Is this really a star sapphire?

[jstarfireb]

A few recent posts about star sapphires got me thinking. I have a ring that was sold to me as an estate piece several years ago by a local jeweler who is no longer in business. The price was very reasonable (<$100 IIRC). It''s quite small, maybe 4mm x 5mm or so, but the star is very pronounced, and the color is a vivid fuchsia:

However, after looking at star sapphires online, I see prices that are much higher than what I paid (albeit for larger stones). So I have a few questions...is is possible that this is synthetic? Are synthetic star sapphires even made and sold? Is it possible that it''s not a sapphire but rather another gemstone with asterism? What might it be if not corundum? What do you experts think it really is?

Thanks in advance. I love it either way, just curious!

 

[Fly Girl]

Linde stars were very, very popular back in my high school days in the late 60s/early 70s. That sure looks like one to me. They are synthetic star sapphires. Here is one that is out on eBay right now for $44. Link

 

[jstarfireb]

Thanks, Fly Girl! I looked up Linde and found this:

"The best star sapphire is one that is translucent, actually nearly transparent, blue in color and and the six rays of silver white starts out from the centre of the gem. You ought to be able to ''move'' the centre of the rays to any side of the stone.

The result would be a bit like some of the six rays would elongate and some ''legs'' would be longer than the other. This is a good test to find out if your Star Sapphire is genuine corundum star sapphire.

Then you get the quartz star , and the moonstone (feldspar) star. Both of which look more ''soapy'' than the corundum star.

The ''Linde'' star sapphire is a synthetic star sapphire that tries to mimic the genuine star sapphire. Do not be fooled. In a ''Linde'' star sapphire the rays are ''fixed'' and does not "move" unlike the genuine star sapphire."

(from The Ceylon Sapphire Company)

The thing is...the rays/center point of my star DO move! Perhaps it''s a quartz or moonstone? It definitely looks opaque and a little "soapy." Do those come in pink?

 

[Fly Girl]

It is my understanding that Linde stars do move when turned. Link

 

[jstarfireb]

Ohh, gotcha! Based on what the 2 Richards in the thread say (as well as your advice), it''s probably a Linde then. No matter; it''s beautiful and affordable!

 

[Fly Girl]

Date: 9/2/2009 12:12:24 AM
Author: jstarfireb
Ohh, gotcha! Based on what the 2 Richards in the thread say (as well as your advice), it''s probably a Linde then. No matter; it''s beautiful and affordable!

I love them, probably because they were so popular back in the day.

Enjoy! It is a super fun ring to wear!

 

[Barrett]

very impressive flygirl..you were spot on on that one..

 

[Fly Girl]

Date: 9/2/2009 12:19:19 AM
Author: amethystguy
very impressive flygirl..you were spot on on that one..

LOL! Thanks, amguy. Yeah, I''m still learning about most other colored gemstones, but I sure know my Linde stars!

 

[ma re]

It''s hard to tell anything without the stone in question being examined by a gemologist, but I''m pretty certain that that''s neither a quartz, nor a moonstone. Main reason? Never in my life have a seen examples of either of those varieties cut in such small sizes. Generally, they''re much larger, as they''re not very rare, nor very expensive. This stone is also too opaque to be any of those.

 

[chrono]

Whatever it may be (Linde or real), you can’t go wrong for under $100. Both the stone and setting are attractive.

 

[glitterata]

I''m confident that''s a synthetic star sapphire, probably a Linde. I have a soft spot for those. It''s very pretty, isn''t it?

 

[Richard M.]

All,

Just a technical and historical note. Genuine Linde synthetic star sapphires and rubies always have a stylized "L" engraved on the back. They haven''t produced this material for many years and their patents expired long ago.

Now there are many other producers around the world and synthetic star corundum in many colors is widely available. This ruby and sapphire are some I picked up not long ago just to have them documented in my personal collection. They are made using the same process pioneered by Linde in the 1950s.

 

[jstarfireb]

Thanks everyone! Since it''s already mounted, I can''t really look for the L (tried but couldn''t see enough of the back of the stone). It may in fact be a true Linde because I bought it many years ago as an estate piece, so who knows how old it actually is...

Richard, is Linde and its generic variants genuine corundum? Or is it a simulant?

 

[Richard M.]

Date: 9/3/2009 11:30:25 AM
Author: jstarfireb


Richard, is Linde and its generic variants genuine corundum? Or is it a simulant?

They are genuine "synthetic" corundum, i.e., a man-made counterpart of a natural substance. A "simulant" is material that "simulates" or mimics the appearance of another gem. Glass is often used as a gem simulant, but cubic zirconia is synthetic (man-made") and it''s also often used as a diamond simulant.

 

[jstarfireb]

Gotcha - thanks, Richard! I do prefer genuine synthetic gemstones over simulants (glass etc.) in general, so it''s nice to know it has the same chemical structure as a natural mined sapphire.