Artmink

Late 20th-Century Ruby and Opal Gold-Tone Necklace

By: Unknown maker

Style: Late 20th Century Costume Jewelry

Origin: United States (retail market; exact manufacturing origin unknown)

Materials: Gold-tone base metal (likely gold-plated), opal cabochons (possibly doublets/triplets), small ruby (possibly lab-created or natural), rope chain

Age: Circa 1980–2000

Condition: Excellent (appears unused in box; no visible wear, not officially graded)

Value: $25–$75

Maker's Marks / Writing: Paper/plastic label in box reads: “GENUINE RUBY & OPAL NECKLACE.” No metal hallmarks visible on clasp or chain in the provided image.

Date: 2025-09-10 17:47:00.421774

Description:

A boxed gold-tone necklace featuring three marquise-shaped white opal cabochons flanking a tiny red stone (described as ruby on the tag) at the center, set on a short segment of polished leaf-like mounts attached to a fine rope chain. The necklace is presented in a small jewelry box with a black-and-gold label reading “GENUINE RUBY & OPAL NECKLACE.” No maker’s hallmark or precious-metal stamp is visible in the image; the chain and mounts appear to be gold-plated/base-metal rather than confirmed karat gold.

Curator Questions

Curated by Jade

Assessment:

A department-store or catalog-market necklace typical of the 1980s–1990s, sold as a ‘genuine ruby & opal’ piece, but with no visible karat hallmark and likely gold-plated mounts. The opals appear to be small navette cabochons that may be doublets/triplets; the center ruby is tiny and may be lab-created. Without metal and gem testing, this should be treated as quality costume jewelry. A word about fakes.. Fashion jewelry and small-stone gemstone pieces from this era are frequently mislabeled or contain synthetic stones; proceed with tests (look for 10K/14K or “GF/GP” stamps, magnet test, specific gravity or acid test for metal, and jeweler verification for stones).

Individual Images:

whole item

Provenance:

No provenance provided.

Condition:

Excellent (appears unused in box; no visible wear, not officially graded)

Identification Score: 88%

Design, packaging, and printed tag are characteristic of late-20th-century U.S. retail jewelry. The rope chain, navette opal layout, and tiny center accent stone match widely distributed department-store pieces from c. 1980–2000. Lack of maker’s mark prevents a higher score.

Authenticity Score: 40%

No visible karat or maker’s hallmarks; stones cannot be verified from the photo. The generic “GENUINE RUBY & OPAL” tag is common on plated, mass-produced jewelry and often refers to tiny natural or lab-created stones. Until tested, treat as gold-plated costume with probable assembled or synthetic opals. A word about fakes.. Gem-set fashion jewelry is widely reproduced; synthetic opal and lab-created rubies are prevalent, and unmarked pieces should be assumed plated unless proven otherwise.

Image Memory Note

Single photo of a small jewelry box on a table. Inside is a gold-tone rope chain necklace with a central segment: three navette (marquise) white opal cabochons arranged leaf-like, two outer navettes angled outward and one central small navette, with a tiny red, heart- or round-shaped stone (identified by tag as ruby) beneath/at center. The mounts are polished yellow metal. The chain ends tuck into the upper corners of the display pad; the clasp is not visible. A rectangular black label with gold border at lower right of the pad reads in uppercase: “GENUINE RUBY & OPAL NECKLACE.” The box insert is light pink; outer box is light-colored cardboard. No maker’s hallmark or karat mark is visible on the chain or settings. No evident damage; surfaces appear clean and glossy. Outside the box, a white circular object at the top has faint text “DARWIN” (likely a lamp brand; not related to the necklace).

Keywords

Late 20th Century Costume Jewelry, ruby and opal necklace, gold-tone necklace, rope chain, marquise opal, United States, vintage jewelry

Report ID:  : 9c3p4m

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