Info on Victorian necklace

[Fifimacherie]

Hi there,
Just looking for some information on this necklace that I was given by my father in law. We think it might be Victorian but we are not sure. Also we wonder if the red piece could be coral? Any information would be highly appreciated thank you!
Maggie

 

[Marzilli_Vintage]

It looks like the back is marked "935," which was the silver standard in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and some of the Scandinavian countries. It's 935/1000 pure silver, which is slightly better than what we call sterling silver in the U.S., which is 925/1000. It looks like coral but could be an imitation; it's hard to tell without having it in-hand to either test or look for grain under magnification. A close-up or two could help. I see a little later date for it... 1910 - 1920's. The little faceted things are Pyrite (fool's gold) and are called marcasites when used in jewelry, handbags etc. It's a very beautiful pendant and chain!

 

[Fifimacherie]

It looks like the back is marked "935," which was the silver standard in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and some of the Scandinavian countries. It's 935/1000 pure silver, which is slightly better than what we call sterling silver in the U.S., which is 925/1000. It looks like coral but could be an imitation; it's hard to tell without having it in-hand to either test or look for grain under magnification. A close-up or two could help. I see a little later date for it... 1910 - 1920's. The little faceted things are Pyrite (fool's gold) and are called marcasites when used in jewelry, handbags etc. It's a very beautiful pendant and chain!

Thank you that’s fascinating! Is there a test I can do at home to see if it’s coral or not? I’m happy to take closer pictures aswell if that can help

 

[Marzilli_Vintage]

There are a couple of things you can do. Coral will have a grain showing growth rings, kind of like the circles in a tree stump or the crescents in a stump that's been cut or split. You can also do a hot point test. Put the blunt end of a straight pin or something similar into a piece of cork, heat the pointed end and touch the back of the coral in an inconspicuous place. Plastic has an acrid chemical smell, while coral will smell like burning hair.