HI I am new and need some advice - Alexandrite

[edsinger]

This is what I know, my dad purchased a ring for my mother in the early 60's, I think in Holland but I know it was Europe.

My mother said it was Alexandrite so I have been doing some reading and about had a stroke.

This is about 4 carats etc...

This is the inside color....Purple to both the wife and I (purple with a hint of red)







Here is the outside picture......to me it looks purplish, to the wife greenish/blue. Again I thought she was seeing things as I am not colorblind. The pictures sure show a blueish/green color but it does not appear to me that way although the wife insists it is. Maybe I am getting old and can not see anymore.




Can someone who knows these stones comment and tell me if what I have is a quality Alexandrite or not? I do not think it can be fake as I can verify the history and know it is 50+ years old.

 

[T L]

A clean, well cut, four carat stone like that is more likely to be synthetic color shift corundum.

 

[edsinger]

Synthetic from the early 60's?



I am convinced that I must be partially color blind because I see purple but the wife sees greenish blue and the picture shows blue.


I am just curious to know and will have to call around to a jewler that knows these stones.

What I have found out as by the age of the stone it has to be from the Ural Mountains, as the African stones did not come along till the late 60's early seventies.

A neat journey to be sure.

 

[edsinger]

Well on this forum I think I have my answer,


https://www.pricescope.com/communit...if-alexandrite-is-real-natural-or-lab.169211/

 

[Marlow]

Why not from the early 60th??? Please google Verneuil.

 

[edsinger]

I did and I am learning.....there are some more things that lead me to believe it is synthetic..

(1) My mom would have hocked it if worth north of $1000 let alone more than that
(2) The setting looks cheap for such a rare stone
(3) odds
(4) Could have had a stone swap at some point
(5) Odds again


Those in favor

(1) My dad did not buy cheap crap, he made good money in the 60's while working in Europe
(2) He would have bought at a good store back then
(3) the color seems right

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Synthetics were not necessarily seen as bad in the 60s (even today you can find synthetics in good stores), specially those exhibiting phenomena (synthetic star sapphires were also common). It was not necessarily cheap.

The colour change is very typical of synthetic corundum, as TL mentioned.

 

[Starzin]

Synthetics were not necessarily seen as bad in the 60s (even today you can find synthetics in good stores), specially those exhibiting phenomena (synthetic star sapphires were also common). It was not necessarily cheap.

The colour change is very typical of synthetic corundum, as TL mentioned.

+1 on the fact they were around at the beginning of the 1900s - i.e. 50 years earlier than yours. Also, as LadyD says, they were not necessarily (nor considered) cheap.

 

[lilmosun]

edsinger -

To my amateur eye, your stone sounds/looks similar to those found in a ring my mom bought at an antique shop.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/purple-stones-that-shift-flash-pink-and-blue.205431/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/purple-stones-that-shift-flash-pink-and-blue.205431/[/URL]

I originally thought mine were amethysts and struggled when I began to suspect they were not even real gemstones. So I understand/share the disappointment.

As CS'ers seemed to support my gut feeling the stones were synthetic, I also wondered if the stones were replaced at one time which would have been truly disappointing. So I am finding the information on this thread about the history of synthetic alexandrite here fascinating. The fact that the stones may be the original helps to reinforce my decision to keep my ring as is - an interesting vintage piece. Ans as an FYI, my rings gets more inquiries than some of my real gemstones - good vintage pieces, even with synthetics, can be fun to wear and own - and there is demand for it.

 

[edsinger]

Well it saved my post as a draft...


Color of this to me is as the pictures except, outside wife says more green than blue....to me outside it is still purple.


Odds are synthetic Sapphire so any estimate of value?

You see my mother gave each of us a ring, one a big Ruby (75%) sure its real but if this is ring above is not then we need to work between ourselves to estimate value etc.

 

[Starzin]

You see my mother gave each of us a ring, one a big Ruby (75%) sure its real but if this is ring above is not then we need to work between ourselves to estimate value etc.

In that case you need to send both the "alexandrite" and the "ruby" to AGL for a gem brief to find out exactly what they are instead of asking people on a forum to tell via pictures. We can only make best guesses and we've told you those. Or you could take them to an independent appraiser as a first step in ascertaining whether either stone is worth anything.

ETA: The ruby could also be suspect if it's "big". Note that AGL will tell you what it is but not how much it's worth. An appraiser can likely tell what it is in order to tell you what it's worth, but not any level of treatment - i.e. the ruby could be glass-filled and almost worthless but an appraiser won't be able to tell you that.

 

[edsinger]

Yeah we have been discussing doing just that but are in no hurry at this time for other reasons.

The ruby is almost surely real as my Step Father was a huge rock hound and knew his stones. He was positive. It came from Japan in 46 I think.....

 

[Starzin]

It's good that you've had those discussions because it really is the only true and fair way to know the truth of the matter. When the time is right, you can decide then.

I'm sorry but age is no guarantee of authenticity as you will likely discover with the alex. However best of luck with both and we would really love you to come back - whenever you find out - and solve the mystery for us too!

 

[Starzin]

As CS'ers seemed to support my gut feeling the stones were synthetic, I also wondered if the stones were replaced at one time which would have been truly disappointing. So I am finding the information on this thread about the history of synthetic alexandrite here fascinating. The fact that the stones may be the original helps to reinforce my decision to keep my ring as is - an interesting vintage piece. Ans as an FYI, my rings gets more inquiries than some of my real gemstones - good vintage pieces, even with synthetics, can be fun to wear and own - and there is demand for it.

Please enjoy your ring for it's distinctive colour changes and the compliments!

FWIW... I once had a synthetic "alex" about the size of the one posted at the top of this thread, set nicely in YG, I bought it from a friend of my mother's for $10. She had bought it as a fashion ring, so neither of us were under any illusions as to it's value though she originally paid a lot more than I eventually did (and she had set the price). But it was fun to watch the colour change from teal outside to pink/purple inside, and yes, it caused quite a few people to do a double take.

ETA: In the nearly four years I've been haunting the CS forum here, I can't remember a case where someone came and said "Do you think this is an alexandrite?" and an AGL brief said yes. TL or Chrono may be able to remember one and when I have time it would be good to have a little search

 

[chrono]

You seem very sure that the both the ruby and alexandrite are real, in which case, it is best that you send them to AGL for verification for confirmation and to find out the level of treatment of the ruby. Unfortunately, treatment of gemstones began way back during the Roman Era so age/time is a poor indicator of safeness.