Gold chain, every link hall marked.
From a family member of my Grandmother.
Hello Eddie,
Thank you for sending in this gold T-bar watch chain to mearto.com for an appraisal. I shall try to help you with that today.
TITLE:
Victorian, 13.5 inch, 9k rose gold, watch chain with T-bar, single Albert type watch chain with several ringlet interruptions. Maker unidentified but attributed to English origin, circa 1900-1915.
COMMENTARY:
This is 13.5”, T-bar pocket watch chain in 9k rose gold and in the form of a single Albert chain with ringlet defined segments. It is not a true Albert chain which has a more complex curve to each link, but each linked appears to be hallmarked for the quality of the gold. 9k gold was very commonly used in Great Britain in the late Victorian and Edwardian years. You mention that the clasp may have a ‘Z’ engraved into it and that may be the touch mark of the jeweler who sold the chain. The 9C stands for 9 Karats. Of 9/24ths pure gold. This is a fairly commonly found type of watch chain in the early years of the 20th century. What does separate your chain from the ones which I have shown to you in the Comparables section because it is segmented by the ringlets, whereas these other chains are continuous.
COMPARABLES:
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/54840053_9k-rose-gold-watch-chain (This chain is almost identical to yours and sold in 2017 for $450 at auction.)
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/88918220_antique-rose-gold-watch-fob-chain-24g (9k gold 17” T bar watch chain sold for $750 Canadian dollars in 2020 = $588.
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/86161110_antique-9k-gold-watch-fob (sold for $600 in 2020)
PRICING:
This is nice piece of antique rose gold jewelry and certainly could be used today with a gold pocket watch. Vintage gold jewelry is coming to auction quite regularly. The design of your chain is straightforward and very pleasant looking and utilitarian. The fair market value for this item at auction today would be in the range of $400-$425 if sold on the antique jewelry market and not into the gold market which would destroy the chain. I also could not calculate the gold value because I do not have it weight.
Good luck with your antique watch chain, and I hope you found this appraisal of interest. Thank you for choosing mearto.com for you appraisal.
My best,
David
Hello Eddie,
Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry. So that I may best assist you
can you please tell me what markings you see on the links of your pocket watch chain and what are the marks you find on the clasp and the T-bar?
All of these pictures are blurry.
Thanks,
David
p.s.
I am starting on your pocket watch first, where the movement photo is also blurry.
However, you took a great photo of the English hallmarks on the one cover you show me, but these are not a complete set. If you can photograph another cover for me that may show me a full set of hallmarks.
Hi David, the Gold watch chain is about 13.5 inches long, about 34cm. It looks like 9C the marking on the T-Bar, and looks like a 9 or a g the marking on each link.
Many thanks,
Eddie Bennett.
On the gold clasp is 9C
On the silver T bar the marking looks like H833
On the silver clasp it looks like a Z and a another faded mark.
Eddie,
Thank you for all of that information. The interpretation of the markings on the watch that I wrote about are all confirmed in your extra photo. I will get to the chain either tonight or tomorrow for you.
Thank you for your help
David
Thanks David, that's a great help... All the best...
Thank you Eddie.
Keep safe,
David
Hello Eddie,
Please let me know whether or not you received by previous email regarding the watch chain. Your silver watch was appraised today and sent to you. I will wait until I hear from you on the chain.
Also let me know how long the chain is.
Thank you
David