Posted 9 years ago
Efesgirl
(1017 items)
This is my $10 buy today from a local shop that deals in new and second hand items.
The chain is marked "Sterling", but the ring and pendant have zero marks. I'm 99% sure it's silver, though.
What I want to know is: what are those two balls for, on the inside of the ring band? They are soldered directly to the shank. Something to do with a stretcher to make the ring smaller? I used to have those stretchers, but those just wrapped around the the shank. I've never seen anything like that before.
Don't know if the stones are real or glass, either. There is quite alot of detailing in the way of faceting.
Thanks, CW friends!
Superb find! Those settings are individually cut with a tiny saw, not pour-molded (I made jewelry years ago) . Look at the stone under different light sources. Do they change color? LOL - maybe someone wanted to be tortured wearing the ring? But you are probably right about the sizer, but weird that they would add the anchors permanently, why not just re-size the ring?
Rub the metal - and smell it. Silver has that distinctive scent.
LOL@ Celiene! I took a better look and you're right - hand made. Yahoo! The stones are actually darker than they appear in the photos. When I shine a halogen flashlight directly above the stones, the outer ring turns a deep, gorgeous purple color. Definitely smell like silver, too. Also visible in the stone of the ring are two tiny black dots. I washed the ring twice and used a Q-Tip to clean it and the spots remain. Faults in the stone, perhaps?
I think they may be color change sapphire (lab-created) look at them in iridescent light and under sun light and or florescent. I bet they go blue to purple or reddish purple. (The entire stone will change color.)
For 10 bucks, you got the deal of the century!
Celiene - look farther back in my posts. You'll see an 18K gold ring I bought at a flea market.....for 50 cents.....10 grams....had it checked out. Genuine.
That was my deal of the century for 2015! :-)
Those are beauties Bonnie...I love Amethysts ! :)
Hello Efes, nice find! The balls are indeed for making the ring smaller. I have a ring that I inherited from an aunt with those same two balls, exactly for that purpose. Its not uncomfortable I must say: you dont feel the balls when you put the ring on all day long.
Hey, Newtimes! Thanks for the info. I am wearing it now, and I don't feel the balls at all. Just a couple of tiny indentations. I have collected jewelry for more than 35 years from many different countries, and this is the very first time I see this as a method of ring sizing. How old is that ring from your aunt?
@Celiene - I added a new photo using a halogen flashlight.
Hello Efesgirl, its not old...2000-ish Or end 90s, gold, from a well known maker that I forgot ;-) will try to post it tomorrow...maybe its a belgian thing? ;-)
Oh - I see you are in Netherlands! No wonder you find all the Scandinavian goodies! I see the halogen light! Not sure if it's color change sapphire. I have several pieces - well I have ONE left anyway! And it changes from purple to blue to teal to every color in between depending on the light source. RARE in its natural form, and MOST large stones are lab-created. I sdent one of mine to GIA in L.A. to have it tested, and found all the info on those stones.
Those are STILL lovely pieces! Is that 10 $ US?
@Celiene - I usually put my purchase amounts in $$ but it's actually Euros, so 10 Euro. These stones don't really change color - their color becomes intensified under different lighting.
I've bought fabulous jewelry at local flea markets and in second hand shops for pocket change!
@Newtimes - I am interested in seeing the ring. I have no idea about the history of this jewelry, but I know what I like when I see it! :-)
I suppose for another seize. Perhaps the shank was open before and the balls to put it together?? Another purpose I could not make out.
Agram.m - the jeweler soldered the two balls on the shank to make the ring smaller, instead of cutting the shank and possibly having to remove the stone for re-sizing. Newtimes posted a ring using the same method.
Happy New Year efe!!
I don't know if all GW stores did this but where I live they took out all of the jewelry and put it on-line. Here's a link. Thanks for your support and shares. Best wishes for the New Year. :)http://www.shopgoodwill.com/listings/listbycat.asp?catid=6
@OneGoodFind - I've seen listings for GW jewelry online in the states. Some of it looks pretty good, some of it not so much... No GW stores here in the Netherlands, just Salvation Army.
Happy 2016!
nutsa - yes, it is strange. At first, I thought something was missing. I am wearing the ring now and it's not at all uncomfortable - surprisingly! Newtimes posted one with the same "sizing ball" on a ring given to her by an aunt.
THANKS, all~!
This set is beautiful EG! I swear, that I spy girl fits you to the tee!!! Happy new years with lots of great finds!!!
Thanks, shareurpassion! I try to make the most out of every thrift shop experience, lol! :-)
This kind of sizing is done when a person has large knuckles; plain resizing to the actual finger size would make it impossible to put on over the knuckle.
Great information in this thread, thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge. :)
Davyd, what a great information. It totally make sense!