Can anyone tell me when they started stamping caret markings on gold ? I have a soft gold cross that was found on a beach with 10 pearls and a diamond in the middle. The piece looks spanish.
Here's a picture of the front of the cross. This was found on a remote beach without the aid of a metal detector. Over 20 years ago, when I was in this area I was told of gold coins that washed up on the beach after a storm.
Robert, I haven't been back with a metal detector yet, but I do have one of my sons down there at another site. He should be checking out that remote beach in the next week or so. If he finds anything, I will post an update.
Wow! Take it to a jeweler and let us know what he says!
I have seen pictures of some of the older Spanish pieces with pearls, (look in the older Nat'l Geographic shipwreck issues) and usually the pearls are dissolved over time, so this piece may not be that old. Pearls are soft and may be ground down by shifting sand. Another indication of age is how the stone was cut. Diamonds are very hard and only within the last 50 years has the modern 'Brilliant' cut been perfected. A jeweler could tell you whether the stone is genuine, and might have some idea of when it was cut based on its form.
You asked when they put karat markings on gold-- that tradition was started by the Spanish for bullion bars at the assayer, who used Roman numerals to denote karat purity. This wasn't applied to jewelry until much later (late 1800's), when standard alloys began to replace pure gold which is very soft. That doesn't mean that karat markings always appear on gold-- even these days of mass production a few pieces make it out of the factory unstamped.
"...and then I will finally be able to take over the world!"?
- Brain, in 'Pinky and the Brain'
The British Hallmarks date back to the 13th century. Current research indicates that the reasons for the hallmarks were to assist customs officials in preventing the export of precious metals from England. Gold and silver were struck with the same marks until 1798 when a karat marking was added for gold.
Good to see another ex-operator on the site. Sounds like you may be in Florida. I'm a member of Chapter 85, Special Forces Association out of Stuart Florida. If your'e not already, think of joining - good people.
Sorry guys and girls, I gave the cross to a movie producer friend of mine in California. I'll contact him and see if I can get him to send me a picture to post.
One would need to know the approx area where it was found ( upper east coast, Florida etc) before you could start to find out more about it, also after a storm or heavy surf?
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