100 Year old ring with 11.4 carat sapphire

[jojitsu]

I recently inherited a 100 + year old ring from my dad that he got from his grand-father back in Portugal. My dad had the ring appraised, and I have a copy of the appraisal, back in 1993 from A DeMello Gemological Laboratory in New Bedford, Mass. and they appraised it at $62,000. It is a 14K yellow gold ring weighing approx. 15.1 DWT with a 4.1 mm wide shank. The ring contains an approx. 15.00 x 10.2 x 7.25 mm 11.4 carat oval shaped "natural" blue sapphire. It states it is of Med. Ceylon color Hue, Med. tone and medium intensity. Slightly imperfect clarity. Very good finish and proportion. Inclusion visible to the unaided eye. I want to get more information about this ring. Most people I have spoken to on the phone said the stone must be fake because it is so big. I explained to them that it has been in my family for over 100 years and they don't seem to be of much help. I guess my question is, have any of you ever seen a natural stone as big as 11.4 carats? I appreciate any help I can get with this. There are 5 kids in my family and my dads wishes were to sell it and split the money evenly. Thank you,

 

[kefira]

First, we need some pictures! You may want to post in the colored stone forum as well. But take pics, and see if you can get the marks on the inside of the ring, too. It sounds awesome!

Second, you may want to see if there's anyone in your area who specializes in antique jewelry. You can check with local appraisers - if they have a specialty, they probably advertize that on their site. At the top of the page, go to "Resources" and then "Appraisers". That will let you search for appraisers in your area. A new appraisal can tell you the current value (if you'd like to insure the piece), and maybe more information about it, as well.

 

[backwardsandinheels]

I'd contact Joseph DuMouchelle, GG or his wife Lindy Adducci. This is their speciality.
Best of luck to you! www.josephdumouchelle.com

 

[collier]

Sapphires can be that big. My mom has a 12.58 ct sapphire in an antique ring that is 100% real and natural. Get it professionally appraised, if it is a valuable piece, you may want to talk to a big auction house about it. GL

 

[PacificJewelers]

Hi,
Yes, that is an exceptional size for a natural Sapphire! I have seen a handful in the 20 years in the business. Sapphire is my birthstone, so I wear one, and values have gone up quite a bit since your ring was appraised. As an example, my ring is a 3.5 ct light purplish blue, and appraised for $6000 in 2003, and is currently valued at almost twice that, because it is not heat treated. Heat treatment is a relatively recent development (last 30 years) and non-treated stones are worth more than treated. I highly recommend getting a current appraisal before offering it for sale. Hope everything works out great for you and your family!

 

[LoveRed]

I recently inherited a 100 + year old ring from my dad that he got from his grand-father back in Portugal. My dad had the ring appraised, and I have a copy of the appraisal, back in 1993 from A DeMello Gemological Laboratory in New Bedford, Mass. and they appraised it at $62,000. It is a 14K yellow gold ring weighing approx. 15.1 DWT with a 4.1 mm wide shank. The ring contains an approx. 15.00 x 10.2 x 7.25 mm 11.4 carat oval shaped "natural" blue sapphire. It states it is of Med. Ceylon color Hue, Med. tone and medium intensity. Slightly imperfect clarity. Very good finish and proportion. Inclusion visible to the unaided eye. I want to get more information about this ring. Most people I have spoken to on the phone said the stone must be fake because it is so big. I explained to them that it has been in my family for over 100 years and they don't seem to be of much help. I guess my question is, have any of you ever seen a natural stone as big as 11.4 carats? I appreciate any help I can get with this. There are 5 kids in my family and my dads wishes were to sell it and split the money evenly. Thank you,

That sounds awesome

 

[Bron357]

Yes, send it off to an appraiser for assessment. Large size sapphires aren’t common but exist. Depending on proper appraisal, and if not heat treated (reduces value as unheated is the best) it could be worth many tens of thousands of dollars, so definitely worth the effort and cost of a proper appraisal.
And if your intention is to sell, the sapphire really should be taken out of its setting (by a jeweller) and sent to AGL for a premium lab report.
Buyers in the “big league” who pay the big bucks won’t accept anything less before they part with the money!
How exciting. And yes, we’d love a few photos, please.

 

[canuk-gal]

2012 thread

 

[diamondsareagirls]

For sure! I have a 9.5 carat one and that is after recutting as I chipped it.

 

[LJsapphire]

2012 thread

OP never came back with more information either.