Featured Fire opal sterling silver ring - mexican fire opal?

Discussion in 'Jewelry' started by aaroncab, Nov 2, 2018.

  1. aaroncab

    aaroncab in veritate victoria

    This piece was my mother's, unfortunately i didn't get to ask her where she got it. She has several other pieces(sterling rings with agate cabochons) that I know were made by my father's father(my grandfather) back in the 40's 50's, but I'm not sure about this one. I don't know if he would have been able to get a big piece of fire opal like this up in northern California.

    It's only marked "sterling". I'm assuming if the ring itself was mexican, it would be marked with a mexican mark, not just "sterling". It does look like mexican fire opal to me though. The cabochon is 1 inch (2.5cm) long .3 inches(.8cm) wide.

    Opinions - this is fire opal yes? It has fire play in it at certain angles but not at others, mostly blue but a hint of green now and then.

    Thank you for looking!

    Aaron

    44959952654_e2c802c697_kdev.jpg 44959971934_5f2cda4ed2_kdev.jpg 31812364918_4c04983680_kdev.jpg 45684661641_0602c24c5c_kdev.jpg 31812328958_c323a1f607_kdev.jpg 45684661641_0602c24c5c_kdev.jpg 30744149997_df30268924_kdev.jpg 44770516385_7375159b10_kdev.jpg 45684682691_8b0b4dd2ee_kdev.jpg
     
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  2. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    nice.....
     
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  3. evelyb30

    evelyb30 Well-Known Member

    Dragon's breath art glass and sterling. It might be Mexican but probably isn't. I'd guess it's 1930s to late 1940s ... and not let it out of the house. Joolies tend to love dragon's breath. It's meant to resemble a jelly opal but is a thing on its own. The good pieces command prices on a part with semi-precious stones.
     
  4. Hollyblue

    Hollyblue Well-Known Member

    Hard to tell if it is real opal,it may be dragon’s breath opal(glass). Look like the ring is plated copper.
     
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  5. aaroncab

    aaroncab in veritate victoria

    Thank you - that makes sense!
     
  6. Bronwen

    Bronwen Well-Known Member

  7. aaroncab

    aaroncab in veritate victoria

    Thanks Holly - I'm quite sure it's silver - up close shows no signs of plating and it is marked Sterling inside the band. I think what might look like copper in a couple of the photos is just shadows and tarnish.
     
  8. aaroncab

    aaroncab in veritate victoria

    Yes it does more closely resemble the dragon's breath glass then fire opal - now that I've seen both. It is on the orange side of red though - most of the dragon's breath pics I'm seeing are more red - although some are close to mine.
     
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  9. evelyb30

    evelyb30 Well-Known Member

    That orangey-red is pretty close to standard. Some pre-War pieces were yellow with the blue flash, and a few were even green. The green is much harder to find.
     
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  10. Pat P

    Pat P Well-Known Member

    Wow, this thread has helped me identify a ring I have that was probably my grandmother's. Thank you!

    I knew the style of my ring is Art Deco, so figured it's from the '20s or early '30s? I didn't know that the stone is dragon's breath.

    It has a maker's mark, Nemco, but no mark for the material. Is it likely silver plated or just silver-toned metal?

    Nemco-dragons-breath-ring-1.jpg Nemco-dragons-breath-ring-2.jpg Nemco-dragons-breath-ring-3.jpg Nemco-dragons-breath-ring-4.jpg
     
  11. Ownedbybear

    Ownedbybear Well-Known Member

    Silver tone, probably. Nice.
     
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  12. Pat P

    Pat P Well-Known Member

    Thanks, Bear. :)
     
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  13. i need help

    i need help Moderator Moderator

    This looks like a similar setting.
    https://www.rubylane.com/item/231976-3372/Vintage-Nemco-Dragonx27s-Breath-Art-Glass
     

    Attached Files:

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  14. Pat P

    Pat P Well-Known Member

    Thanks, INH. It does look like the same or a very similar setting. Same company, too.
     
    i need help likes this.
  15. i need help

    i need help Moderator Moderator

    Your Welcome :)
     
    Pat P likes this.
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