Emeralds and oiling

[jszweda]

I have a dumb question, and I ask this for a reason. I''ve tried to research this as best I can, but I wanted to get some other insight.

I found an emerald in a piece of jewelry. I really love the stone, and my intent is to get the piece, pop the center stone out and put it in my own custom mounting at some point. The price is right, and it''s very well cut. I''ve been wanting an emerald since I was a kid.

With some exceptions, the stone is almost eye clean. You have to catch it just right to see a veil of sorts and a spot just beneath the girdle. I have no doubts as to the authenticity of the piece, and I know this person quite well. In fact, the person who quoted me the price has told me some things that I was amazed he told me as most jewelers wouldn''t dare go where this guy goes.

Aside from the black light trick and immersion, is there any way under 30x you can tell if it''s been clarity enhanced? I seriously doubt that this particular store would sell anything like that. Does the reflected light trick work to? Does anyone have a source with some good imagery where would can tell?

I didn''t see any fractures near the surface other than maybe the ends of that one veil which is a very thin line. I''ve seen things like it with other emeralds, and there are no little white spots in it like I''ve seen in images of things that have been said to have been oiled.

I have half a mind to go in there, do the blacklight trick and see how that works. If it passes that, for the asking price, I fear I won''t see that good of a stone again. It''s not flawless, but for an emerald, it''s really good.

Thanks in advance..

 

[DiamondExpert]

Sounds like a job for a gem lab (AGTA/GIA/AGL). Make a deal with the seller...have it sent to one of these labs. and if it comes back as represented you pay the freight/grading costs, if not the seller does...you can''t go wrong.

 

[jszweda]

Date: 3/26/2008 10:38:12 PM
Author: DiamondExpert
Sounds like a job for a gem lab (AGTA/GIA/AGL). Make a deal with the seller...have it sent to one of these labs. and if it comes back as represented you pay the freight/grading costs, if not the seller does...you can''t go wrong.

Ugh...I think that would be out of budget, hence my asking. Wait a sec, for that size stone, maybe not. I can''t think right with this concusion and the medication, so forgive me if my posts don''t flow right.

I figured if worse came to worse, I would try the reflected light trick. As you probably know (based on your screen name), sometimes you can take a diamond or virtually any other stone for that matter, and use reflected light and look for subtle differences there. I think the logic there is to try and see if there is a readily visible difference in the refraction from that, and since reflected light is more likely to accent things like silicone filling, etc., I figured that might be an option.

Have you ever tried anything like that with a given colored stone? Actually, now that you mention it...I might know of a place locally where I could ask them to test the stone with immersion liquid and study it there. Hmmm...

I will ask this guy first, and try to look for some of the more obvious things. I don''t see anything that has an inclusion that comes to the surface though, so that''s comforting too. I need to take a closer look at it though. I was figuring try the black light trick first. Then again, some oils and/or fillers don''t floresce either. Then again, if this thing had any sort of enhancement, it might not be in that particular store, or they would disclose it readily.

Thanks.

 

[MJO]

Joe,

letting the stone soak in afta for a couple of days will remove any oil that has been applied to the stone.

Regards,
Maurice