Is this a genuine Ruby?

[Skyelyte]

Hi, I have an antique ring possibly from the 1800s and I am wondering if someone might be able to help me identify the stone in the ring. I believe it is approximately a 20 carat stone but I am just guessing based on the measurement of a diamond. I believe the carat weights between rubies and diamonds might differ though.

The setting has the 14 karat gold engraving on the band. There is no brand name. However, the 14 k engraving appears to have intentionally left off the bottom of the 4, and the bottom of the k. So it appears like 1 delta symbol, then a triangle with an open top. I am not sure if this is a type of signature way to engrave the 14k.

The setting measures 25 x 18 mm. The measurement of the stone is 22 x 15 mm. It is faceted and has no inclusions that I can see with my naked eye, and I have looked under bright sunlight conditions. (I am no expert, in fact I know almost nothing about rubies.) It might be difficult to tell from the photos but the stone is very clear and not cloudy at all.

The color of the ring is a deep red in lower light but when it is in brighter light it has slight purple tones. It also sometimes displays deep pink tones. So the stone seems to change colors depending on the light.

I hope the photo is clear enough for review. I don't have a macro lens but if a clear pic is needed please let me know and I can try again to photograph it. I submitted this to Sotheby's but it appears it takes a long time to get a response.

So I would greatly appreciate it if someone might be able to confirm if 1. the ring is antique. 2. What is the approximate carat size if my guess is not correct. 3. Is his a genuine Ruby and if not what is the stone? 4. If it is a genuine Ruby, to me it does appear to be gem quality so I would like to know if it is worth having lab tested. Last, I wonder if anyone might know a rough guestimate of the value.

Thank you so very much in advance for your time.

Linda

 

[kgizo]

It is impossible to identify a gem just from photos. A lab is your best bet. Have you taken it to a jeweler for a look? They can at least loupe it or use a microscope and might be able to eliminate some possibilities. Why do you think it is from the 1800s?

 

[Skyelyte]

It is impossible to identify a gem just from photos. A lab is your best bet. Have you taken it to a jeweler for a look? They can at least loupe it or use a microscope and might be able to eliminate some possibilities. Why do you think it is from the 1800s?

I was afraid of that. This ring is quite the mystery. I have searched all over online to try to identify it and I have found that rubies are not easy to identify if you are not skilled about them. My son had someone he knew that works at a Pawn shop look at it and he said it was a ruby. I have thought it seems near impossible that it is a ruby due to its size. With that said, of course people that work at pawn shops are not gemologists.

Since it would be so rare to have such a large ruby, I looked at alternatives. I found the

Rhodolite garnet but the color does not seem to match. I know here again, as with rubies colors can vary in the stones. Though mine has more pink and some purple hues depending on the light than at least the example above does. I also found the red spinel so I guess it could be one of these three. With that said there could be more red stones I have not found.


I have not taken it to a jeweler yet. I have thought in the very rare chance this is genuine I won't trust it to just anyone so I have to go out of town to find a reputable jeweler. I have submitted an appraisal to Southeby's to see if they could give me information. That seems to be a long process because I submitted it weeks ago and still have not heard back. I read that Christie's takes 6-8 weeks so I am thinking this may be the turn around time for Sotheby's and I will likely get the same answer that they want me to bring the ring in. So that is an option too if they recommend this to take it into the NYC location.

Regarding the 'guess' that this ring appears to be an antique- we have a family member that has sold antiques for 30 years and we were told by this person that it was. The person said the soldering on the ring was done before modern times with more modern tools. I looked online (where I understand the internet is not an education) and I did find a similar gold ring setting (with a much smaller stone) that was a pretty close match to this that dated to the Victorian era. So I can only say this is all complete guesswork for me and I have only one example that seemed to substantiate the ring is an antique. If it is from the Victorian era I have thought maybe it makes it at least unlikely to be synthesized as this technique was a later development?

The amount of gold in the setting, I have thought is quite a substantial amount since the setting is so large. I have been surmising on everything at this stage and I thought the stone had to have some value to put the investment into this much gold. But I could be wrong of course. I was hoping someone that knew more about rubies might be able to get me pointed in some direction of what the stone might be so I know if it at least it is worth investing in a lab test.

