Inherited ring - point cut? Need more info!

[krawhitham]

Hello friends,

I'm new to these boards. I recently inherited a ring that I was told is a diamond ring. It was from my side of the family that came from Syria a few generations ago and I was told it could possibly even be from that part of the world. I feel this is all speculation, so I wanted to post a couple of pictures to have someone more experienced give me their take on it.

Please ask questions, I'll do my best to answer. I do not know anything about diamonds or jewelry in general!

 

[VRBeauty]

It's entirely possible that the stones in your ring are "rough cut" diamonds, but it's impossible to tell from pictures alone. I will say that it's very unusual to see a diamond fractured as the ring's largest stone is... but that doesn't necessarily rule out diamond. A jeweler or even a good pawn shop may be able to give you a better assessment. I've taken "mystery stones" to a trusted local pawn shop, and they'll test it with a refractometer (and who knows what else) for less than $50. Whatever the stones are, it's a lovely ring with a special history. I hope you'll enjoy wearing it.

BTW if you haven't already given it a good cleaning, my usual process is to soak my rings in very warm water with a few drops of dish washing liquid, followed by a gentle scrubbing with a baby toothbrush. Rinse, dry with a clean cotton towel, and you're ready to go. My other process is to take it to a local jeweler for a good steam cleaning.

 

[krawhitham]

Thank you so much for your insights! I will take it to someone with a refractometer. I did clean it / soak it in warm water and dish soap and it looks a lot brighter than before. I will see if I can have it cleaned professionally!

 

[Rhea]

Be careful with cleaning it! If the stones are foil backed water will ruin that backing!

 

[krawhitham]

what are characteristics of foil-backed stones? Is there any way for me to tell by looking? Do they have particular settings or is it a vintage/antique thing?

 

[chrono]

what are characteristics of foil-backed stones? Is there any way for me to tell by looking? Do they have particular settings or is it a vintage/antique thing?

Look at the underside of the setting. Is it closed or open? There is a higher chance of it being foil backed if the underside is covered with metal.