is This a real alexandrite ring ?

[diamondhearts]

I need help todetermine whether this looks like a real alexandrite ring judt by looking at the pictures because sometimes you can tell if the color looks "dead" .Its a 0.80 ct supposedly an alexandrite set in a 18 kt golg ring and it says that its a vintage ring in the description .

I really need your help ASAP . Thanks a bunch .

 

[diamondhearts]

Sorry about the tiny pictures let me fix this :+)

 

[diamondhearts]

I just need to be more or less sure before I buy it .

 

[LD]

No idea! The only way to tell is to get it tested. However, there are some flags in your post - ie the fact that it's saying it's "vintage" because that setting is most definitely not vintage. Are they selling it as Russian as well? What's the price? Is there a returns policy?

Here's a thread I recently wrote in Alexandrite - see if this helps. [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/have-you-really-got-an-alexandrite-read-this-first.179784/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/have-you-really-got-an-alexandrite-read-this-first.179784/[/URL]

 

[chrono]

We can guess but cannot ID if it is a real alexandrite or a simulant or synthetic by pictures. Please make the sale contingent upon verification by either GIA or AGL, preferably AGL which does not need the stone to be unmounted for a slightly extra charge.

 

[diamondhearts]

Thanks LD and chrono for your great advice .The seller is telling me that she does not know the origin of the stone . What I thought I would do is just buy it and then inspect it so I can at least measure the refractive index .And if it turns out to be something else I will just return because there is a 7 day money back guarantee .



Thank you guys, you are the best . I will be back with more news on this ring :+)

 

[LD]

The RI on this stone is NOT a determining factor that it is a real Alexandrite. Unfortunately some of the simulants/synthetics have the same RI.

Even if this is an Alex, my gut feeling is that the colour change will be weak. If you get it, the colour change should be very strong and apparent, you shouldn't struggle to see it. HTH

 

[Richard M.]

The seller is telling me that she does not know the origin of the stone . What I thought I would do is just buy it and then inspect it so I can at least measure the refractive index .And if it turns out to be something else I will just return because there is a 7 day money back guarantee .

An R.I. test will only distinguish between chrysoberyl and another mineral like synthetic corundum, which is often used as an alexandrite simulant. It won't tell you whether the stone is a synthetic because synthetic alex's R.I. tests identically to natural alex. If the seller says the stone is Russian that's no help either -- much synthetic alex is made in Russia.

Take the good advice already offered. Make your purchase contingent on testing by AGL or GIA to assure the stone is genuine alex, not a synthetic alex or a simulant.
Richard M. (Rick Martin)

 

[Barrett]

run..... if you want a real alexandrite go see David Weinberg at multicoulor. If you have to ask ..."is this a real alex"...that typically means...run the other way.......

 

[chrono]

An RI test only tells you that it is an alexandrite or something else, but if it is, it does not tell you whether it is a natural stone or a synthetic. Both a natural and synthetic alexandrite share the same RI number. Origin is the least of my concerns at this point.

 

[Barrett]

spelled multicolour wrong..whoops
www.multicolour.com/front.html

 

[LD]

Now you're spelling it the correct way (she saying chuckling in a British accent)!

 

[diamondhearts]

Thanks for the advice.I was going to say sorry for my mispellings , I type so fast .I am a little on the stubborn side so I will take a risk and buy it and then if I don't like it I will return it .
I am so glad to have found this site .I have such a passion for alexandrites and diamonds so now I can discuss it with you people :+)

I will try to post part of my collection .

 

[chrono]

Liking or disliking something is certainly a personal feeling which cannot be faulted. On the other hand, gambling on a stone being a natural or synthetic or simulant or with undisclosed treatment, which sometimes can make a huge financial difference, is another matter. The problem with alexandrites is that natural versus something else varies quite a bit in price. There are some stones where I don't mind the risk because they are not (yet) treated or have no simulants, because in that case, the risk is very low or negligible. When it comes to other types of stones though, it is very important to verify ID and non treatment because that $2000 stone could end up being worth $200 if it isn't proven to be what it is, which is a risk I am not willing to accept. These type of stones almost always cannot be verified by RI alone.

 

[LD]

It's probably too late but it's a risk to buy that ring - and I suspect (a) the Alex, if it is Alex, isn't good and (b) I bet it's relatively cheap which is the pull to buy it? If I'm correct then don't waste your money. Phone David at multicolour.com or visit their website. You can opt when you buy from them to have a lab report (some stones have them already). David is my mentor for Alex and I've bought from him for years. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him (as Barratt has also above).