Thank you so very much for your help. I guess the only way I will get the mystery of this ring solved is to make an appointment with a gemologist.

 

[Skyelyte]

Oh yes and btw, this stone seems to be pretty durable. I read about scratch tests and I just didn't want to take a chance even if it isn't a genuine ruby it is a beautiful ring and stone. However, I wear it every day and I never take it off for even heavy chores and this stone has not been damaged in any way by anything I put it through.

 

[kgizo]

It is a very pretty and unique ring and I can see why you wear it every day. It could be a natural stone or it could be a synthetic ruby like this one. Please come back and let us know the results after you meet with a gemologist.

 

[Skyelyte]

It is a very pretty and unique ring and I can see why you wear it every day. It could be a natural stone or it could be a synthetic ruby like this one. Please come back and let us know the results after you meet with a gemologist.

I bet that makes much more sense due to the size of the stone. Though, I thought my family member could be right about the time period. It looks like maybe he wasn't?

Ok thank you so very much for your help! I appreciate it! I will follow up

 

[Skyelyte]

Thank you again. I have thought about it. I won't invest in lab testing. That is a few hundred dollars at minimum and if the ring is worth 150 dollars when I was offered twice that on the gold value of it, I still say it is a pretty everyday ring for me to wear. Thanks for solving this mystery!!

I am sure you are right and it is a simulated stone. Because someone in my family believed it to be an antique, I was curious. Problem resolved it is not real. No gemologist needed I don't believe at this stage.

Thank you again!

 

[Skyelyte]

I told hubby based on what you said, the Hannoush Jewelers chore is off the list for tomorrow. I am happy as well to take this chore off my list.

 

[Skyelyte]

Follow up we went to a few Jewelers today. Zales & Michael's. They are perplexed. Someone inspected the band and she said it is 14k. She said but I can not know if it is gold without an acid test. She said, "I recommend a Pawn Shop". I said it was already checked by a Pawn Shop. The gold is real according to them and they Id'd my ring as a ruby. She said, it is unlikely a simulated stone would be put in a gold setting. (I thought that too.)

The attached Ebay photo is helpful because to me the gold looks too yellow and does not look like real gold to me let alone a genuine ruby.

At the second jewelers after I handed my ring to the manager my husband hit my shoulder and said,

" If it is real she will run. If it is fake, she will give it back. She gave it back" LOL

 

[partgypsy]

That's simply not true, that a simulated stone will not be set in real gold. You can see plenty of old jewelry and also current jewelry where that is not true.

 

[Skyelyte]

That's simply not true, that a simulated stone will not be set in real gold. You can see plenty of old jewelry and also current jewelry where that is not true.

Well, I admit I don't know a thing about simulated stones. When the woman at Zale's said it, I thought she knew better than I did. I guess I just find it very strange that someone would spend that much on gold to have a simulated stone at least with a ring this size. With that said, the manager (I believe she was) said you can't distinguish a simulated ruby from a real ruby so maybe that is the appeal.

In any event, it is a catch 22. I don't want to invest in sending it to an appraiser if the ring isn't worth more than the value of the gold and if I don't I might never know.

Thanks for the information. I appreciate it. This is all a learning process for me.

 

[Skyelyte]

That's simply not true, that a simulated stone will not be set in real gold. You can see plenty of old jewelry and also current jewelry where that is not true.

I thought I would try to look around more at synthetic stones. So you are right that I am wrong. LOL I found this lab created ruby with platinum and diamonds and it is an antique. So I just learned something else new because I thought I had read synthetic rings weren't made until the 20s or 30s.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/582833...E-JPEBrFoU7gbAZRjT182FomY5E31eUxoCD_8QAvD_BwE

 

[collier]

Synthetic sapphire and ruby very common in several periods, including on of my favorites art deco many times set in 14k, 18k or platinum with real diamonds. I just checked eBay and there are over 500 examples of synthetic ruby in 14k alone. It is a lovely ring, enjoy wearing it!