Gold Tarnish??

[Adrian]

Hello All,
I`ve got a 1914 EK1 in my collection which has got a gold coloured tarnish on parts of the beading and the silver rim. Is this usual or is it a sign of a copy??.
Any help would be appreciated.

[Rick Research]

No, that sort of "oily sheen" is just a variety of tarnish. Nothing to worry about. Leave it for 30 years and it'll be coal black the next time you look!

[Mike Kenny]

Hi,

Just thinking laterally, any chance your cross is silver plated brass/bronze?

Regards
Mike K

[Adrian]

Hello Mike,
I guess it could be plated, any pointers on how to tell??
I don`t want to start scraping it to see what might be under the plating. I had a look under magnification and there doesn`t seem to be a point where the silver ends and the `gold ` starts, it seems to blend from one colour to the other.
Thanks in advance.

[Rick Research]

Sounds like just tarnish-- if if was plating wear, you'd have it on the back, around the pin, etc. My Admiral's '14 EK1 (the only one he ever wore to '45) is silver plated brass and it shows wear along the flat edges, around the pin, and so on.

[PaulChep]

I agree with the above information. I also suggest not to clean it. In my opinion there is nothing better then a silver EK1 or 2 that has been sitting for years and has a coal black tarnish to it.