Did I find a ruby ring?

[hlgeng]

I purchased this ring about a year ago from an estate sale. It seemed very charming and old. The original gold is somewhat pitted. It was a size 2.5 and looks to have been sized previously since the back of the shank was yellow gold and the rest of the ring is rose gold.

Since there was no way I could wear a size 2.5 ring, I took it to the jeweler to be sized and to get his best guess about the stone. He was able to reshank the ring with matching rose gold, but only told me that the style of the cut was very old. He said that I would have to send the ring to a lab to know if the stone was natural or synthetic.

I have spent many hours looking at the stone. I have not been able to see any curved striations. I do see an area of what looks to be black dots on one side. The pavillion seems to be cut at an odd angle in that the culet is quite off center. I have tried the visual optics technique, but I don''t think I am doing it right. The stone is approximately 6.5 mm.

It would be great to find out I purchased a ruby for $25, but I doubt I am that lucky. I know that you can''t properly declare a stone is real/natural based on a picture, but I would like to get your opinion on if you think it would be worth getting it appraised or sent to a lab for id.

Here it is in full sun:

 

[hlgeng]

Another shot in full sun:

 

[hlgeng]

On my finger in full sun:

 

[hlgeng]

Indoors:

 

[hlgeng]

Another shot indoors of the side:

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Pretty! Have it appraised!!!!

cheers--Sharon

 

[neatfreak]

Doesn''t look like a ruby to me, but I am not an expert. I second having it appraised.

 

[Pandora II]

It doesn't look like a synthetic ruby to me - I have a few and they are the most incredible, perfect ruby colour. This one is not, and most synthetics were made to mimic the real thing.

It could be a number of other things - rhodolite garnet for example - but I will be suprised if it is a real ruby.

No harm in having it appraised.

 

[Catmom]

Not that this means anything but I have an estate ring that I purchased that is in almost the exact setting and it is a garnet.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 9/28/2008 10:23:29 AM
Author: Catmom
Not that this means anything but I have an estate ring that I purchased that is in almost the exact setting and it is a garnet.

I was thinking garnet too...

 

[marcy]

It looks like a very lovely stone. I would guess rhodolite garnet as well.

 

[Richard M.]

You''re right - there is no reliable way to ID a stone from an image. I can quickly think of a half-dozen possibilities based on color alone (tourmaline, garnet, zircon, corundum (ruby/sapphire), spinel, topaz, spodumene, even quartz and a few other natural stones -- and that doesn''t include synthetics, coated stones, simulants like glass, etc.) It''s not likely to be some of those but there''s no way to rule them out without tests.

Further, there''s no way to tell natural from man-made stones using Visual Optics in most cases (CZ would be an exception). What you need is a gemologist, or an experienced jeweler equipped with a refractometer, dichroscope, microscope, etc. to identify your stone. Based upon what the stone is, you can then think about having it appraised for value.

Just my opinion.

Richard M.

 

[hlgeng]

Thanks so everyone who has responded. I knew I would get some great suggestions/opinions from all of you.

I would have never even thought the stone could be a garnet, when I think garnet I think of the brown-red variety. I find that the pictures seem to wash out the color, the stone is more vibrant in real life. I will definitely be taking it in to get a more definitive answer as to what the stone is!

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 9/28/2008 6:40:58 PM
Author: hlgeng
Thanks so everyone who has responded. I knew I would get some great suggestions/opinions from all of you.

I would have never even thought the stone could be a garnet, when I think garnet I think of the brown-red variety. I find that the pictures seem to wash out the color, the stone is more vibrant in real life. I will definitely be taking it in to get a more definitive answer as to what the stone is!

Check out some of the garnets on PS - they come in all colours! The stone in my avatar is a garnet...

 

[jewelerman]

Date: 9/28/2008 12:05:06 PM
Author: Richard M.
You''re right - there is no reliable way to ID a stone from an image. I can quickly think of a half-dozen possibilities based on color alone (tourmaline, garnet, zircon, corundum (ruby/sapphire), spinel, topaz, spodumene, even quartz and a few other natural stones -- and that doesn''t include synthetics, coated stones, simulants like glass, etc.) It''s not likely to be some of those but there''s no way to rule them out without tests.

Further, there''s no way to tell natural from man-made stones using Visual Optics in most cases (CZ would be an exception). What you need is a gemologist, or an experienced jeweler equipped with a refractometer, dichroscope, microscope, etc. to identify your stone. Based upon what the stone is, you can then think about having it appraised for value.

Just my opinion.

Richard M.

no reason to type more of an answer when Richard already said it well.