what I've just found? is this alexandrite?

[dm-smith]

So, I just got back from my trip to Myanmar. I visit several tourist spot and gemstone mines. In one of the mine, I spotted a 10 gram black rock. The mine owner identify it as black sapphire, and I bought it for US$50. After I got back to US, I asked my friend to cut the stone. Surprisingly, my friend told me that this black stone is an alexandrite. It change color from black to ruby like red




I'm sorry for the photo under fluorescent light. I'm suck at taking any photo. However, I don't think it's special at all. The color of this stone is literally black under fluorescent light.

Honestly, I don't even know that Myanmar has any alexandrite mine! Have you ever seen any alex like this? The stone is 14ct and has a little feather crack. Do you think this worth anything?

 

[Marlow]

I don't think it is alexandrite.

Alexandrite is extremely rare in Burma ( Mogok) - they found colorless chrysoberyl in Mogok - the chrome was used for ruby and spinel.

Dr. Schmetzer described a vanadium chrysoberyl and a german vendor offered an alexandrite crystal.

Your stone is very large.... maybe an extremely dark garnet. Your stone is to large for painite.

The RI would be great!!! Otherwise it is a guess.....

 

[dm-smith]

I don't think it is alexandrite.

Alexandrite is extremely rare in Burma ( Mogok) - they found colorless chrysoberyl in Mogok - the chrome was used for ruby and spinel.

Dr. Schmetzer described a vanadium chrysoberyl and a german vendor offered an alexandrite crystal.

Your stone is very large.... maybe an extremely dark garnet. Your stone is to large for painite.

The RI would be great!!! Otherwise it is a guess.....

the hardness is almost 8.5. It's tested using my friends' gigantic equipment.
the RI is around 1.75 (i'm not sure, my friend was blabbering a lot of scientific code it's tested using some weird instrument that shows some weird line
the specific gravity is 3.6

 

[Marlow]

Density Chrysoberyl is 3,7

RI Chrysoberyl you will get 2 readings - we have a topic how to use a refractometer...

It is important to use the tools correct - if you have only ONE reading it is imo a garnet ( RI and density is in this range - hardness 7-7 1/4 - 7 1/2 ).

We have only the pictures.

 

[chrono]

Very interesting and I am interested to know more about the gem testing results too.

 

[minousbijoux]

Please DM-Smith, I urge you to step back for a moment and read, read, read, and learn, learn, learn! I'm happy you didn't pay much for the stone, but maybe you want study up a bit more before purchasing? Deciding what you like and why would be a good place to start. I know that's not easy, as I was all over the place when I first started ("I'll collect all blue stones." "No, I'll collect all rare and hard to find stones." "Nah, maybe I'll go for highly saturated and glowy stones only...")

 

[T L]

Please DM-Smith, I urge you to step back for a moment and read, read, read, and learn, learn, learn! I'm happy you didn't pay much for the stone, but maybe you want study up a bit more before purchasing? Deciding what you like and why would be a good place to start. I know that's not easy, as I was all over the place when I first started ("I'll collect all blue stones." "No, I'll collect all rare and hard to find stones." "Nah, maybe I'll go for highly saturated and glowy stones only...")

Yes, it's really scary that you have a huge amount of money to spend, but it doesn't seem like you're doing enough research, and you're only depending on what we say.

It can take years to become an aficionado in the world of fine colored gems, and it's extremely easy to be taken advantage of if you're a novice. You should step back, read a lot, and attend as many gem shows as you can to see what fine colored gems look like in person. Treatment is also a whole other ball of wax to deal with once you do get a good eye for color. Most people just become experts in rubies, or sapphires, or a single gem species alone, that's how difficult it can be. However, you're grabbing at a whole host of gems, and very expensive examples to boot, and trying to get a very quick education about them. I'm afraid you're going to lose a lot of money if you don't step back and slow down. It's fine to ask questions, but I would do that, and really research before I start thinking about plunking tens of thousands of dollars down on a gemstone.

ETA: I probably should have posted this in the spinel thread you just opened. You went from alexandrite, color change garnets, to rubies, and now spinels? I'm getting dizzy.

 

[digdeep]

Same chorus of advice to "dm" that was given recently when there were a half dozen (+/-) threads flying off the keyboard.................

 

[Marlow]

minousbijoux and TL

Excellent!!!!

DM-Smith

Today you got a very precious "gem" for free - think about it!!! Follow and you will save a lot of money.

 

[chrono]

Today you got a very precious "gem" for free - think about it!!! Follow and you will save a lot of money.

Headaches and heartaches too.

 

[dm-smith]

thx for all advices
btw do you have recommended gemologist in LA to identify this stone? Honestly, I don't think I have to send this stone to AGL or GIA for identification because I'm pretty sure the stone is 100% natural. However, if you think otherwise, I don't think sending this stone to AGL will hurt

 

[chrono]

What are the signs that convinced you it is something dug out of the ground aka natural?

