructive to items that are not silver.
When I first learned this from him I did a bunch of tests on know silver and silverplate, and I did find some silverplate flatware that gave a nice milky white result with the 18K test.

That all said, I would have no doubt that your set is silver, and over the years of testing, I can't really remember any jewelry that tested silver with 18K acid but not the 14K acid. There has been some flatware though that passed the 18K test but not he 14K test.

 

Thanks!
Your experience is greatly informative about testing

 

Oh, don't. That is too traumatizing.