Mystery white stone

[JewelledEscalators]

Ok here's everyone's favourite type of thread, the-please-tell-me-what-this-is-as-I'd-rather-not-take-it-to-a-gem-lab. Only joking

Here are the details:

• Purchased at an auction for 117 GBP (approx 140 USD)
• Sold as 18ct gold, with unknown white stone 2.5 carats, definitely not diamond according to auction house
• Stamped 'plat' on the band
• Stone is kind of silvery white, not super sparkly, very good condition with just a very very very small scratch/chip on the gem (not visible to the eye).

To me, the plat stamp suggest the ring head is platinum with 18ct gold shank, probably vintage. I suspected white sapphire or white spinel rather than paste due to lack of chips damage and the general appearance. My money has been on it being a white sapphire (either natural or lab) due to the not super sparkly and the icy, silvery white
appearance.

I've now had it tested with one of those hand held pen-like thing, so at least I know what type of stone it is or isn't.

Anybody want to take a guess (for fun) from the pictures?







P.S. I hope it's ok to post this in the coloured stones section. I mean, white is a colour, right?

 

[Dhana]

White sapphire?

 

[Autumn in New England]

So we already know it's not diamond or moissanite, because it lacks fire. I don't typically see colorless spinel used, whether natural or lab, so I'm crossing that one off. Doesn't look like CZ to me either. I think white sapphire is a good guess. My first thought was white topaz, but would it be set in platinum and gold? Tell us, tell us, tell us!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

white saphire can be quite
sparkly if its real clean
i have a 3 stone with the outter stones being the saphires and they will flashes blues and greens in the sun

can i say white topaz just because i havn't seen a descent sized one and would like to

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Ok here's everyone's favourite type of thread, the-please-tell-me-what-this-is-as-I'd-rather-not-take-it-to-a-gem-lab. Only joking

Here are the details:

• Purchased at an auction for 117 GBP (approx 140 USD)
• Sold as 18ct gold, with unknown white stone 2.5 carats, definitely not diamond according to auction house
• Stamped 'plat' on the band
• Stone is kind of silvery white, not super sparkly, very good condition with just a very very very small scratch/chip on the gem (not visible to the eye).

To me, the plat stamp suggest the ring head is platinum with 18ct gold shank, probably vintage. I suspected white sapphire or white spinel rather than paste due to lack of chips damage and the general appearance. My money has been on it being a white sapphire (either natural or lab) due to the not super sparkly and the icy, silvery white
appearance.

I've now had it tested with one of those hand held pen-like thing, so at least I know what type of stone it is or isn't.

Anybody want to take a guess (for fun) from the pictures?







P.S. I hope it's ok to post this in the coloured stones section. I mean, white is a colour, right?

if it is a white saphire i would grab some of that dawn dishwashing liquid you all rave about and a soft toothbrush
one of my American friends has a white saphire ER and it looks quite impressive after its had a bath

 

[Roselina]

Could it be a white zircon?

 

[Ionysis]

I don’t see double refraction in the photos so I would probably discount zircon.

It could be goshenite in theory. But my money would also be on sapphire.

 

[pokerface]

I guess goshenite!

 

[Karl_K]

Interesting the shank has most likley been replaced at some point or put on by someone who did not care to get it right.

 

[Karl_K]

The shank is mass produced cast.
You can tell by looking at the voids.

 

[Karl_K]

This area of the setting is a hot mess.
Overall I would doubt any stamp it has on it without testing.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

The shank is mass produced cast.
You can tell by looking at the voids.

would someone have replaced the stone at home ?
surly a jewler would be neater ?

 

[Karl_K]

My opinion is I agree with the white sapphire call, it has that look but could also be some form of glass.
goshenite is not impossible either.

 

[Karl_K]

would someone have replaced the stone at home ?
surly a jewler would be neater ?

There is a lot of shoddy craftsmanship out there.
Its more like to me a bits and pieces ring, someone had some bits sitting around and threw the pieces together to sell at auction.

 

[JewelledEscalators]

The answer is...white sapphire! Don't know if it's lab or natural though, I suspect lab?

Yes, noticed the shank issue too, but believe it or not, the setting looks quite nice on the hand. Or at least I like it, and a lot of solitaire settings I don't always like.

I find it's not unusual to find rings like this with questionable workmanship in parts when you buy at auctions - I suspect it is because people get things altered or fixed over the years and not everyone has a great job done

I doubt it was thrown together from parts to sell at an auction, it looks quite worn and at nearly 3 grams, for 117 GBP (the seller gets 90) considering the price of 18ct scrap gold and the extra work is not worth it. I believe it is 18ct gold as the auctioneer would have tested it.

I think the PLAT stamp is from back when the standard UK platinum stamp wasn't used - this can mean that the platinum content can vary quite a lot. The stone seems (to my untrained eye) quite nicely cut and nicely set to the ring head, given the quality of the part that joins the shank to the ring head. I wonder if the stone is a later replacement. It seems to be in very good condition relative to the rest of it.

Interesting - never thought of goshenite or white topaz. Goshenite could have been a possibility from the way it looks.

