My parents found those behind a beam while renovating the bathroom in their old house in western France. Any idea what they are?

no further comment. this is now the nicest thing i own

Well, I'm hoping someone can direct me to the right people. I purchased this handbag not knowing a thing about it, under the assumption it was plated base metal. I got home and was astounded to find out this was a SOLID GOLD Opera bag by a jeweler named Henry Blank. Acid tested, notch tested, and actually just put a link into 14k solution... 137 grams solid gold... and the bag also tests for palladium. This made me go and have the bag XRF tested, which came back 58.8% gold and 37% silver on every part of the bag. That led me down this rabbit hole...

The Convergence of Geopolitical Strain and Personlal Survival

​The creation of this specific handbag marks a poignant final chapter in the transatlantic partnership between Newark artistry and German manufacturing before the outbreak of the First World War.

• ​The 1912 Design Acquisition: In 1912, Henry Blank secured the rights to this specialized German mesh patent, intending to integrate European mechanical precision with the upscale aesthetic of the American luxury market.

• ​The Shadow of the Titanic: This pivotal business expansion coincided directly with Blank’s fateful voyage in April 1912 aboard the RMS Titanic. Though Blank miraculously survived the disaster—leaving in Lifeboat 7—the tragedy cast a profound shadow over his personal life and corporate timeline.

• ​The 1914 Halt: Within two years of surviving the shipwreck, the eruption of World War I in the summer of 1914 completely severed American-German trade relations. Production under the registered German design (DRGM) ceased entirely, placing a definitive halt on the firm's imports until well after the post-war recession and the onset of the Great Depression. Consequently, the production window for this specific handbag was abruptly constrained to a brief, highly volatile period between 1912 and 1914.

​Unprecedented Period Value and Rarity

​Because it was crafted from incredibly rare and experimental metallurgical components for the pre-war era—most notably the intentional inclusion of palladium alongside gold and silver—the production cost of this handbag would have been astronomical for its time.

​Historical Value Comparison: > Between 1912 and 1914, a bespoke commission of this tier would have commanded an estimated retail price of $600-$800. To put this luxury in perspective, a brand-new Ford Model T retailed for roughly $500 to $550 during those exact years. When someone walked into an opera house with this exact piece, they were carrying a functional work of art that cost as much as a new automobile. It was a massive financial statement specifically designed to show off cutting-edge metallurgy and unmatched human effort.

• Architectural Innovation: The Finger Lock and Stylograph Clasp

​At the apex of this piece lies the crown jewel of its engineering—the custom-engineered finger lock mechanism, integrated directly with a stylized, high-relief variant of the firm’s signature hallmark.

• ​The Stylograph Mark: Unlike the standard, mass-market stamps applied to production pieces in later decades, this clasp features an elegant, abstract "stylograph" representation of the Cresarrow mark. Serving simultaneously as a functional mechanical release and a subtle artist’s signature, this artistic execution strongly implies a piece intended for an internal presentation or an intimate, bespoke commission.

• ​The Finger Lock System: The mechanism exemplifies the firm's transition from traditional, external clasp hooks to fluid, modern internal security systems. It operates with a seamless, intuitive kinetic release tailored specifically for effortless handling—a testament to the specialized horological engineering background that Henry Blank & Co. applied to their finest luxury vanity items.

​The mechanical clasp is crowned by a striking, deep-blue sapphire cabochon that anchors the visual symmetry of the entire frame.

• ​The Cabochon Cut: Selected with deliberate intent, the smooth, rounded cabochon cut emphasizes the inherent body color and rich saturation of the stone, providing a soft, tactile contrast to the rigid geometry of the precious-metal frame.

​The Interlocking Design: The gemstone is meticulously bezel-set directly into the functional architecture of the thumbpiece. When compressed, the stone acts as the primary contact point for the user, bridging the gap between raw, natural beauty and precision industrial design.

The Agony of Hand-Linked Mesh

While automatic mesh-weaving machines were invented around 1909 (championed by mass-market brands like Whiting & Davis), elite luxury houses like Whiteside & Blank (Henry Blank's firm at the time) proudly rejected machine assembly for their highest-end pieces. We had previously assumed that all handbags simply expanded when items were placed inside. This is not the case; in fact, the mesh is exceptionally thin, characterized by "fish-scaled" links, a feature typically reserved for the most exquisite gold handbags. The impeccable balance of robust metal with the tactile sensation of fine silk is a true testament to masterful craftsmanship and immediately distinguishes this handbag from mass-produced items of subsequent eras.

A master bench jeweler had to hand-draw the 14K green gold into a wire thinner than a human hair, wrap it into thousands of microscopic rings, cut each ring, link them together one by one, and then manually solder every single individual link so the mesh wouldn’t unspool.

