925 mark on silver jewelry ?

[sapphire]

I picked up a ring yesterday that really caught my eye. It's vintage looking but I'm skeptical as to age (was not sold as vintage or antique, just paid for the weight of the silver). 

Does anyone know when 925 was first used to indicate sterling silver? There are no other markings that I can find. The 925 is not inside any shape mark (oval, etc) nor preceded by a ' . ', just the numbers stamped into the metal.

[frogpatch]

.925 was used after 1904. In 1973 the Hallmark law changed and they dropped the decimal in front of the .925. Prior to 1904 the British symbol for sterling was a standing lion. I am sure some companies continued with the decimal after 1973 for a while. A picture of the ring would help a lot.

[sapphire]

A picture of the ring would help a lot.

Now I should have thought of that.......brain f**t   

[bigwull]

A picture of the ring would help a lot.

Now I should have thought of that.......brain f**t   

at least they don,t smell....

[bigwull]

we have a saying over here....when something like that comes along.....gimme, gimme,gimme... ...you did well there sapphire...i,d say it was,nt a commercial ring...more of a one off...Avril loves it....

[sapphire]

A picture of the ring would help a lot.

Now I should have thought of that.......brain f**t   

at least they don,t smell....

Should you be in bed???   

[mart]

Looks like this ring was made by an independent jeweler !!   If so they would just stamp it with the purity in any fashion since no regulation on them !!  Similar to our Native American jewelry !! Marked any way they choose !!

[sapphire]

we have a saying over here....when something like that comes along.....gimme, gimme,gimme... ...you did well there sapphire...i,d say it was,nt a commercial ring...more of a one off...Avril loves it....

Then she would have loved my little trip yesterday. A friend took me with her when she went to see her 'coin guy'.  He not only buys and sells coins, he does the same with jewelry.  Gold, platinum and silver.  He has a whole jewelry section. I only saw about 25% of what he had I was so fascinated with the selection.......... I'll have to go back and pay a lot more attention   

He took a man's ring out of his safe to show us, 24ct gold with a narrow slash of princess cut diamonds through the top.  Retailed in UK for $5,700., in Canada $7,200. If you wanted to buy it from him today.......$600.  He sells only the metal........not the least interested in what is set in it. My friend's platinum wedding band with a row of channel set diamonds half way round cost her hubby $160.  I saw some absolutely gorgeous diamond rings that were going for $100 - 200.  I nearly choked!

My little bauble cost me $10.  Totally fell in love with it. Next trip I'll have to check out his necklaces and brooches if I can get my eyes away from the rings. 

[bigwull]

A picture of the ring would help a lot.

Now I should have thought of that.......brain f**t   

at least they don,t smell....

Should you be in bed???   

nope....just sitting counting how many animals and wee burdies there are...on that Archie Beaulieau,....gawd...even the frame,s a work of art....

[bigwull]

Nobody....unless they are deaf,dumb,and blind, and for good measure.....not the full shilling....sells a ring thats valued at those kind of high end prices....for a fraction of their cost.....unless they are red hot, and just fell off the back of a fast moving truck....

[sapphire]

Looks like this ring was made by an independent jeweler !!   If so they would just stamp it with the purity in any fashion since no regulation on them !!  Similar to our Native American jewelry !! Marked any way they choose !!

So mart it's likely fairly recent then?  After I polished it last night and started looking at it closer I felt it wasn't as 'old' as the first impression gave. The marquisettes threw me off a bit (some are missing).  Either way, it's definitely a 'me' ring.........goes with my silver claddagh ring and my silver/amethyst that belonged to my best friend's mother that I wear on my other hand.  

Guess I'll have to drag hubby in there and find myself another wedding set, mine has almost 40 years of wear and tear and I saw some there so much more to my taste. Better yet, I should just leave hubby home  

[sapphire]

Nobody....unless they are deaf,dumb,and blind, and for good measure.....not the full shilling....sells a ring thats valued at those kind of high end prices....for a fraction of their cost.....unless they are red hot, and just fell off the back of a fast moving truck....

Ahh, but that's 'retail' prices........that they soak you for in those high end jewelry stores. His prices is based on metal and weight only.

A young couple near me went to a similar shop after checking out four jewelry chain stores in the city looking for his/hers matching wedding bands. They found the same set they had been looking at in town and were able to buy both rings for almost half what the chain stores were asking for her smaller band alone.

[sapphire]

A picture of the ring would help a lot.

Now I should have thought of that.......brain f**t   

at least they don,t smell....

Should you be in bed???   

nope....just sitting counting how many animals and wee burdies there are...on that Archie Beaulieau,....gawd...even the frame,s a work of art....

If I'd had more room I could have tucked in the Haida hand carved salmon wall plaque.........betw een those you would have had enough to keep you amused for quite a bit. 

** time to google Haida salmon carving   

[bigwull]

gimme,gimmed,gimme.....

show me which  one....i luv em...

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=haida+salmon+carving&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=DyMMUvn1Eo_30gWQ5YCIAg&ved=0CC8QsAQ&biw=1198&bih=665

[sapphire]

Then the place for you to visit when you can convince Avril to 'wing it' over this side of the pond would be the UBC Museum of Anthropology....... in Vancouver, British Columbia.  I'll fly out to visit my boys and meet you there 

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=emily+carr&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=li&biw=1220&bih=668&sei=5SMMUsjcI6ik2gW5v4HIDg#bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&fp=9b176a7a8e1f5529&hl=en&q=ubc+museum+of+anthropology&sa=1&tbm=isch&imgdii=_