What is meant by the term "Pre-Eagle"?
 
Silver jewelry made in Mexico prior to 1948 is termed "Pre-Eagle". Markings typically for the Pre-Eagle Mexican silver jewelry are as follows: "Mexico Silver", "Mexico Sterling", "Taxco Silver", or "Taxco Sterling". Usually when tested for silver content, these pieces have anywhere from 90% to 98% pure silver content. The very earliest "Pre-Eagle" pieces were made from melted silver coins and are around 90% silver content. These pieces are usually from the early 1930's. Pre-Eagle pieces are not usually marked with a maker's mark to denote what artist made them. If a piece is attributed to a particular maker, it is because subsequent pieces were marked with a maker’s mark.
 

What is meant by "Eagle"?

The Mexican government initiated the "Eagle" marking system in 1948. The "Eagle" marking system was in place from 1948 until 1978. Mexican silver jewelry manufacturers were required by law to place an Eagle stamp on the jewelry along with a silver content mark to assure silver content. Several silver jewelry manufacturers might be under one eagle mark. As an example, under Eagle 3, there might be 30 manufacturers. The markings would then be Eagle 3 with the initials or name of the manufacturer. 925 would denote that the piece was sterling silver. Pieces were also made of higher silver content than sterling or 925 and might be marked 940, 950, 970, or 980.
 

What is the silver content of sterling silver?
 
Sterling silver comprises 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% various other metal compounds. Sterling may also be marked 925. Silver jewelry marked 940, 950, 960, 970, or 980 are of higher silver content than is sterling. Many of the famous jewelry manufacturers in Taxco utilized high content silver for jewelry because of the fact that it was less likely to tarnish, the glow was of a more subtle nature, and the color of the silver was slightly different. For example, William Spratling worked in 980 silver, Antonio Pineda in 970 silver, and Hector Aguilar in 940 silver.
 

What marking system is in place for Mexican silver jewelry after 1978?
 
After 1978 the Mexican government started a completely new marking system for registry of silver jewelry manufacturers and silver content. Let’s use an example of "TR-134, 925". The first letter denotes the origin of manufacture. "T" is for Taxco, "M" is for Mexico City, "G" is for Guadalajara, etc. The second half of the mark, "R-134", stands for the 134th individual or company who registers under "R". The final mark after the comma, "925", denotes the silver content. In addition to the above example, many well known makers will also place a trademark name on their jewelry.
 

What is meant by "Repousse"?
 
"Repousse" [ruh-poo-SAY] is the past participle of "repousser", the French verb meaning "to push back". Repousse jewelry is made by taking a sheet of silver and pressing it into a mold from the back. The molded piece is then taken out of the mold and worked from the front of the piece with various tools such as chisels to provide higher relief or definition to the design. The silver piece is then typically joined with a flat silver piece on the back. This technique gives the appearance of weight to the jewelry with wearable comfort. Repousse jewelry is not typically produced in Mexico currently because it is labor-intensive, highly skilled artisans must be used, and as a result the jewelry produced is costly. Antique pieces are prized because of rarity and because the patina or tarnish highlights the design elements, giving the jewelry a very three-dimensional look.
 

How should I care for my vintage Mexican silver jewelry?
 
Adornments Unlimited advises you to use only a soft silver cleaning cloth to gently wipe tarnish from jewelry. Do not allow a jeweler to buff your jewelry to remove tarnish. The buffing will remove many fine details from the jewelry and devalue it. If you take jewelry in for repair, specify that the jewelry is not to be polished. This will prevent any unwelcome surprise. Adornments Unlimited also recommends that silver cleaning solutions or creams not be used on vintage Mexican silver. Many pieces are set with stonework, and if the solutions are used, the stones can be damaged or the color of the stones may change. Creams can settle in creases of jewelry and can not be removed without damage to the piece. Many pieces were made with a technique called "Nielo" in which the piece was intentionally blackened in strategic areas of the jewelry to provide design definition. If the "Nielo" is removed, the resulting silver jewelry will look flat and lifeless.
 

Why is the term "vintage" instead of "antique" used for the jewelry?
 
Adornments Unlimited defines "vintage" jewelry as less than one hundred years of age. The majority of our vintage pieces are from the golden age of Taxco silver jewelry manufacturing, which ran from the 1930’s through the 1970’s. During that time period many designers were producing silver jewelry of high artistic value and much skilled labor was used to produce the jewelry. Sadly, many of these techniques such as repousse are not typically seen in today's market for silver jewelry production.
 

What is meant by "Taller"?
 
"Taller" [tah-YAIR] is the Spanish noun meaning "workshop" or "studio" or "atelier" of artists. The mark on some pieces begins with "Taller". For example, "Taller CBA" indicates that the piece came from the CBA workshop or studio.
 

What is meant by "Parure"?
 
"Parure" [puh-RUHR] is the French noun meaning a set of matched jewelry or other ornaments. "Parure" is derived from the French verb "parer", which means "to adorn". You will see "parure" on this website to identify a set of matched jewelry (e.g., a necklace, a bracelet, and earrings) for sale as a single item.