Posted 9 years ago
VickiEsDes…
(1 item)
My friend just showed this to me. Because I am a new jewelry designer she knew I would enjoy seeing the quality of the workmanship in this charm bracelet. She (nor I) have any idea where to check to find out more information concerning this detailed solid 14K gold bracelet/ charms, articulated bracelet with gemstones (rubies, pearls, emeralds, sapphires).
A friend of her mother had been married to Nicky Hilton and he had this bracelet designed for her in the 40's (approx). They ended up getting divorced and she had given to her friend, (my friends mother) to hold on to just in case she needed any money. She didn't since she found another wealthy husband, so had told her friend she could keep it since she enjoyed wearing it all the time. When my friends mother passed away, being the only daughter, the charm bracelet went to her, over much haggling by her brother who really wanted it.
Quite a few years ago, it had been appraised for quite a bit, but my friend has no idea where or when it was designed. If anyone could give her any type of help, she would greatly appreciate it.
Wow What a fantastic gold charm braceletIt might be a custom made piece.
I'm confused , was she married to senior or junior?
Something is not adding up with the back story for me, sorry.
Nicky Hilton was only married 2 times, Elizabeth Taylor & a daughter of an extremely wealthy oil family, they still are, very wealthy. She would not need to give anything to anyone no less a bracelet for " in case " money.
Also Nicky was known to give Elizabeth jewels , real statement pieces, one of a kinds made especially for her from very well known top jewelers. I can't imagine he had any pieces made that were not signed.
He died very young and was married during the time period you are saying.
Sorry I'm lost on the whole story.
I could be wrong but it might be plated. I see what appears to be fading on the left clasp part that inserts. Maybe plated sterling. With a better back story I might not be so skeptical. Either way it's nice and even if it was the case it would have still been a fairly expensive piece due to the workmanship etc...
I agree with you both EAPG & Silly :D I thought I saw plating also, but can be hard to judge from some pics.
The entire back story bothers me and I don't get it not being checked. It would have been easy to see it just couldn't have been so. This should be taken totally away by the person with the piece, especially if they intend on selling it, as it will cause much suspicion to anyone with limited knowledge or willing to look up about Nicky Hilton.
I'm also bothered that there is a silversmith and new jeweler involved yet they are questioning the metal content. Wouldn't testing be the first go to, especially for either of these professions or hobbies? A tale to get interest in the piece out there? If so it wasn't a good one ;)
Di
AND YES SILLY! Some vintage & antique COSTUME pieces can be worth much more than a fine piece.
Some were meant to last, in fact to do exactly that. They came up with finishes, especially brushed ones that when not totally abused ( kids w/ a hammer abuse lol ), can last several life times. Tara was one of these companies, in fact they did an entire campaign boasting it. Sadly we do have the pieces that are not going to last. Sadder yet, to me, is that some pieces would last if the were just stored differently.
FOR ANYONE JUST starting or has maybe come into some nice costume older pieces, be sure to roll them in bubble wrap if you can to separate the metals. The metals touching each other give off fumes & chemical reactions and can actually start literally rotting each other away :( At minimum pieces should be changed around etc. to help try to slow this down, but you can get several pieces separated in one piece of bubble wrap & very little effort. No need to sort tie tape etc. :)
P.S. I have found newer, old stock etc. of many of the charms on this piece. Even the old stock still pieces don't go back nearly that far.
@trusted.couple I had this really neat anti tarnish jewelry foldout thing I used for my silver. It had lots of see through plastic pockets. I'm not sure the name brand but I bought it awhile ago on QVC or HSN. One of those sites. The anti tarnish doesn't last forever. I know they sell anti tarnish strips that might help replenish it for awhile.
Sorry to say oldandsilly sometimes I dont mind the clumps. People are too lazy and a lot of marked pieces get stuck in them especially with itsy bitsy marks become mine for pennies ;) I got my new favrite solid sterling cuff for 1.00 that way.
@EAPG & @Oldandsilly,
Isn't it amazing how we can all look at the same thing, a jewelry lot, and see it so differently!
I agree with both of you! I don't mind it if it is unsearched and a CHANCE of a small treasure ( something I really like or unusual")
I do mind that condition when they've riffled through every piece though.
There is a third way now of seeing it ;)
Also I was referring to the costume jewelry as far as storing it differently, but easily to protect it. The base metals and the reaction they can have to each other in them are what eat each other away most times.
Di
@EAPG
OH I LOVE THAT EXCITEMENT TOO!
The sending it for that short time won't erode it , it's the storing of pieces. I pack separately too when i ship, either jewelry bags or bubble wrap all individual.
It's safer, more fun for the buyer, & , i believe, classier because it's just the right thing to do. :)
AMEN SISTA! LOL
Some had questioned why as a new jewelry designer couldn't tell if it was 14K gold or not. We happened to be at our "day job". I didn't have magnifying glass nor testing kit with me, so she agreed to bring in again the next day. It is sold 14K gold. It is not plated. Photos were taken with an iPhone, so they might not be the best.
The owner would like to track down who/where it might have been designed. It is not costume jewelry. My friends Mom has some really beautiful pieces of those, like outstanding rare blue rhinestones which I had never even heard of before, along with other exquisite pieces.
A local jewelry company displayed it in their window for a few months and thought it might be Swiss, German or Austrian. So, if anyone has any idea where to possibly check, I know that she would appreciate it.
It is an extremely finely crafted piece of art. The detail is amazing.
Thank you for your interest and any help would be awesome.
Said it was a nice piece however the back story to it was just well, outrageous.
we also said we couldn't tell by the picture rather it was plated it or not it was very hard to tell. Glad it's 14 karat but the history on it is just absolutely not believable. So again a very nice piece.
*the noob at the back of the room sits quietly reading this thread*
Noob. Newbie. Learning curve person worshiping at the feet of the masters. :)
LOL, AGREE TOTALLY SILLY! And I ABSOLUTELY did notice that the original story of it's history was totally ignored, which is why I didn't ignore it.
IMHO It is a "Nice" piece. I had mentioned I had found the charms, including the movable dump truck in several places. The faux stones I saw on the charms were either the same or varied by just a little.
Don't be afraid of us Katherine HAHAHA. We come in peace. Just get a little tired of some things that can go on. I.E. Married to Nicky Hilton, he had it custom made, gave to a friend in case she needed money" BAHAHAHA and i'm not quite sure but I think someone may have come back to life now too!
Ah, oldandsilly, shame on me if I don't recognize mastery when I see it. This thread speaks for itself. :)
Oh please don't do that!!!
Oh man this thread is silly. :) All fairytale corner and such. ^5's oldandsilly. You had the cojones to say it without any syrup on top. It's all of what you said.
YUP @ EAPG & SILLY : Sorry I had to call out that story" immediately" Like silly said it's a free country & some people are free to fall for certain things andothers of us to call the B.S. card ;)
Wherever this bracelet came from, no matter if the story is true, this is a fabulous and gorgeous bracelet! I don't care if it came from Walmart, I still love it! But I may care if I was purchasing the bracelet for a large sum of money. lol
Lovely piece. Shame these bracelets have gone out of fashion. The purest would argue but the dealers would only offer scrap value, which is very sad. Neil
Elizabeth Taylor had several charm bracelets in her esteemed collection.