White spinel I've seen used quite a lot in vintage rings so I thought it was possible, but the lack of fire made me think more white sapphire. It feels more like a white stone than a colourless stone. I actually like that look and prefer it to to diamonds/moissanite if it's not used as a halo and is the main stone (s) in a ring.

The downside is that it can get dirty more easily. However, since cleaning jewellery and stones is something I really enjoy, so I don't mind. @Daisys and Diamonds, would love to see your sparkly white sapphire - I always thought they would sort of lack fire compared to diamonds etc.

Thanks for all your contributions!

 

[JewelledEscalators]

Some info on the PLAT stamp:

One moment, please...

 

[JewelledEscalators]

if it is a white saphire i would grab some of that dawn dishwashing liquid you all rave about and a soft toothbrush
one of my American friends has a white saphire ER and it looks quite impressive after its had a bath

It was the first thing I did

 

[JewelledEscalators]

The shank is mass produced cast.
You can tell by looking at the voids.

I especially noticed the circles on the shank not quite touching the metal under it. Normally they tend to be.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

The answer is...white sapphire! Don't know if it's lab or natural though, I suspect lab?

Yes, noticed the shank issue too, but believe it or not, the setting looks quite nice on the hand. Or at least I like it, and a lot of solitaire settings I don't always like.

I find it's not unusual to find rings like this with questionable workmanship in parts when you buy at auctions - I suspect it is because people get things altered or fixed over the years and not everyone has a great job done

I doubt it was thrown together from parts to sell at an auction, it looks quite worn and at nearly 3 grams, for 117 GBP (the seller gets 90) considering the price of 18ct scrap gold and the extra work is not worth it. I believe it is 18ct gold as the auctioneer would have tested it.

I think the PLAT stamp is from back when the standard UK platinum stamp wasn't used - this can mean that the platinum content can vary quite a lot. The stone seems (to my untrained eye) quite nicely cut and nicely set to the ring head, given the quality of the part that joins the shank to the ring head. I wonder if the stone is a later replacement. It seems to be in very good condition relative to the rest of it.

Interesting - never thought of goshenite or white topaz. Goshenite could have been a possibility from the way it looks.

White spinel I've seen used quite a lot in vintage rings so I thought it was possible, but the lack of fire made me think more white sapphire. It feels more like a white stone than a colourless stone. I actually like that look and prefer it to to diamonds/moissanite if it's not used as a halo and is the main stone (s) in a ring.

The downside is that it can get dirty more easily. However, since cleaning jewellery and stones is something I really enjoy, so I don't mind. @Daisys and Diamonds, would love to see your sparkly white sapphire - I always thought they would sort of lack fire compared to diamonds etc.

Thanks for all your contributions!

i think the most imlortant thing here is you really like your ring
if that is indeed the case i think you got a good price at auction and the ring in question gets a lovelly new home and gets to enjoy a lovelly new life

i should really clean mine before i show you and no sun here to show you how it shines in the sun

you got a nicer ring than my very impulse mall purchase

we don't have dawn here - i use good old sunlight liquid - its the kind that doesn't have the moisturizer

 

[Autumn in New England]

i think the most imlortant thing here is you really like your ring
if that is indeed the case i think you got a good price at auction and the ring in question gets a lovelly new home and gets to enjoy a lovelly new life

i should really clean mine before i show you and no sun here to show you how it shines in the sun

you got a nicer ring than my very impulse mall purchase

we don't have dawn here - i use good old sunlight liquid - its the kind that doesn't have the moisturizer

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

This area of the setting is a hot mess.
Overall I would doubt any stamp it has on it without testing.

I do not have enough information to agree with you Karl.
There is enough there to consider the band as hand made.
The wobbly saw line and the chenier not joined at the base.

 

[JewelledEscalators]

i think the most imlortant thing here is you really like your ring
if that is indeed the case i think you got a good price at auction and the ring in question gets a lovelly new home and gets to enjoy a lovelly new life

i should really clean mine before i show you and no sun here to show you how it shines in the sun

you got a nicer ring than my very impulse mall purchase

we don't have dawn here - i use good old sunlight liquid - its the kind that doesn't have the moisturizer

Yes, I really like the ring. I liked the combination of silvery white stone, gold band (I always thought this wouldn't work but it does at least for me) and the proportions of the stone and the way the stone is set. Looking at it very closely, I can see the facets are not even and meet points in some areas are a bit off but still, I like it. I like the basket too, even though it may be a 'hot mess'

Kind of curious about this mall I keep hearing about. Would like to see some pics of it as I keep imaging the British version which I suspect isn't quite the same.

P.S. I love rainy and cloudy days, even though I know that makes me a minority.

 

[JewelledEscalators]

I do not have enough information to agree with you Karl.
There is enough there to consider the band as hand made.
The wobbly saw line and the chenier not joined at the base.

I'll try and post more pics of the metal work. You may be right, if it was mass manufactured cast shank/basket, I would expect it to be more even with better edges even for the basket. If it was as rough as this, then I would in turn not to be so decliate looking. I can see some botched/obvious solder marks on it though

But not an expert on these things so what do I know

 

[JewelledEscalators]

More pics.

