How to Shop for Vintage Mexican Silver Jewelry

Inside: Early Mexican Sterling Silver Bracelet/Cuff First, judge the overall appearance of the jewelry.Feel the weight of the silver.Check for any splits in the silver.Make sure the back is smooth and shows no signs of repair. Check stones to make sure they match.Make sure the clasp is secure. If shopping online, ask questions regarding condition & their return policy.

Early Mexican Bracelet Marked 925 (Sterling) Beginning in the 1930's , most Mexican silver jewelry is stamped with several marks.Look inside the bracelet,necklace or ring. The first mark to look for is "925" - sterling silver.Sometimes, you see marks of 950, 970, 980 indicating a higher fineness of silver certain artists chose to create their designs.

Bring the Loupe to Your Eye & the Jewelry Close to The Loupe With a magnifying glass, hold the item and examine the markings. Many pieces say "Taxco".Taxco is the primary silver jewelry city in Mexico for almost 100 years. If you have a loupe, hold the loupe to your eye, and bring the jewelry to within 2 inches to view.

Back Image of 980 Mexican Bolo Eagle 2 Artists Initials Look for an eagle (bird) mark.This was a national registration used from 1948 - 1980 for guaranteed sterling silver jewelry. Different eagle numbers were used from 1948- 1980.

After 1980, a letter and number system was used.Typically, all numbers start with "T" for Taxco.The next letter represents the first letter of the last name of the person."TR-114"- stands for Melecio Rodrigues, the 114th artist to register.

Spratling / Silson Bracelet There are many famous names in Mexican silver jewelry whose works bring thousands of dollars.Unfortunately, there are also "faked marks", most often seen in William Spratling jewelry.Also made are authorized reproductions of famous Mexican jewelers. When in doubt, ask questions.