Grandma's Vintage Ring

[TangentRuby]

I got this ring when my grandma passed away. I never saw her wearing it, but I know she got a few rings from when her mother passed away, so it might have been hers. I've been told that the stones are probably lab made Alexanderite and that the setting looks older. The stones do change colors depending on the lighting. Inside my work (florescent) they are a weak purple, almost greyish, color. I've also had them turn green, pinkish/purple, and a deeper purple.

Any idea what the stones might be? And if they are lab created Alex, any idea the method? Also, any idea how old the setting might be? Thank you. If it means anything the setting is 14k gold.

 

[kgizo]

That setting has a 1980s feel to me. Check out the Colored Stones forum and search for alexandrite. There are a few posts about natural and synthetic alex that may be of interest to you.

 

[Bron357]

There are a few gemstones that “colour change”. I don’t think yours are old style synthetic Alexandrite - normally a very deep purple in daylight going to a vivid pink purple in candlelight. Alex colour change is meant to be blue / green in daylight to purple / red in incandescent light. Yours appears to be brownish yellow to pale purple. Could still be synthetic or maybe a natural gem. Sapphire, garnet and flourite can be colour change gems. It could also be another variety of colour change Chrysoberyl. That’s my thought. Alex is Chrysoberyl but it has to be blue/ green daylight to purple red incandescent to qualify as being called Alexandrite. You might need to have it properly assessed by a gemologist - a random jeweler isn’t necessarily going to be able to ID accurately using just eyes and a Presidum gem tester.

 

[TangentRuby]

I'll have to look into that. Thank you.

That setting has a 1980s feel to me. Check out the Colored Stones forum and search for alexandrite. There are a few posts about natural and synthetic alex that may be of interest to you.

 

[TangentRuby]

Thank you. I'll look at a few other stones and see if I can figure it out.

There are a few gemstones that “colour change”. I don’t think yours are old style synthetic Alexandrite - normally a very deep purple in daylight going to a vivid pink purple in candlelight. Alex colour change is meant to be blue / green in daylight to purple / red in incandescent light. Yours appears to be brownish yellow to pale purple. Could still be synthetic or maybe a natural gem. Sapphire, garnet and flourite can be colour change gems. It could also be another variety of colour change Chrysoberyl. That’s my thought. Alex is Chrysoberyl but it has to be blue/ green daylight to purple red incandescent to qualify as being called Alexandrite. You might need to have it properly assessed by a gemologist - a random jeweler isn’t necessarily going to be able to ID accurately using just eyes and a Presidum gem tester.