 

[JewelledEscalators]

Sort of looks like some Edwardian rings I've seen though it's probably from a later period.

 

[CaseyLouLou]

Ok here's everyone's favourite type of thread, the-please-tell-me-what-this-is-as-I'd-rather-not-take-it-to-a-gem-lab. Only joking

Here are the details:

• Purchased at an auction for 117 GBP (approx 140 USD)
• Sold as 18ct gold, with unknown white stone 2.5 carats, definitely not diamond according to auction house
• Stamped 'plat' on the band
• Stone is kind of silvery white, not super sparkly, very good condition with just a very very very small scratch/chip on the gem (not visible to the eye).

To me, the plat stamp suggest the ring head is platinum with 18ct gold shank, probably vintage. I suspected white sapphire or white spinel rather than paste due to lack of chips damage and the general appearance. My money has been on it being a white sapphire (either natural or lab) due to the not super sparkly and the icy, silvery white
appearance.

I've now had it tested with one of those hand held pen-like thing, so at least I know what type of stone it is or isn't.

Anybody want to take a guess (for fun) from the pictures?







P.S. I hope it's ok to post this in the coloured stones section. I mean, white is a colour, right?

In going with white topaz.

Edit: I see I was wrong!

 

[ringo865]

So pretty! Love that it’s sapphire. I don’t think I’ve seen a white one that large. Enjoy your find!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Yes, I really like the ring. I liked the combination of silvery white stone, gold band (I always thought this wouldn't work but it does at least for me) and the proportions of the stone and the way the stone is set. Looking at it very closely, I can see the facets are not even and meet points in some areas are a bit off but still, I like it. I like the basket too, even though it may be a 'hot mess'

Kind of curious about this mall I keep hearing about. Would like to see some pics of it as I keep imaging the British version which I suspect isn't quite the same.

P.S. I love rainy and cloudy days, even though I know that makes me a minority.

well actually the mall i shopped in needed a stick or two of dynamite to improve it
Gary said its been that bad since it opened in the 1980s when we first got saturday shopping.
see i used to commute to work against the flow and worked in a tiny village that bascially only had supermarkets and cafes, booze shops (we all drunk so much at my work ) and our timber/hardwar store
most workers commuted into Wellington but i went the other way - on the first train at 6.10am i was usually the only passenger going all the way
but the next train stop down was this much bigger town where Gary's grown up family live
its a bl**dy awful dead end place - if you were looking for Florida man in NZ he'd be in Paraparaumu
its a pretty skanky down - the staff on the train used to call the friday 5pm service into Wellington the ***skank train (think scantally clad girls even on very cold nights)
see its a town of old retired white people or **bogans
it has no real diversity, its basically dead
imangine a beach town in the off season or a wet day on your holiday

but it had a nice version of our mall
jewler - probably the nicest shop in the whole hidouse place
the mall jewler i shopped at was * Micheal Hill
i know its overpriced and mass produced with terrible quality coloured stones and dubouse diamonds but that's what we have in this country
Actually i do have quite a lot respect for Sir Micheal - he's a very succesful bussinessman and to talk to a total gentleman - many many years ago when i worked for a large rural supply company in the garden centre we supplied him with a large quanty of olive trees and he was very nice to deal with
his wife is also very nice, she is an artist i met both of them in the shop in said mall one day- they were doing a surprise visit
i dont actually have a problem with the workmamship of my mall pieces, but the diamond quality and also coloured stones are pretty much what is 'normal' here, of course now i know better, overpriced yes definatly but i never had to pay more to get the bigger sizes (short chubby fingers)
i worked out early on to wait for sales and never pay full price
i was dumb though and should not have brought the stupid extra warrenty - i mean i should have just flushed that money down the toilet for all the good it was - that's my major regret and they do a hard sell on those

but one lives and learns
its how we grow as people
we have to make piece with our mistakes or at least makes friends with the results

*https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hill_Jeweller

**https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bogan

***hmmm trying to find the local meaning of skank for you - this is an odd little antidote that might help https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/watch...man-to-the-ground/3QBWQWDGBSTACVNPOYASGPHVLE/

edit now i live somewhere that doesn't even have a real mall and all the cafes and resturants close their kitchens at 2pm (Micheal Hill is in the main street ) but its a friendly place with nicer wheather

 

[Mrsz1ppy]

Yes, I really like the ring. I liked the combination of silvery white stone, gold band (I always thought this wouldn't work but it does at least for me) and the proportions of the stone and the way the stone is set. Looking at it very closely, I can see the facets are not even and meet points in some areas are a bit off but still, I like it. I like the basket too, even though it may be a 'hot mess'

Kind of curious about this mall I keep hearing about. Would like to see some pics of it as I keep imaging the British version which I suspect isn't quite the same.

P.S. I love rainy and cloudy days, even though I know that makes me a minority.

The mall you hear about stateside is the high street…but I suspect you know that ; )

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

The mall you hear about stateside is the high street…but I suspect you know that ; )

i thought the high street was the main street ?
is that just the UK ?
its so easy to get confussed ?