shape
carat
color
clarity

Help with Star Sapphire Ring

Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.

Shiloh

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 6, 2008
Messages
7
Hello.
I have a question about a ring my Mother got me at an antique store in 1976. I am trying to figure out if it is a real star sapphire, or a synthetic. I have taken it to a couple jewelery stores and all I can find out is that the diamonds on each side are real, and the band is white gold or platnium. I think they said they are high quality 10 point diamonds. It is engraved "scalle'' 14"
Anyway, if anyone has any ideas I would love to know. We live in a small town now, and I can''t find a gemologist. I tried to attach a picture, I don''t know if it worked.
Thanks.


 

Shiloh

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 6, 2008
Messages
7
I finally got the picture to work, I think.
Thanks.

ring2840.jpg
 

Richard M.

Brilliant_Rock
Trade
Joined
Feb 17, 2004
Messages
1,104
If you can see the back of the stone, look carefully for a little engraved stylized letter "L." If you find it then it''s a synthetic star corundum made by Linde. The date is approprite for Linde material.

If it''s not present the stone could still be synthetic since a few foreign manufacturers began to enter the U.S. market about that time. Except in the case of really expensive star gems, the easiest way to determine natural vs. synthetic is the perfection of the color and star. If the color is very even and the legs of the star are sharp and perfect, be suspicious of a synthetic. Natural star stones are seldom perfect and usually have inclusions, color zoning and somewhat imperfect stars.

Only a trained gemologist can say for certain, of course, unless you see the Linde brand.

Richard M.
 

Catmom

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
12,414
Could we see a bigger pic? I hate to say this but Linde star sapphires were all the rage back in the 70''s and while I really can''t see the picture well it looks remarkably similar to a Linde star sapphire that I have. Mine is not engraved with scalle though, so maybe it''s not a Linde.
 

Shiloh

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 6, 2008
Messages
7
I don''t see an L on the back of the stone. I have been trying to get a bigger picture to go through, but am having a heck of a time. The bigger picture shows the star and the color. I will try to figure out how to do it.
Thanks.
 

Shiloh

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 6, 2008
Messages
7
I don''t know if this is any bigger or not.

ring28401.jpg
 

Shiloh

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 6, 2008
Messages
7
I think I may have gotten a bigger picture. Once I figure it out I will be ok :)
Thanks.

ring28404.jpg
 

Pandora II

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 3, 2006
Messages
9,613
I'm afraid I would be VERY suspicious of that one.

The star just doesn't look right to me for a natural stone and the colour is a just too good to be true, and too even in tone and colour throughout the stone.

You'd need to get a gemologist to look at it to be sure - or a jeweller with a lot of experience ie not the sales assistant in Zales...
 

Pandora II

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 3, 2006
Messages
9,613
Here are a couple of natural star rubies from Palagems:

starruby365.jpg
 

Pandora II

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 3, 2006
Messages
9,613
This one is pretty incredible, I dread to think what it costs...

star ruby367.jpg
 

Pandora II

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 3, 2006
Messages
9,613
Here''s one of their sapphires:

starsapphire1867.jpg
 

The Joker

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Oct 25, 2003
Messages
194

As Richard M. Said: "Only a trained gemologist can say for certain, of course, unless you see the Linde brand."


These Linde Synthetic Star Sapphires are very good Synthetic Sapphires and no one is going to be able to tell with any type of certainty if it''s real, from a top view picture, regardless how good the picture is. By the way Shiloh, that was a good picture, and I like your Star Sapphire ring.


I am afraid that the only way you are going to be able to know for sure if it is a natural Sapphire is (like Richard said) to find an expert . Just one other thing, IMHO the Linde Stars look nicer than the natural stars...


Joker....


 

Shiloh

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 6, 2008
Messages
7
Wow, those are beautiful stars. Thanks for the responses. I think it is a pretty ring either way :) I will have to find someone to look at it.
Thanks again for all the help.
 

Pandora II

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 3, 2006
Messages
9,613
Come back and tell us what you find out!

You never know...
35.gif
 

Shiloh

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 6, 2008
Messages
7
Ok, I will. Thanks again.
 

jewelerman

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Sep 30, 2007
Messages
3,107
This style of ring is exactly what would have been sold at jewelers in the mid-1970s.The oval shape,shade of blue and placement of the 6 rayed perfect star echos the Linde stars used so often in the 1970s.My mother recieved a ring that looked so much like this as a gift in 1975/76...i would expect it to be a syn. star unless proved other wise by gemological testing.Keep in ming that these star stones came in several colors...blue,polar blue,red and mint green(yes mint green) were very popular in both white and (the very hip) yellow gold.
 

purrfectpear

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 31, 2008
Messages
4,079
I''ll go out on the limb and say that I''m probably 95% sure that your picture is of a synthetic star. I sold hundreds of Linde''s in the late 60''s and as several people have pointed out, the inexpensive setting and the solid color/perfect star are all indicative of a synthetic stone.

For a natural star sapphire to have that depth of color, no zoning, and a perfect star, the value typically would have dictated a more expensive setting. Just an opinion of course.
 
Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.
Be a part of the community Get 3 HCA Results
Top