bracelet

At least we check each other's answers. Jaime may not like it, but it helps create a better quality forum.

And just the following: I did not complain when Jaime gave her very definite statement after I had already explained gold finenesses etc in my first post. After all, it is a forum. Holly, obb and I just corrected her with the facts. After all, it is a forum.

 

I'm gonna check your facts......

700...silver....Lebanon................ sounds ok...

could it be a gold plated item?

 

See!

 

Some people have to remember to use their indoor voices.

I've seen .700 silver from other parts of western Asia too; I think the Persians/Iranians used it. If this is Iranian, good luck finding the maker.

 

I think that goes for any country that uses .700 silver.

 

Pretty much, yeah.

 

Oh Dear, what's goin on over here!

 

I know that this thread is from 2019 but I would like to share my experience. I have inherited some jewelry (8 in total)from my Swiss grandmother that was marked 700 and as I didn't know this mark, I went to one of the most reputable jewelry store in Montreal (Canada) to have them tested. All of them were 18k gold! So Jaime, you were right, I guess.

 

Not really. If it was solid 18k instead of goldplated 700 silver, the 700 mark was wrong. 18k is always 750.

I suspect the jeweller didn't test it very well. It may have been .700 silver which was gold plated. Not of Swiss origin though, your grandmother could have bought it somewhere else.
Swiss 18k (750) gold jewellery doesn't have a millessimal fineness mark, it has the Helvetia mark:

 

Reading with interest and replying without specific knowledge other than I’ve always understood that 750 is 18K although there can be some variance in testing. I know my jeweler said an 18K ring of mine actually tested at 16K. What I don’t understand is how any “reputable” jeweler cannot tell the difference between gold plated silver and gold. I would think this entire discussion could be resolved with one trip to a truly fine jeweler. What am I missing?

 

Yes, I know that they are not swiss-made. The jeweller used 3 different kind of tests to be sure of the results. I went to him several times with jewelry that I wanted to sell, he never made a mistake. So I really don't know...

 

...apparently a good jeweler. Someone overcharged for that ring when it was made, either accidentally or deliberately. The USA does allow some leeway for gold fineness marking, but not that much. You can mark lower but not higher.

 

Estate sale find so no biggie that I melted to make a new ring using an ancient Roman coin-that’s how I found out it wasn’t 18K but I bought it in a lot of costume so it was virtually a freebie. That experience did teach me that items aren’t always as stamped.

 

Many so called "reputable" jewelers are just glorified sales clerks.Unless they have training and a certificate like from GIA and know how to test you don't know what you are getting.

 

"This three digit mark you see stamped on gold is called a 'hallmark'. A 700 - 750 mark on the gold means its 18 karat gold

From the way this is written....... I read it to say that a 3 digit mark...STARTING with ' 7 ' ....... is 750...for 18K gold...
NOT...that 700 TO 750 ......stands for 18K....

 

I am ONLY referring to ACTUAL jewelers and not clerks who sell jewelry.

 

I live in Montreal..........who'd u go to ??

 

What is a jeweler,your in your experience?

 

Come on Holly... seriously? My jeweler makes custom jewelry. He is a GIA gemologist and a certified watchmaker. Yes, I trust that he knows how to test gold.

 

Just realized that you’re asking me a general question. I suppose I consider a jeweler to be one who can make jewelry from scratch and has some kind of training in working with metals and precious stones as opppsed to someone who just sells jewelry.