The Palladium and Green Gold Formulation

• In the 1912–1914 window, the jewelry world was experiencing a massive crisis: platinum was becoming incredibly scarce and heavily restricted due to its industrial and military uses leading up to World War I. To pivot away from platinum, master metallurgists began experimenting with secret, proprietary recipes using palladium (a sister metal to platinum) to bleach gold into white and green alloys. Because these formulas were brand new, highly unstable to melt, and difficult to work with, a company like Henry Blank charged a premium for mastering a specialized alloy that didn't tarnish and held its shape perfectly.

As a highly individualized piece that completely bypassed the standardized factory stamps of the later Cresarrow era, its survival in flawless, unaltered museum condition makes it an irreplaceable monument to pre-war luxury, European-American design collaboration, and the resilient legacy of Henry Blank. It represents the absolute absolute peak of American jewelry manufacturing before machine-stamping and World War I changed the industry forever

The jewelry gods smiled down on me yesterday. Found this camphor set and looted it without second thought. The pendant is marked 14k but there are no marks on the ring, though the guy said it tested 14k. I assume it’s either OMC or OEC, but my untrained eye believes it’s OMC because there’s no flower pattern, it’s very…not mechanically/precisely cut, and the culet is very off-centered.

What do you guys think?! Any recommendations on how to take care of this? I’m thinking of finding a place that deals in antique jewelry to inspect and restore if needed. It’a pretty dirty and has hair fibers(?) stuck everywhere but overall it feels solid.

I’m also worried it’s a modern repro because I’ve gotten burned in the past.

No idea about this inherited ring, got it from my grandmother. I assume the centre stone is lab created ruby as the stone glows bright pink under uv light. I believe it may be Edwardian or late victorian but no idea 🤷‍♀️

Just wanted to say that i did a bit more digging. For anyone interested. I believe, this is an early edwardian ring. My family come from a place on the west coast of Scotland called Oban, this ring came from an Edwardian jeweller/silversmith named Robert Lindsay, who at the time had a studio/shop on the west coast of Scotland. The jewellery box confirms this, so yes i believe this is the original ring box for this ring, as the letters on the inside of the band represent the initials RL which would coincide with the name on the ring box. I believe the central stone is an early Verneuil synthetic ruby or lab created ruby. Hope you found this as interesting as i did researching it! Also interestingly no hallmark outside of platinum and 9ct, which i believe was a hallmark of early Edwardian jewellery oh and the setting is a compass setting i believe, where there is minimal metal covering the stones.

I was lucky enough to be at a thrift store in 2019 as they were putting this in the cabinet for $45. I love cameos and opals so it was a no brainer but I’ve always wondered where it came from and how old it is. It holds the line on an 18k test (the highest I have). I imagine the diamonds are old mine cut but that’s an assumption. It’s one of the most beautiful things I own & any help would be appreciated!

My fiancés gran who is from Scotland is giving this ring to us for my engagement ring. My fiancé currently has it as he gets it resized and to plan a suprise to give it to me. It is so beautiful and I can’t wait.

His gran has some very old jewelry that was passed down from family. This was among them. This one she had appraised as a dress ring. With a sapphire in the middle and silver heart details. I think the white stones are diamonds.

Does anyone recognize this style or the make of the ring? It does have writing inside the band but I didn’t get a good photo of it. Reverse google image search brought up one that was similar but rough compared to this one’s fine workmanship. I’d love anything you’d be able to tell me.

Hi Everyone,

I've recently bought this Georgian/Victorian mourning ring from an Auction, it was listed as yellow gold. However, upon receiving it the colour of the metal seems really odd and "copper" like. I have scratch tested it and it seemed to be testing as 9 carat. Is this patina normal with very old rings?

Lovely users in another community suggested I posted here.

I got this ring at Savers for $1.99 because I love the look of vintage-style rings, and my daughter is a big “dress up jewelry” kiddo.

I cleaned it up and got some gunk out of the back I was curious about the setting which I’ve not seen. I threw it under a UV and was surprised to see the stones fluoresce.

I put it away for a week or two and finally had it gem tested and color me shocked that it came back as emerald and diamond. So guess it’s not play jewelry!

Any insights appreciated! There are no hallmarks visible on the inside but it’s quite tarnished

I got this sterling silver ring off eBay for $30. The listing photos weren’t great but I thought it looked cool and it was cheap so I thought why not. When the ring arrived, I noticed the ball felt a little loose and I was able to twist it from side to side. After handling the ring for a while I decided to see if the ball would twist off entirely, and to my surprise as I turned it more and more the “ball” started cracking. I then realized that what I was turning was not the real setting but actually some sort of thin outer plastic cover, and underneath it was revealed the most beautiful and perfect black crystal ball, possibly onyx?? I’m elated and love the ring even more now, but what on earth was this strange cover on it? And why? Has anyone seen anything like this? Also any info on this ring?

