RUBY....REAL VS SYNTHETIC

[gemguy85]

All,

I acquired this ruby from my grandfather in Europe. The stone (which was set in a ring before I removed it) has been in the family for over 95 years. I am trying to figure out whether or not it is real or what type of gem it can be...I have done the scratch tests....a knife does not scratch it...the stone can scratch glass...and it glows under fluorescent light. It weighs in at 12.3ct which greatly surprised me because I thought it would be around 6....turns out this gem is pretty dense....please take a look at the pictures and let me know your thoughts. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Xrisus]

I can't comment whether it is real or not, but I kindly suggest not doing any further, potentially damaging home tests. At least for me, even a piece of glass that has been in the family that long would have sentimental value. Now that may just be me so please don't take offense to my opinion. A real easy way to determine if it is real, or what it is, would be to send it to a lab (eg. AGL) to be tested.

 

[gemguy85]

The tests were tests of strength and it passed with flying colors...I used care and caution when performing the tests...these tests are performed by professionals as well, but they utilize different substances (red spinel, tourmaline, etc.)...I was just wondering if anyone who has handled them in the past can see visually through the pics if it shows signs or has an appearance of being real...that's all...I know my only option to know definitively is preferably GIA, but I figured a guessing game would be great and I will provide the final results from the labs in a few weeks!!!

 

[Niel]

If I was a betting woman, based on the time period you say its from and the color is hey synthetic. I've seen and photographed synthetic Ruby and it looked similar.


Purely speculative of course. But as you say its a guessing game

 

[VapidLapid]

For non diamond colored stones AGL would be preferable over GIA.
While your stone may have passed your attempts to scratch it, those are considered destructive tests. I know of no professionals who would do such tests on cut stones. Since even glass will scratch glass, such demonstrations, while seemingly dramatic, tell one nothing of value. Had your stone turned out to be a red beryl for instance your steel test could have caused serious damage and loss of value. Scratch testing in the field on rough might be done occasionally by a rockhound looking generally to narrow an ID, but certainly will tell you nothing in questions of natural v. synthetic - corundum is corundum; natural and synthetic scratch the same.

 

[gemguy85]

You guys make a great point....I guess RI tests would have been better but I just knew some back of the napkin approaches...good thing I didn't destroy it!

 

[chrono]

Scratch testing is definitely too destructive and I know of no professional who would do such tests on a client's stone! An RI only narrows down the possibility but doesn't tell you whether it is natural or a synthetic because they share the same properties (same SG, same RI, etc). At that point, one has to study the inclusion under high magnification. The fact that the stone is very large, very clean and very strongly fluorescent are pointing towards the high likelihood of it being a synthetic stone. I look forward to the lab verification. In this case, my preference is AGL over GIA.

 

[gemguy85]

I'm going to be stopping in to a local jewler today to have their gemologist take a look at it. Based on the previous comments, i think AGL will be my choice if the local jeweler gives me news that its real. I'm a rookie when it comes to gems! Thank you guys for your help and expertise!

 

[chrono]

Gemguy,
I don't like to be the bearer of bad news, but unless the local gemmologist is used to handling many different types of coloured gemstones, has the right tools (different from diamond tools) and knows that to look for under high magnification (different inclusions than diamonds), they cannot tell you what you want to know. Most local places only know diamonds and even that, not very well. I've been to too many local places where they've mistaken my stones for something completely different.

 

[gemguy85]

Thank you for the feedback. Then would it be safe to say that sending it out to AGL is pretty much the only and best option? Are there any other options in Chicago, IL or near there?

 

[chrono]

Then would it be safe to say that sending it out to AGL is pretty much the only and best option?

Yes. If you are in Europe, we can suggest other good labs in Europe.

ETA
Just saw that you are in Chicago. No, the major labs are based in either NY or CA.

 

[PrecisionGem]

Most knives and glass have a hardness between 5 and 6, so your scratch tastes are meaningless. Most common gemstones are between 7 and 9. Even tanzanite, a fairly soft stone will scratch glass. I have not seen professionals taking gems and scratching glass and knife blades to identify a stone.

 

[gemguy85]

I know...my mistake...I'm new to this...I just pretty much looked on google and those were the tests it gave...hindsight is 20/20...that is why I decided to open this forum...I was looking for the pros!

 

[gemguy85]

Thank you chrono!!!

 

[mohsin95]

I would extremely recommend investing the $50-100+ a lab certificate will take. If that ruby is authentic and unheated it can be worth in the tens of thousands if not hundreds. If it's not, so what? It's a treasured family heirloom. Based on the glass testing/glowing, I'm think at worst it's a treated ruby/ lesser (spinel, etc.) gem.

 

[iambernard45]

From the pictures, it looks too clean to be real.
But Quickly have it certified, and if it turns out to be real and unheated, I will be more than willing to buy from you at $100,000+

 

[mohsin95]

So have you got it certified??

 

[gemguy85]

I have sent it out. Now, just waiting to hear the results.
How much is the price of a ruby affected if it is heated?

 

[chrono]

It will depend on the "type of heat", whether it has been diffused and how much flux healing is involved.
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