Miriam Haskell Hinged Bracelets

Q: I bought this cuff bracelet years ago at a yard sale. It’s about two inches wide and I don’t know what metal it is, but it has an antiqued finish. The inside has a mark for Miriam Haskell, but it doesn’t look like her typical costume jewelry. Can you help and maybe give me a value?

A: The finish on your bracelet is called Russian gold. Other designers of vintage costume jewelry used similar finishes, but Miriam Haskell’s company used a secret signature Russian gold plating recipe developed just for them that resulted in patinas ranging from dull to bright. It was a type of gold plating on brass, and the plating solution is said to have 24-karat gold among the secret ingredients. Pieces were hand dipped and then sealed. Many were further embellished with glass beads, faux seed pearls and other decoration. Haskell’s Russian gold is also found on many their filigree pieces. Asking prices for Miriam Haskell hinged bracelets like yours range from $100 to $250, but we’ve found selling prices to be less than $100. Embellished examples are worth more.