"The other item is an old oval pin with a bow (and two jewels hanging from the bow) in the lower right corner. They seem to be emeralds and diamonds. On the back is marked “STER” in a symbol of a fish. I can send pictures later if needed. Thank you"
Belinda,
apart from knowing what the metal content is, it's also necessary for an appraiser to know for sure what the stones are. Let's initiate the investigation with the metal composition. Is the metal white colored?