IS IT POSSIBLE TO CHANGE GOLD TONE HANDBAG HARDWARE TO SILVER TONE?

A. Unfortunately, Cathy, "gold-tone" tells you and I nothing about what it really is. It may be electroplated gold or electroplated brass, or it may be electroplated nickel topped with a gold-tone translucent lacquer either electrophroetically applied, or baked on. It may be paint. You could try a silver or pewter-tone Rub n Buff ⇦ on eBay or Amazon [affil link] , but if that doesn't look good enough for you or last long enough, I don't think there is a practical solution.

Ted Mooney, P.E.

Precipitated Chalk
(Calcium Carbonate)

on eBay or Amazon

(affil link)

A. Try leaf silvering(same as leaf gilding, you need silver leaf/or imitation silver leaf and special size/), or paste silvering (mix 10 gm silver chloride/20 gm kitchen salt/20 gm cream of tartar with some water/thick paste!/rub it on surface of your object with piece of cloth/leather or cork, polish it with some precipitated chalk ⇨
and water mixture, you must lacquer it). Hope it helps and good luck!