Heavy Metal chain (100gr) marked .925 Italy and "Radium

[Brauski]

So, this necklace I found weighs about 100gr and looks like stainless steel or nickel but the clasp is marked .925 Italy on one side and "Radium" on the other. The clasp itself looks to be sterling but the necklace has the metal look. Does anybody know if Radium was used at some point to plate silver for some reason? It doesn't glow or anything like that but out of an abundance of caution I'm asking questions.

Is there any other explaination as to what "Radium" is doing on the clasp?

 

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[cazisme]

See if it is magnetic. Lots a fake Italy 925 in circulation.

 

[BC1969]

Radium ? Sure its not rhodium ? I know a bunch of higher end silver is rhodium plated to keep it from tarnishing.

BC

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

Radium? I did a search on radium and silver combos...only thing that came up was the Ali baba site that sells fakes from China

that and the Italy stamp isn't a good sign...100gram chain is worth getting checked if your not sure

 

[lookindown]

Its plated with rhodium, like BC said..same thing that all white gold is plated with...Ive seen it on silver jewelry before...gives it a real, shiny, glossy look...makes it more scratch resistant too.

 

[BC1969]

Not sure why something being marked Italy is considered bad. I clearly remember that back in the 80's when cable TV channels like HSN ( home shopping network ) were popular, much of the silver jewelry they sold was marked .925 Italy.
My mother spent a ton of money back then on their silver, and that's how it was all marked.

BC

 

[ARC]

Italian gold and silver is "high end" stuff.
This is why it is faked.
Test with 18k and stone... milky bluish white... tis good.

 

[worldtalker]

Italian gold and silver is "high end" stuff.
This is why it is faked.
Test with 18k and stone... milky bluish white... tis good.

I'll vouch for the fake stuff....had me going to say the least.

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

Not sure why something being marked Italy is considered bad. I clearly remember that back in the 80's when cable TV channels like HSN ( home shopping network ) were popular, much of the silver jewelry they sold was marked .925 Italy.
My mother spent a ton of money back then on their silver, and that's how it was all marked.

BC

Im sure at one time there wasnt much of an issue, But I have about 10 pieces I've found and not one of them were Silver

 

[BC1969]

Im sure at one time there wasnt much of an issue, But I have about 10 pieces I've found and not one of them were Silver

That's good to know, I don't buy stuff very often, but I'll take a better look from now on, thanks.

BC

 

[lookindown]

I'll vouch for the fake stuff....had me going to say the least.

Ive seen that link style and pattern posted on T NET many times and they were all fakes...I found a bracelet in that exact style marked 14k Italy and it is fake too.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

Italian gold and silver is "high end" stuff.
This is why it is faked.
Test with 18k and stone... milky bluish white... tis good.

The OP said it was Silver so he wouldn't want to test for 18k. Unless that is a test I don't know of? I just use the acid for Silver in my test kit.

 

[ARC]

The OP said it was Silver so he wouldn't want to test for 18k. Unless that is a test I don't know of? I just use the acid for Silver in my test kit.

The standard test for sterling IS 18k acid test

 

[diggummup]

The standard test for sterling IS 18k acid test

Yes, I like it better than the red "silver" test solution and it doesn't go bad as quick neither. If it's not silver then the streak will dissolve away in the solution almost instantly.

The reason the necklace looks like stainless steel or nickel is because of the rhodium (not radium) plating. Rhodium is used for several reasons, it helps resist corrosion and tarnish, keeping the jewelry shiny and bright. It is scratch resistant and it is also hypoallergenic. There is no such thing as radium plated jewelry. If it was plated with radium it would probably be black since radium quickly oxides upon exposure to air, not to mention it's a radioactive element. It used to be used for making luminous paints (once used in glowing watch hands) but even that has been deemed too dangerous these days.

 

[ARC]

Yes, I like it better than the red "silver" test solution and it doesn't go bad as quick neither. If it's not silver then the streak will dissolve away in the solution almost instantly.

The reason the necklace looks like stainless steel or nickel is because of the rhodium (not radium) plating. Rhodium is used for several reasons, it helps resist corrosion and tarnish, keeping the jewelry shiny and bright. It is scratch resistant and it is also hypoallergenic. There is no such thing as radium plated jewelry. If it was plated with radium it would probably be black since radium quickly oxides upon exposure to air, not to mention it's a radioactive element. It used to be used for making luminous paints (once used in glowing watch hands) but even that has been deemed too dangerous these days.

You are correct.

 

[Madmox]

Heavy Metal chain (100gr) marked .925 Italy and "Radium

I had a straight razor that was etched radiumite. Apparently it was an alloy created by the Germans at the turn of the century that was more a sales gimmick at the time as anything else.