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What kind of stone? |
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Posted :
02 Nov. 2009 10:27:29 |
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Hi
Please could someone help.I have,what I believe is an expensive ring.(does have the hallmarks for silver).Would someone be able to tell me what kind of stone is this please as I am no expert on these things.Will supply more pictures if required.
Many thanks
Phil
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Posted :
02 Nov. 2009 23:12:46 |
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| Hi Phil, Can I suggest that you list this question in the Fine Jewellery section as Judy, the moderator of that section, is our expert on fine jewellery. Whatever the stone it looks lovely and you definitely need the correct info on this to list. Good luck with it and I will watch with interest to see what Judy's reply is. Best regards, Mary (Moderator, Costume Jewellery) |
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Posted :
15 Mar. 2010 10:46:18 |
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Hi Phil
Sorry for delay in answering and thanks for Mary welcoming you. I've only just taken over as the Jewellery Moderator and have a ton of re-organizing to do so apologies again for the lateness of this answer.
Stones (gemstones, whether precious or semi precious) need to be definitively tested by a Gem Tester. This is a rather small expensive machine which most old style jewellers use. The Bohemians and Italians were particularly good at immitating genuine stones, even to the extent of fooling some dealers today.
Art glass was routinely set in silver, so the fact it is set in silver does not really help. If you are able to look at it with a very powerful magnification (or if not, blow the image up high in photoshop) you will see if there are any tiny air bubbles inside. If there are, then it is glass. I would suggest taking angles from both sides, top and bottom and even the back of the ring if it is openbacked. The bubbles may be very tiny and elongated if the glass was blown by lungs rather than made by machine.
This jewellery is technically not classed as 'fine' jewellery, and neither is it costume jewellery. It is what is known by jewellers and savvy collectors as 'bridge jewellery' being a bridge between the two categories.
The pale lines look like a close immitation of lace agate to me, although it could simply be art glass. Dont be downhearted, some of that, and particularly the larger pieces, are highly collectable.
Hope this helps and do let me know if I can do anything else to help you sell this ring for a great price ! At least here you get to keep most of the money you sell it for AND seven pictures free.
Greedbays fees have just gone up again and we have another wave of refugees taking up camp here. It is much friendlier and always someone around to help no matter what the issue.
Best regards
Erica
Jewellery Moderator
Specialist Auctions
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Posted :
15 Mar. 2010 12:40:38 |
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I've blown the image up and roughly chpped the background out
Bob
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Posted :
15 Mar. 2010 17:32:06 |
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Whilst I cant possibly know about every crystal, I am an ex owner of a New Age crystal shop and my first reaction would be that this is not a real crystal - because it is too uniform. To me, it looks like a simulated agate or malachite, although malachite is a deep green really and it has sections that are stripey and others that are loops.
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Posted :
15 Mar. 2010 17:36:22 |
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Lace agate is called such because it has the fine lines as Erica mentions and is generally a delicate pale blue but again with lace type patterns amongst the stripes.
Is your ring's stone warm to the touch or cold?
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| Updated By RainbowMagick on 15 Mar. 2010 17:37:03 |
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Posted :
16 Mar. 2010 14:01:17 |
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Exactly right Michelle on all counts. Rather the wrong green for malachite and definitely for lace agate. But there are so many agates I dont know them all.
Its more a sea green really isn't it ? If you cant see air bubbles and I see none in the image Bob kindly blew up, then touch the stone to the center of your top lip. If it feels really cold (as M says) it may be gemstone.
The ONLY truly definitive way is to have it tested with a gem tester. Traditional dusty old jewellers would have one of these and would probably do it free, the chrome and glass type are less likely to have one in my experience.
Huge cocktail rings like this were very much in vogue and some are making good money now. Well worth finding out for sure.
Hope all this helps and going to look through my gemological books to find out for sure.
(Forgot to say, any jeweller to tells you what this stone is should be a qualified gemologist as well as being a jeweller. That is VERY important).
Good luck
Erica
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Posted :
16 Mar. 2010 15:59:29 |
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Agates are the most often dyed, so if it is a crystal.. it could be any type of Agate. Agates can be very boring if not dyed, but also tend to lose colour fairly quickly, especially if exposed to sunlight a lot.
It also looks like multiple layers of handcrafted polymer clay...(fimo/sculpey/kato are just some of the trade names of this) which when sanded and polished can be highly glossy and appear gemstone like if well done.
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Posted :
16 Mar. 2010 16:50:26 |
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Fascinating Michelle, I had no idea such techniques were possible with modern clays.
But the setting of this places it firmly in the cocktail ring era to my mind. And whilst I agree agates were very often dyed to make them even more attractive, my feeling is that this is glass immitating agate. Your lace agate picture is spot on as is the gorgeous malachite stone. I have several necklaces made of natural malachite beads which I got in a job lot, after a soft rubbing with olive oil on a lint free cloth they look like a million dollars.
I've often been tempted to do a gemology degree but just dont think I could find the time, even now. Fascinating subject for sure.
I've looked through all my major works on gems and precious stones but find nothing like this in any of them. I will carry on looking on the net just in case.
Bye for now
Erica
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Posted :
16 Mar. 2010 17:32:08 |
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Hi Phil
Hope you are following this discussion, can you show us photgraphs of the back and sides of the ring please?
If the setting is 'openback' then you should be able to see the back of the stone. If you can, get a real tight closeup of the actual stone please.
Thanks
Erica
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