Old white opal ring - advice/thoughts needed, please...

[Rae~]

I inherited this ring from my grandmother years ago, and she inherited it either from her mother, or perhaps her grandmother... not sure... As you can see, it is basically unwearable, for a few reasons...

Firstly, the band is worn so thin at the bottom, I would constantly worry about breaking it...

Secondly, some sort of glue/resin (??) has been added to the ring at some stage, I guess to help in keeping the opals in??

Thirdly, well... no real other reason except it's just not really "me" (mainly because I never wear YG).

I wonder if others have had experience with resetting opals in this state? (I would probably want to reset in platinum). I don't even know if the resin can be taken off without damaging the opals - has anyone ever seen this sort of thing before?? Also - I assume opals can be repolished, just like other stones?? (These are really quite dull, as the photos will show... although using a flash didn't help to retain their colour, either...)

I am not even sure yet whether I want to fiddle with this ring - it has a lot of sentimental value as it is, regardless of "wearability". But I thought I would canvass opinions, at least.

The first photo shows the thinness of the band... the second, the overall ring design... and the third, the resin-type substance, up close.

(Sorry, but I have not yet worked out how to add more than one photo per post.... )

Appreciate any and all comments/thoughts.

 

[Rae~]

The ring (the flash washed out the opals a bit - they are a bit more firey than this photo shows...)

 

[Rae~]

The "resin"-type substance, up close... it was probably clear to start with, but has yellowed with age...

FYI, the ring is stamped "CJ", "9ct" and what looks like the beginning of "37..."

Thanks in advance for any responses.

 

[Jennifer5973]

Date: 6/21/2005 12:58:05 PM
Author:Rae~

I am not even sure yet whether I want to fiddle with this ring - it has a lot of sentimental value as it is, regardless of ''wearability''. But I thought I would canvass opinions, at least.

This was my gut reaction at first--it is such an heirloom piece that maybe it is best preserved as it is?

On the other hand, it would be nice for you to wear the stones and carry on the tradition. I can''t comment on the technical aspects of resetting opals; perhaps, once we hear from the experts, that''ll help guide you to the right decision.

 

[valeria101]

The stones do not appear to have been damaged by the yellowed glue so they could be removed. Of course, I don''t have the piecedown here to tell for sure. Your jeweler could easily sort this out.

If you would like to recicle the stones for the sake of their long stay in your family, then why not, but it should not be hard to replace them if just any other set of opals will do.

Just a thought

 

[Richard M.]

Hi,

Whether you decide to refurbish this ring or re-set the stones in platinum there should be no major problems. The setting appears to be European since 9k gold is seldom used in the U.S. The opals were originally bead-set and, after the glue is dissolved in solvent, they can be removed, repolished and properly re-set. The ring can be re-shanked to be entirely wearable. Just be careful about color-matching the gold. Use of the proper solvent will not harm the opals. The biggest problem may be figuring out what kind of adhesive was used.

Or, the stones can be removed, repolished and set in a new platinum mounting -- your choice. I''ve been cutting and setting opals for over 25 years and can assure you that while they need special care, there''s a lot of mythology and misinformation about them. A lot of it shows up in posts right here on PriceScope. Just be sure to find a jeweler who really understands opal to do your work.

Richard M.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 6/21/2005 2:27:32 PM
Author: Richard M.
I''ve been cutting and setting opals for over 25 years and can assure you that while they need special care, there''s a lot of mythology and misinformation about them. A lot of it shows up in posts right here on PriceScope. Just be sure to find a jeweler who really understands opal to do your work.


Richard M.

Would you be willing to give more details?
Sort of an opal 101 for gemstone nutz.

 

[Richard M.]

Date: 6/21/2005 10:37:21 PM
Author: strmrdr

Would you be willing to give more details?

Sort of an opal 101 for gemstone nutz.

[/quote]

In the time I''ve been posting here I''ve noticed a lot of erroneous comments by a number of posters but simply haven''t had the time to address them. One that stands out was the statement that Brazilian precious opal is softer than Australian opal. That just isn''t so. In fact opal from Brazil''s Piaui State is considerably harder than Australian opal. I''ve had enough of both against the cutting wheel to know the difference. Some Piaui crystal opal (a confusing term since it''s amorphous, not crystalline) is nearly as hard as quartz. I don''t yet know why this is, but it''s a fact.

The point is further confused because Brazilian opal has quietly been exported and resold as Australian opal for nearly 30 years. Just as Brazilian emeralds are often sold as Colombian because higher prices attach to Colombian origin, so it''s been with Brazilian opal and Australia. I cut a lot of the Piaui material back in the mid-70s when it first hit the U.S. market and was a friend of a major importer.

Most of the other matters involve the "care and feeding of opal." If you have specific questions I''ll answer them to the best of my ability. I certainly don''t have all the answers -- I learn more about opal every year because there''s a huge amount to know.

Richard M.

 

[Rae~]

Many thanks for everyone''s replies. Richard M - appreciate your input. At least now I know what my options are...

I don''t think I''ll be doing anything with it for a while yet, and as I said, I still feel that I should keep it intact and original.... so perhaps just look at getting it cleaned up and the stones reset... will keep pondering.

Thanks everyone.

 

[glitterata]

That ring is so pretty! If I were you, I would have it fixed up rather than taken to pieces and putting the stones in a different setting. Not only am I a sentimentalist and a lover of antique jewelry, but I just really love the way it looks.

Whatever you decide, may you wear it in good health and pass it on to further generations.