 

[diamondhearts]

I really wish that I had a Graduate Gemologist education so I could do all the testing myself. I just took a look at the www.multicolour.com website and I like some of the stones but they are so pricey for being just Indian Alexandrites . I will take a look at their inventory in case I find something with a nice color change so Thanks for that .

LD , now you got me sooooo curious about your Alexandrites . is there any chance you could post just a few pictures ??

 

[chrono]

Having even the formal GG training isn't enough for certain types of gemstones. GIA has made a few bobos with alexandrite (mistook a synthetic for a real stone), and spinel (reported as untreated but AGL found that it was oiled).

 

[ieatbugs]

Having even the formal GG training isn't enough for certain types of gemstones. GIA has made a few bobos with alexandrite (mistook a synthetic for a real stone), and spinel (reported as untreated but AGL found that it was oiled).

How do you know about these? Do they publish reports?

 

[chrono]

The official reports and links are in the threads below, so you'll have to dig a bit deeper down.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/gia-misses-synthetic-alexandrite.175798/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/gia-misses-synthetic-alexandrite.175798/[/URL]
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/agl-report-vs-gia-report-different-grading-results.176603/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/agl-report-vs-gia-report-different-grading-results.176603/[/URL]

AGL seems to catch the newest treatment first over other labs as well.
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/agl-identifies-irradiated-colombian-emeralds.170269/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/agl-identifies-irradiated-colombian-emeralds.170269/[/URL]

ETA
The oiling was with regards to a ruby, not a spinel, as mentioned in my post above this one.

 

[LD]

You've got me REALLY worried if you think the Indian Alex on Multicolour are expensive. That site is THE best for Alex and they are typically priced according to their quality (ie colour change). That makes me even more concerned about your purchase. Please please please don't do it. Without the risk of sounding condescending, you pay for what you get with Alexandrite. Alex has increased in price considerably over the past few years and Multicolour and still selling old stock at much lower (and far better quality) than you can get elsewhere.

I don't want to bore people with photos of my alex because over the years people have seen these time and again but I posted videos on YouTube of two items I own as I had managed to capture the colour change on video. It's quite difficult to do without manipulating the colour (which I haven't) but I'm not allowed to post links on here. However, if you look on YouTube under the name GemstoneloverUK you'll find them. You won't see the daylight green as it's virtually impossible to capture on camera but you'll definitely see what a great Alex should look like under artificial light and you'll see how it goes to a complete colour change. To give you an indication of how much I love Alex, over the years I've seen literally hundreds of pieces and I have quite a considerable collection (some not so good and some good which I'm very proud of)!

 

[ieatbugs]

Hey LD, what's the stone in your icon?


sorry for the non sequiter!

 

[LD]

It's a Paraiba Tourmaline.

 

[diamondhearts]

My oh my Your alexandrites are breathtaking ! gorgeous colors and the color change is royal .Good for you !

Sure Sweety no pb :+) I found a couple of Alexandrites on multicolours.com that look good .I Kind of prefer the Brazilian and Tanzanian ones .I will have to give it a couple of months before I can purchase them but I will .

 

[LD]

If it gives you comfort the ring on YouTube was bought from Multicolour (well the stone was) about 5 or so years ago. It's a Tanzanian one.

I have to say that I don't agree with you about ruling out an Indian Alex. Some of my best are Indian and the pendant on YouTube is Indian also. Below are two more of Indian origin. Unfortunately, I can't show you the daylight green properly but somebody once asked me if the one in the second photo was an Emerald (in a jewellers believe it or not ). In my opinion they have the nicest daylight green and when you get a good one, the colour change is exactly the colour you would get from a Brazilian or Tanzanian.

HTH

 

[diamondhearts]

Thanks a lot for posting these great pictures.I am always curious about the different color variation in different alexandrites .I own a couple of Indian alexandrites and they tend to change from dark teal green to purple .Somehos I prefer the electric green in the Brazilian or Russian and the dark red colot in the Tanzanian .

 

[LD]

Diamondhearts - if you've seen a Russian you're in the minority. Nearly all Russian material disappeared years ago and certainly won't have been available (unless you've paid tons and tons and tons for it) for modern pieces. If Russian material comes on the market (and blue moons happen more often) it will come with a lab report that specifically states that it is likely to be Russian material.

There's a UK TV channel called The Jewellery Channel and about 10 years ago it started selling "Russian" Alexandrite. After a lot of reporting to authorities and speaking with the buyers, it was admitted that it wasn't Russian and was actually Indian. Everybody who had bought a piece was offered their money back (if they returned the item) as they had been missold. This took about a year to resolve and I was horrified that I knew more than the buyers. However, they did what was right but I've often wondered if they hadn't, how many people would be thinking they had a genuine Russian Alex?