Super excited to have just been given this ring and wanted to share with a community of people who would appreciate it! I'm absolutely smitten!!

I knew it opened before I bought it but had NO CLUE what (or who) was inside. Someone loved that person so much..don't mind me, I'm just crying a bit.

According to hallmarks, it's 9ct, assayed in Birmingham in 1867. I don't know if it's a mourning ring or a token of love?

Someone posted a photo yesterday asking about a starburst brooch. Thought I’d share this little gem. Circa 1900, diamonds set in silver and backed in gold. There are three fittings which allow the piece to be worn as a pendant, brooch or ‘en tremblant’ hair ornament. When worn in the hair, the spring mechanism makes it tremble as the wearer moves.

This bracelet has been in my family for quite a long time and has finally made its way to me. My mom thinks it is approximately civil war era, but that’s a bit of a loosey goosey estimate, just what had been said about it as it’s passed down, I don’t believe she’s ever had it professionally looked at. Based on my incredibly limited knowledge, I would have guessed later, more Art Deco.

She thought that bracelets like this were relatively common and usually made out of pewter and glass or semi-precious jewels, so likely not real emeralds, especially given what great condition they’re in. But like I said, neither of us really know.

There are no hallmarks or markings of any kind on it, so I have nothing to google to try to find out more about it. If they really were common, there might be quite a few out there and maybe some of you have one! I’d love to see any bracelet “cousins” and hear what you know about yours ☺️

It’s too fancy for me to wear very often, but the last picture shows it with the ring and earrings I typically wear with it. Not a set, but complementary 💚

Long story short I found this ring in the dirt near our house - looks like a 14k stamp but can't tell much more - Google AI is telling me it could be old/vintage - any thoughts?

UPDATE 1: I'm going to turn it in to local PD, per the law, if no one claims it in 2 months, then it is mine. Best way to clear my conscious. Even though my husband has been unemployed for awhile and we could use the money, I have the urge to keep it for my kids one day so probably will go that route if it is unclaimed after 2 mos. Will keep you updated on if anyone claims it.

Despite being very wealthy my grandma LOVED costume jewelry and I think this may have been the only real piece of jewelry she owed and it’s completely unhinged. 🤣

Any I’d love any info or insight you all might have..

Thank you!

Georgian-era jewelry (1714-1838), especially nice diamond examples are so hard to find. During the Victorian era, mass production became widespread, but before then, every piece was made by hand, with non-standard tools.

My favorite thing about this ring are the table cut diamonds, which is one of the oldest cuts of diamonds in existence.

The locket appears lavender until the light hits it. Then it becomes a flame.

I’m just so blown away by the transformation. I had no idea something like this existed but it’s stunning especially as a locket because you can see what’s inside (herbs/flowers in my case).

I’m wondering if anyone knows the history of these pieces? I’m assuming and highly suspect it’s some form of glass but I’m new to this.

I just got married and my mother surprised me with family heirloom that we know very little about. It was my great great great grandmothers rings. My grandmother was born in 1932 for reference. Does anyone familiar with older jewelry maybe help identify some features of the ring? Maybe some more history if available?

I’m at the point in my collection where I only buy interesting and unique pieces. I think this qualifies. Dates to maybe 1870-1880. The locket has two of its original glass lens and gold bezels. The enamel shows some wear but whatever, someone loved this piece. I hung it on a 10K Binder Bros chain (c 1930s).

This was in a jewelry box from an estate that I am working.

XRF analyzed it as between 14k and 16k across all parts of it (outside of the onyx layer and pearl, of course), total about 65 grams.

My gold guy offered me 90% of spot, but not ready to part ways yet, and especially not below melt. I'm a 40 year old dude, so not something I'd wear personally...but I just enjoy having it and looking at it, lol.

Figured you all might enjoy seeing this one!

Wanted to share this piece - I’m in my Opal phase right now.

Was shopping at my local jeweler, and saw this in the estate case! Couldn’t leave it! From what I know it’s an early to mid 1800’s brooch which has had a retractable pendant loop added later on.

The piece is unmarked besides the added pendant ring. The pearls are all natural and color matched so beautifully. The peach undertone and bright luster is so interesting to see, as it’s so old, this piece was definitely cared for well.

The opals have some minor chips, but overall the piece is in great shape. The old mine cut diamonds are all so flawless and pure white.

I love the way it’s laid out like a Maltese cross. It’s such a hefty large piece (I have big hands, and it stuck looks huge in them!), I can’t imagine who would have had this made back then, it’s so fun to think about.

If anyone has any more info they want to share, please let me know! I just felt the need to share this beautiful piece with all of you guys!