Blue spinel
- Thread starter Ruzica
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icy_jade
Ideal_Rock
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JackTrick
Brilliant_Rock
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The colour and clarity would suggest lab grown spinel.
Lab grown spinel is virtually identical in composition to natural spinel except the crystals can be grown very large, in perfect tone and hue and without inclusions.
Some jewellery stores, without the benefit of a gemologist, rely on a machine called a Presidium Gem tester to identify gems. Such a machine can be helpful and correct separating some gemstones from others say amethyst from purple sapphire, diamonds from CZ, white sapphire and white topaz, BUT the machine can’t differentiate between material dug out of the ground from material of the same composition created in a controlled lab environment.
Lab grown spinel is virtually identical in composition to natural spinel except the crystals can be grown very large, in perfect tone and hue and without inclusions.
Some jewellery stores, without the benefit of a gemologist, rely on a machine called a Presidium Gem tester to identify gems. Such a machine can be helpful and correct separating some gemstones from others say amethyst from purple sapphire, diamonds from CZ, white sapphire and white topaz, BUT the machine can’t differentiate between material dug out of the ground from material of the same composition created in a controlled lab environment.
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Your Grandma had excellent taste in jewellery.
I have a couple of beautiful rings with lab grown spinel and it’s an excellent material for frequently worn rings. Some gemstones aren’t as robust for everyday wear.
If you were wanting to sell the ring /s it would be important to know if the gemstone was natural (from the ground), if there were any treatments or if lab created because natural is worth much much more. You need a lab report to be sure and buyers of an expensive natural gemstone expect a lab report.
There is absolutely nothing “wrong” with lab created gemstones, they can be just as beautiful, just as hard wearing as natural ones but they are not worth much because lots and lots can and have been made.
The second ring looks like Onyx.
I have a couple of beautiful rings with lab grown spinel and it’s an excellent material for frequently worn rings. Some gemstones aren’t as robust for everyday wear.
If you were wanting to sell the ring /s it would be important to know if the gemstone was natural (from the ground), if there were any treatments or if lab created because natural is worth much much more. You need a lab report to be sure and buyers of an expensive natural gemstone expect a lab report.
There is absolutely nothing “wrong” with lab created gemstones, they can be just as beautiful, just as hard wearing as natural ones but they are not worth much because lots and lots can and have been made.
The second ring looks like Onyx.
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I have to say it looks more likely to be synthetic spinel than natural spinel, just based on the colour (although size and clarity also suggests synthetic).
Yes you should send it to a lab for peace if mind. This step is also especially important if you are considering selling it down the line. As most of us are going to apriori assume that is synthetic (it just looks so likely based on colour/size/clarity), you will need the lab report to establish it is natural.
Any hallmarks on the ring? I would probably want to know the setting was gold before outlaying cash for the lab report/shipping.
Yes you should send it to a lab for peace if mind. This step is also especially important if you are considering selling it down the line. As most of us are going to apriori assume that is synthetic (it just looks so likely based on colour/size/clarity), you will need the lab report to establish it is natural.
Any hallmarks on the ring? I would probably want to know the setting was gold before outlaying cash for the lab report/shipping.
In fact I want to fix the ring because it is broken on back side or take out the stone and make a new ring with white gold.
Previously, the ring was sent to Slovenia in the workshop of Zlatarna celje because is their original ring from 1960... For some reason they didn’t want to fix it but they said the stone is spinel. The ring is gold and the stamp mark is very worn. The stone is in good condition since the ring is worn often.
Previously, the ring was sent to Slovenia in the workshop of Zlatarna celje because is their original ring from 1960... For some reason they didn’t want to fix it but they said the stone is spinel. The ring is gold and the stamp mark is very worn. The stone is in good condition since the ring is worn often.
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In that case send it to the lab before you pay for the new setting. The lab fees will be a lot less than the cost of the gold to build the new setting -- at the moment gold is expensive and that is a large stone.
Sorry would not feel confident id-ing based on inclusions -- synthetics typically have bubles and growth lines depending on the process used to grow the crystal. Although many synthetic stones have fewer inclusions than their natural counterparts. So you really need to see if properly and be able to recognize the difference between synthetic and natural inclusions.
fredflintstone
Brilliant_Rock
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I would say synthetic, based on everything read from you & the inclusions do not look natural. Could be wrong.
If it is real, it would be worth a tidy sum. But the size would be extraordinary for a natural blue Spinel that color. You just don't see them that big.
Being a "very old" ring, it makes it even more suspect of synthetic Spinel or Sapphire, which has been around if I remember correctly since the 1880's. There was so much produced in the late 1800's that natural ruby and Sapphire fell in price substantially before making a return in price.
Send it to a lab. But the report will cost you more than the stone is worth if synthetic. If synthetic the worth of the stone is around $10.00, but synthetics are so plentiful that the stone alone probably would not attract a buyer. Sorry.
If it is real, it would be worth a tidy sum. But the size would be extraordinary for a natural blue Spinel that color. You just don't see them that big.
Being a "very old" ring, it makes it even more suspect of synthetic Spinel or Sapphire, which has been around if I remember correctly since the 1880's. There was so much produced in the late 1800's that natural ruby and Sapphire fell in price substantially before making a return in price.
Send it to a lab. But the report will cost you more than the stone is worth if synthetic. If synthetic the worth of the stone is around $10.00, but synthetics are so plentiful that the stone alone probably would not attract a buyer. Sorry.
Beautiful-disaster
Shiny_Rock
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Can anyone tell me a little more about this stone?
Hi I have an 8.08 blue spinel ring set in 18k white gold with small diamonds in setting please can someone advise the value as I wish to sell
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you need to start a new thread.
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It’s very rare for natural blue spinel to be cut as a rectangular octagon, especially in that size. They’re often cut into rounds or ovals due to their crystal structure. Synthetic spinel was very common back in the mid 20th century as an aquamarine or sapphire simulant. My MIL who is in her 90’s, has an almost identical looking stone to thus. She thought it was a natural aquamarine, but I knew it was synthetic spinel.
Lovely ring.
Lovely ring.
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