🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Gold cross with emeralds

oc plumber

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Jan 28, 2023
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Trying this in another forum hopefully is better suited here
Hi everyone ,first post here.
Trying to help out my father in law, he has a gold cross with emeralds in it he believes came from a Spanish shipwreck or possibly a sunk nazi u boat , I did some research and read about the atocha that Mel fisher discovered and the piece seems to very similar. It does not seem to have any id marks and comes with no paper work but my fil swears he has seen it before in a show talking about treasure linked to some sunken nazi uboat in Florida keys. Any ways was hoping somebody could shed some light/info or at least point us in the right direction. Thank you
 

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smokeythecat

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Well, it does look old. Have you had a jeweler look at it? They do that around here free. Knowing where it came from would help. The way the green stones are cut, well that appears to be an older way and no one cut them like that anymore.
 

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oc plumber

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Jan 28, 2023
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Upvote 2

ARC

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I don’t know the karat , it has no marking I can see, I can try to send more pics
Ok... listen carefully and remember what i am about to tell you when and if you take it somewhere to be tested.
First.... you need to call around the larger local gold / bullion buyers /selllers in your area... and ASK them if they have an xrf metal analyzer... and find this and this only.
Take it to them and have them zap it... now... here is the "key"... write down the EXACT readout and then post here.
Now for the parts i HIGHLY suggest you follow...
1. DO NOT SELL to them... Period... no matter what the offer is.... WAIT until after conformation of this piece being what i think it may be OR>.. what it is not... DONT listen to one opinion either.
That piece could be something very special and until confirms solid as to its "being"... you could cost yourself dearly.
2...
IF you go there and they take the item and appear to not use the xrf on it but instead bring out a black stone slab for scratch test... tell them STOP... NO... you DO NOT want it to be tested in that manner.... NO MATTER WHAT> they say.
If they say "it doesnt matter"... you will know in your mind this is NOT a person of knowledge.
Do not let them do anything to it other than scan it... and note the results on paper and exactly.
This is VERY important.
 

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ARC

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Aug 19, 2014
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Find some small piece of cotton t shirt or old jewelry bag / box... and be careful with it... try not to hand to a "fumble finger" person or drop yourself.
Take care of it... until you know what you are holding.
Regardless it is a great piece.. and it MIGHT... repeat MIGHT.... be something of antiquity.
So... you are the keeper of it. :)

Oh yeah.... as far as it being a "shipwreck" piece... um... you will never be able to say yes or no to this without provenance.
BUT... with some more research and the above mentioned you might be able to narrow a timeline... and possibly be holding something of not only great beauty... but of great antiquity as well.

Remember this as well.... they do and have copied authentic antiquity pieces for eons.
So dont get your hopes up just yet... get that test done first.
 

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Upvote 8

ARC

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Bah... i might as well continue... heh

Um ... its like this... IF your scan results say its a HIGHER karat than 18... HIGHER... then... you can get excited.... slightly... its the other metals along with that i am looking for.

IF... it comes in at 14 karat or close... THEN it will be modern... and not something of antiquity.

But dont let that discourage you... the piece overall weight... karat... and examination of emeralds... which they most definitely are... will dictate its total overall value as a whole.

Hope all this babble helps you.
 

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oc plumber

Jr. Member
Jan 28, 2023
27
101
Ok... listen carefully and remember what i am about to tell you when and if you take it somewhere to be tested.
First.... you need to call around the larger local gold / bullion buyers /selllers in your area... and ASK them if they have an xrf metal analyzer... and find this and this only.
Take it to them and have them zap it... now... here is the "key"... write down the EXACT readout and then post here.
Now for the parts i HIGHLY suggest you follow...
1. DO NOT SELL to them... Period... no matter what the offer is.... WAIT until after conformation of this piece being what i think it may be OR>.. what it is not... DONT listen to one opinion either.
That piece could be something very special and until confirms solid as to its "being"... you could cost yourself dearly.
2...
IF you go there and they take the item and appear to not use the xrf on it but instead bring out a black stone slab for scratch test... tell them STOP... NO... you DO NOT want it to be tested in that manner.... NO MATTER WHAT> they say.
If they say "it doesnt matter"... you will know in your mind this is NOT a person of knowledge.
Do not let them do anything to it other than scan it... and note the results on paper and exactly.
This is VERY important.
Thank you for that advice
 

Upvote 3
OP
OP
O

oc plumber

Jr. Member
Jan 28, 2023
27
101
Bah... i might as well continue... heh

Um ... its like this... IF your scan results say its a HIGHER karat than 18... HIGHER... then... you can get excited.... slightly... its the other metals along with that i am looking for.

IF... it comes in at 14 karat or close... THEN it will be modern... and not something of antiquity.

But dont let that discourage you... the piece overall weight... karat... and examination of emeralds... which they most definitely are... will dictate its total overall value as a whole.

Hope all this babble helps you.
It definitely helps and after I find out some more results, I will post them here
 

Upvote 3

RTR

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Thanks for the additional pix. But I'm still confused."The Fasteners of the day" in FINE 1700s Spanish jewelry was not a screw or Pin that I'm aware of . Their fastener was of Gold ,and solid Gold in a piece such as yours..
The people at Mel Fishers museums could tell you w/in a few seconds whats, what(send them some Pix.).Hope it is the "real deal" :)
 

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ARC

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It definitely helps and after I find out some more results, I will post them here
Well... if not here... make sure it is someone with above average to expert antique jewelry knowledge AND someone with no stake in the game.
IOW's... don't count your money while still sitting at the poker table... more than one opinion to the piece as a whole is a must if a true antique.

There are those out there like myself who also know where i am going with this.

I find this / your piece and things of its possible age group and style... very interesting to say the least...
And have since i was a kid.
 

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ARC

Gold Member
Aug 19, 2014
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Thanks for the additional pix. But I'm still confused."The Fasteners of the day" in FINE 1700s Spanish jewelry was not a screw or Pin that I'm aware of . Their fastener was of Gold ,and solid Gold in a piece such as yours..
The people at Mel Fishers museums could tell you w/in a few seconds whats, what(send them some Pix.).Hope it is the "real deal" :)
lol... too funny

No they cannot... nor will they.
 

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RTR

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lol... too funny

No they cannot... nor will they.
Your the expert here .....Have you ever seen a "Pin" ( used as a fastener) in such a elaborate 1700s Spanish piece like this before ?
 

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