Tourist Jewelry

[BWise]

During my Spring Break to Cancun, I bought two pieces of jewelry. Totally not sure about their authenticity, but I negotiated the price to be under $100, so even if they turn out to be glass, I can still live with them.

First up is a pendant. I was told it is amethyst with white topaz. The 'amethyst' has an interesting color change from a very pale yellow to a beautiful pink. Here the picture shows more pink and the flash.

 

[BWise]

Here is a ring suppose to be tanzanite, with white topaz. The color is pretty, but the clarity is too clear to be true.

 

[BWise]

This is a pendant bought on a cruise trip to Mexico. Also claimed to be tanzanite.

Both tanzanite pieces have beautiful flashes, and are very bright.

I know it is hard to judge from pictures, but is there any chance they can be real? I am happy with them regardless, but I am curious to find out.

 

[jstarfireb]

I''m not at all an expert, but the tanzanites look like they have a little too much fire to be real, and I''ve never heard of amethyst in that color (or color shifting). They''re very pretty nonetheless!

 

[Indylady]

I think they look like they might be real. Regardless, they''re very pretty! Most of my favorite pieces are tied to memories, and not necessarily because they''re the perfect specimen.

 

[chrono]

I doubt the stones are what they are, especially the amethyst, but regardless of that, they look very pretty and you didn’t pay much for them.

 

[dzop]

I have my strong doubts about all the stones, especially the stone in the middle, in the ring. Tanzanite is rarely faceted like that and it's showing more dispersion than you'd usually from a tanzanite. No way to know for sure from a picture, of course.

That bottom one, it looks like it's greying out right at the edge of the crown. Does it look very greyish from certain angles? If so, it may be an iolite, though it looks too clean for that.

 

[innerkitten]

I think the amethyst might be a CZ. It''s hard to tell from pics though.

 

[LD]

Yingh I''m sorry but I''m in the camp of doubting they are what they''ve been sold as. The Tanzanites honestly don''t look right and the dispersion is wrong. I''ve never heard of a colour change Amethyst (other than one that looks purple and then more purple in some lights) but if you think about it, Amethyst and Citrine are the same family and you get Amethyst by heating Citrine (or is it the other way around I can never remember!) so it''s highly unlikely that you''ll find one that reacts to light in that exact colour way.

Whatever, they''re all pretty and it''s great to have a few mystery items!

 

[innerkitten]

Date: 5/20/2010 3:01:34 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds
Yingh I''m sorry but I''m in the camp of doubting they are what they''ve been sold as. The Tanzanites honestly don''t look right and the dispersion is wrong. I''ve never heard of a colour change Amethyst (other than one that looks purple and then more purple in some lights) but if you think about it, Amethyst and Citrine are the same family and you get Amethyst by heating Citrine (or is it the other way around I can never remember!) so it''s highly unlikely that you''ll find one that reacts to light in that exact colour way.


Whatever, they''re all pretty and it''s great to have a few mystery items!

Amethysts and citrines aren''t always treated and heated ( even though it''s common). They can be all natural.

 

[BWise]

Thanks for all your comments. I didn''t expect any of these to be real (given the price paid). They are pretty anyway so I am happy with them.

 

[PumpkinPie]

they are pretty but I would be skeptical as to them being what they were advertised as

 

[SB621]

I have never heard of a color shifting amethyst before. i would assume that is not real. I have no idea on the tanzanite as I know little about them. Regardless they are all very pretty!

 

[T L]

Tanzanites actually do have some dispersion if you have a lighter toned stone. Go have them checked out. Tanzanites are typically very clean too, so again, no reason to think it's fake just because you can't see inclusions. Did you loupe them?

That "amethyst" is no amethyst from your description. They don't color change like that. Probably some simulant color changer.