Featured Thoughts on this turquoise bracelet? Number 8?

Hi all I bought this from an older lady who said it was her mothers who got it a long time ago. I believe it to be Number 8 turquoise? I however am stumped on the black ink? marking underneath. Appears to be OM? Under that the numbers 1944 are scratched in, perhaps the year it was made? Any ideas? Thanks!

 

it's charming....ready for a polish though..

 

It might be an unpopular opinion but I actually like my older turquoise pieces unpolished... I think it adds to the character of the piece

 

you do you !!

 

Just looked that up to figure out what it means. How could one prove that? Sure looks like it, though, and 1944 sounds like a time when it could have still been heavily mined.

It's pretty!

 

I agree, it looks like #8.
I looooove it!

 

Beautiful piece . I am half way with you on the polish. I polish lightly leaving the deeper recesses dark and the other slightly polished to show off the pattern.

 

I do the same.

 

When I buy something (not in a thrift), I am not attracted to heavy patina. I want to see the artist's original vision. Using patina to highlight design works well for me too.

 

Agree. The original design and meaning are more important to me than years of tarnish, which is dirt.
A bit of tarnish in crevices is fine for me, as long as it does no damage. I either give jewellery a soft soap bath and rinse first, or use alcohol to clean pieces that shouldn't be in contact with water.
Patina is different, and it won't be lost if you polish it. Only if you have it professionally buffed by a jeweller.

 

Your jewelry your choice but if you don’t polish perhaps you can wipe them enough so that they don’t pit. Your beautiful bracelet looks like it’s getting damaged. That’s an awful lot of tarnish. As far as mine attribution goes I’ll always maintain that without direct documentation (or being there when they pulled it out) mine attribution is hearsay at best. It could be 1944. Without that info I would have said 40s/50s.

 

I agree. And it is tarnish, which is dirt. Not patina. The patina won't be lost as long as you don't buff it to a high gloss.

 

So agree. I think many feel that darkening adds to that vintage silver look but darkening is not brown tarnish and whoever made that piece sold it as shined silver. I don’t go into crevices on my pieces but I keep them all shined.I’m editing as I find my own words confusing LOL. When I say shined I mean lightly rubbed with a soft cloth. I just shined the sandcast pictured below. It is not shiney.

 

Thanks for the thoughts! I will consider polishing it in the future! I watched this video and found it to be interesting.

 

Respectfully you’re missing the difference between surface changes of age and abuse of filth. I think we’re not being clear that we’re not suggesting any application of polishing chemicals. We’re talking about the removal of crud but again, your bracelet and your decision. I keep my own pieces cleaned but not chemically treated.

 

Here’s an old sandcast. I want to keep a finish of age but never want my silver to pit. Please understand that I do respect your choices are your choices but I do think you’re confusing terminology.