 

[LoversKites]

Dm, I really hope for your own sake that you take the advice given to you.

 

[Marlow]

What are the signs that convinced you it is something dug out of the ground aka natural?

It is natural - which idi*t would produce a synthetic or an imitation for an ugly extremely dark garnet....

Save your money and don't shock the GIA or AGL staff!

I am really surprised that your friend is able to check the density ( 3,6 ) and RI ( one reading!!) and his conclusion is alexandrite with a density of 3,7 and of course two readings ( orthorhombic ) !!!! Very professional - sorry but otherwise you don't understand...

If somebody is interested....

For a good result checking the density you need a VERY good scale and kit to measure it in water and air ( Archimedes).
A small mistake and you get a wrong result - gas in the water, gas bubbles stick on the stone, temperature .....

It is imo next to the handheld spectroskope the most difficult for an amateur ( 0,4 ct in air and 0,1 ct in water = 4,0 -- 0,4 ct in air and 0,09 ct in water = 4,44 !!!)

 

[dm-smith]

Just made an appointment with a gemologist in LA We'll know what stone is this on Monday

 

[Marlow]

Any news???

 

[dm-smith]

Any news???

nothing

he just did not know. he said this stone was nothing like he had ever seen. he recommended me to take this stone to GIA

 

[Marlow]

No RI, single refractive or not??

 

[chrono]

he just did not know. he said this stone was nothing like he had ever seen. he recommended me to take this stone to GIA

Odd and puzzling. What did he test for and what were the results?

 

[Marlow]

he just did not know. he said this stone was nothing like he had ever seen. he recommended me to take this stone to GIA

Odd and puzzling. What did he test for and what were the results?

Maybe that it spread the wings and fly away - looks like a black bug....

 

[dm-smith]

Well, he gave me the result of his testing, but I can't read his hand writing (I don't really care, since he can't identify my stone. He did not charge me a dime for his service). However, he mentioned that the stone is pretty similar to kunzite, but a lot harder. He also mentioned that the stone is extremely dark blue under fluorescent light.

 

[chrono]

Given that you did not get the information you requested, what are you going to do next?

 

[Marlow]

Close to kunzite???????

close WHY???

 

[Lady_Disdain]

The blue fluorescence is intriguing. I looked up a table of fluorescent stones and I got (combining both LW and SW)

some synthetic sapphires
some amber
some feldspar
some diamonds
some pearls
some synthetic spinel
benitoite (bright blue)
Danburite
Fluorite
Apatite
Scapolite
Sphalerite

We can safely cross off amber, feldspar, diamond, pearl, benitoite, danburite, scapolite and sphalerite, leaving us with synthetic spinel, synthetic sapphire, fluorite and apatite.

Fluorite and apatite are right out considering the hardness.

Synthetic sapphire (and sapphire) has an RI of 1.762-1.770 and specific gravity of 4. Besides, the blue fluorescence is light blue and only in some blue synthetics.

Synthetic Spinel has an RI of 1.727 and a specific gravity of 3.63-3.64. However, it fluoresces bright blue, not dark blue, and it has a hardness of 8.

My money is on synthetic spinel.

 

[Marlow]

The friend of the OP has an gigantic equipment. So where is the problem that the OP is not able to get a correct reading of the RI, polariscope and if possible density...

I doubt the blue fluorescence. I think nobody produce a darkest red to black synthetic stone.

Again - I think it is a very dark garnet - Pyralspite.

Easy to check with a neodym magnete.

 

[digdeep]

I've started to get the popcorn out with these threads........lots of entertainment!

 

[Marlow]

No entertainment - it makes me crazy !

Maybe a waiste of time....

... I can't read his handwriting....
blabbering scientific.....

Maybe - digdeep - your first post was the best!

 

[minousbijoux]

No entertainment - it makes me crazy !

Maybe a waiste of time....

... I can't read his handwriting....
blabbering scientific.....

Maybe - digdeep - your first post was the best!

Now Marlow! We don't want your blood pressure to get to unhealthy levels, so breathe deep! We have all come to rely on your here, so take care of yourself!

 

[Marlow]

No entertainment - it makes me crazy !

Maybe a waiste of time....

... I can't read his handwriting....
blabbering scientific.....

Maybe - digdeep - your first post was the best!

Now Marlow! We don't want your blood pressure to get to unhealthy levels, so breathe deep! We have all come to rely on your here, so take care of yourself!

 

[digdeep]

Marlow, that's why you get the popcorn and a beverage, sit back and munch out while watching the tale unfold......
Sometimes you are just too helpful with your knowledge!