Help with stone identification...

[LorettaB]

I have this ring on layaway at a local pawn shop I frequent. (They refer to me as a “frequent buyer.”) It’s probably one of the most beautiful rings I have ever seen up close and personal. The young lady who waited on me didn’t know what the green stone was....I plan on paying it out at the end of September (since I had just finished paying for THREE rings!) and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. Would any of you experts be willing to guess what the colored gemstone may be?? I didn’t get to take a really good look....the place was busy as it always is but I did get the young lady to put it on her finger for a couple of quick photos. Any ideas or how I can find out for sure would be appreciated.

 

[IcePhoenix]

There is no way a pawn shop will sell something and not know what it is, can you imagine the possible loss of profit or huge rip off? Like paying for an emerald and getting dyed quartz, glass or a synthetic stone or viceversa. The colour is emerald like I think but if the ring is 200$ (for example) there's basically no way it's an emerald

 

[IcePhoenix]

There is no way a pawn shop will sell something and not know what it is, can you imagine the possible loss of profit or huge rip off? Like paying for an emerald and getting dyed quartz, glass or a synthetic stone or viceversa. The colour is emerald like I think but if the ring is 200$ (for example) there's basically no way it's an emerald or at most something heavily treated or composite

 

[Lexililac]

Could be a tsavorite garnet....

 

[LorettaB]

I’ll find out for sure what it it. I just know I wanted it because, to me, it was a beautiful ring. And the price was pretty hefty too. I only wish it would have been $200.00. I go to this pawn shop all the time and they have only made one mistake with me over the years and they made it right when I pointed it out to them. If I find out the stone is not one I may want I can always replace it with something else and won’t mind doing it.

 

[LorettaB]

Could be a tsavorite garnet....

You’re the second person to say that. I think you may be right. When I find out for sure I’ll let you know. Thanks!!

 

[Acinom]

Whatever it is, it’s very pretty!!!

 

[LorettaB]

Whatever it is, it’s very pretty!!!

Thank you! I thought it was very pretty too and I just love the diamonds. I always have bought what I loved so that has left me without regrets!!

 

[ChaiK]

Tsavorite.

 

[LorettaB]

Tsavorite.

I have a feeling you know what you’re talking about!! LOL!!

 

[Mrs_Strizzle]

I vote tsav, but could also be a chrome tourmaline...?

 

[ChaiK]

I vote tsav, but could also be a chrome tourmaline...?

Oh

Oh, yes, I was tossing up on that. But I hope your dream comes true and it is a tsavorite! Well, mine would because I love tsavorites. And I would be cheering for this to happen for you.

 

[LorettaB]

There is no way a pawn shop will sell something and not know what it is, can you imagine the possible loss of profit or huge rip off? Like paying for an emerald and getting dyed quartz, glass or a synthetic stone or viceversa. The colour is emerald like I think but if the ring is 200$ (for example) there's basically no way it's an emerald

Search the PriceScope posts titled “Jewelry You Picked Up For a Song.” Oodlesofpoodles” posted about purchasing an emerald and diamond ring at a pawn shop for $1,500. She sent it off for evaluation and appraisal and it was appraised at over $21,000.00. It is a truly stunning ring and that’s the kind of “unicorn”
I’d love to come across one of these days. From what I have observed, pawn shops really concentrate their value on diamonds, not so much the colored stones.

 

[arkieb1]

Emerald, then maybe a Tsav, doesn't look like a tourmaline to me.

 

[Nick_G]

Sometimes you do get lucky. I buy mineral specimens and crystals and I've picked up wrongly-identified things cheap, e.g. rubies sold as spinels, a 56 gram 'zircon' that was a pink spinel, a big cabinet-size specimen of 'peridot' that was actually demantoid garnet, and an 'epidote' that turned out to be a beautiful old-time specimen of alexandrite! These were all from mineral dealers as well.

Fingers crossed that ring is indeed a tsavorite.

 

[LorettaB]

Sometimes you do get lucky. I buy mineral specimens and crystals and I've picked up wrongly-identified things cheap, e.g. rubies sold as spinels, a 56 gram 'zircon' that was a pink spinel, a big cabinet-size specimen of 'peridot' that was actually demantoid garnet, and an 'epidote' that turned out to be a beautiful old-time specimen of alexandrite! These were all from mineral dealers as well.

Fingers crossed that ring is indeed a tsavorite.

An Australian PSer went to an estate sale and bid on a box of odds and ends from a long-deceased jewelers home. (His widow passed, thus the sale.) She won the bid. Turned out to be a trove of precious stones that she’s been enjoying immensely. She first put them in her fish tank with her Lalique fish collection, figured out it may have been gemstones when she noticed facets and then had to practically empty the fish tank to check all the stones. There were also platinum miscellaneous ring mountings. It was a great read!!! Proof that anything can happen!!!

 

[LorettaB]

Sometimes you do get lucky. I buy mineral specimens and crystals and I've picked up wrongly-identified things cheap, e.g. rubies sold as spinels, a 56 gram 'zircon' that was a pink spinel, a big cabinet-size specimen of 'peridot' that was actually demantoid garnet, and an 'epidote' that turned out to be a beautiful old-time specimen of alexandrite! These were all from mineral dealers as well.

Fingers crossed that ring is indeed a tsavorite.

Here’s the saga in case you may not have seen it before.

https://www.pricescope.com/communit...uth-and-her-many-siblings-with-photos.242565/

 

[Nick_G]

Thanks very much Loretta. Wow, what a find! It would be great to get all those rubies tested. If one of them's an unheated Myanmar stone, then there's a good chance there will be others.

There was also an amazing story on here of a blue stone left by a relative that was thought to be fake or costume jewellery. Nope, it turned out it was a fabulous and extremely rare Kashmir sapphire that was worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, maybe more. It may have even been the same poster (Bron357). Not sure.

 

[LorettaB]

Thanks very much Loretta. Wow, what a find! It would be great to get all those rubies tested. If one of them's an unheated Myanmar stone, then there's a good chance there will be others.

There was also an amazing story on here of a blue stone left by a relative that was thought to be fake or costume jewellery. Nope, it turned out it was a fabulous and extremely rare Kashmir sapphire that was worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, maybe more. It may have even been the same poster (Bron357). Not sure.

Those are really my favorite stories/posts....surprise finds!!!

 

[Nick_G]

Did you find out what this stone was LorettaB?

 

[LorettaB]

Did you find out what this stone was LorettaB?

Not yet....work has been crazy for me since the start of the new year. I will get to it soon and will let everyone know when the mystery is solved.....good or bad! LOL!

 

[LorettaB]

Did you find out what this stone was LorettaB?

The stone is with my jeweler over in Louisiana. He swears it's an emerald and will do further testing and check all the the stones. He's been a jeweler for well over 30 years so I am pretty sure he knows what he's talking about. When I told him what I paid for it he said, "D**n good deal!!!"

 

[T L]

The stone is with my jeweler over in Louisiana. He swears it's an emerald and will do further testing and check all the the stones. He's been a jeweler for well over 30 years so I am pretty sure he knows what he's talking about. When I told him what I paid for it he said, "D**n good deal!!!"

Just make sure it’s not a doublet, which could have the same refractive index as emerald. I’ve seen jewelers duped, even ones that have been in the business for decades.

The best person to take it to would be a proper gemologist.

 

[LorettaB]

Just make sure it’s not a doublet, which could have the same refractive index as emerald. I’ve seen jewelers duped, even ones that have been in the business for decades.

The best person to take it to would be a proper gemologist.

I sure will! Thank you for letting me know about that!