Victorian style clasp

[Maine Digger]

Hi all, here's a gaudy piece of costume jewelry I found in one of my digs. It appears to be brass with applied enamal. I really don't know if the 'jewels' are glass or semi-precious stones, the former I think. Unfortunately the three largest 'stones' are missing, probably were diamonds![]

 

[Maine Digger]

opps!, that was supposed to be a pic of the front[8D]

 

[IRISH]

They where a bit over the top with some of the stuff they wore "back in the day" [] .
To help a bit with the gems, if you hold the stone to your cheek and it feels warm (compare it to glass, both at room temp. ) it will most likely be paste, if it feels cold like glass look at the edge of the crown facets, if they have chips like glass or a lot of rounding off they most likely are glass.
If on the other hand they are sharp and not chipped show it to a jeweler who knows gemstones (a lot don't) and get an id done, it will still most likely not be a gem but best to check [] .

 

[Maine Digger]

Thanks Irish, I guess I better get it to a jeweler or someone who knows gemstones. Under a magnifying glass the facets are sharp, especially on the large center 'stone' Maine is famous for it's tourmaline and other semi-precious gems, this may be pink tourmaline.

 

[IRISH]

Maine is indeed a famous place all around the world for it's gem pegmatites (a type of vein or reef). I've been collecting gems since before I'd even thought about bottle collecting, been wanting to see Maine since I was about ten [] , I'll get there oneday (along with a hundred other places).

 

[Maine Digger]

Hi Irish, yeah, we have a wealth of gem mines, many of which are open for public rock-hounding. There's been some spectacular finds by amatuers. I have a great chunk of quartzite with an interesting pattern of black turmaline that I picked off an old rock wall in the woods. I'll take a picture and send it to you.

 

[Scarlet Lily]

Pretty! Gaudy, but hey, its still interesting to look at. You're lucky!
I believe I may have found a piece of turquoise today, if thats what it really is, it'd be nice to set it in a silver ring setting.
I wouldn't mind finding more []