Real/Synthetic?????

[marriahlyn]

I was just gifted a very nice ruby from my MIL. It was given to her 35 years ago and has some inclusions in the bottom. I was wondering how anyone can tell whether it''s real or synthetic. If it''s synthetic, I don''t care, it''s SCRUMPTIOUS, but if it''s real it huge and worth a mint and I need it insured.

I''m also getting a ring made and don''t want to send it out without proper insurance whether I want to send it out or not.

Please let me know.

Jaime

 

[widget]

Hmm, My first thought is that if it''s "huge" then it''s probably synthetic. Big beautiful natural rubies were rare and very costly 30 years ago too!!

Did your MIL give you any idea of where it came from and how much it originally cost?

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[marriahlyn]

It was a gift to her from a slightly weathly person. It''s probably synthetic though. I just wanted to know how you tell the difference. The stone is 12 X 8 1/2 emerald/modified cushion cut.

 

[Catmom]

Marriahlyn,

Here is a picture of my synthetic ruby. Does it look anything at all like this[barring the fact that this is round and not square]? Is the setting heavy or light? I was told once that a good hint for a synthetic stone is if the setting is light and hollowish. One thing that stands out to me is that you said it has inclusions. My synthetic has none that I can see. It''s very clear in that regard so maybe yours isn''t synthetic? I think you should have it looked at right away.

 

[marriahlyn]

Nope mine looks nothing like that but it might be due to the cut. It''s blood red with a very even color. That''s what leads me to believe that it''s fake. BUT, on the bottom of the stone you can see little specs all over. It''s locked up right now but I''m taking it in this week to get checked, I just don''t know the process because synthetic is actually corrundum (sp?) too and how to tell if it''s real or fake. I''m really leaning towards synthetic because it''s too amazing to be real. If it IS real, I''m going to freak out.

 

[marriahlyn]

And.......my MIL had the stone set years ago so that doesn''t give me any clue. It''s in a very secure older setting but she''s got size 4 fingers so the ring isn''t "bulky".

I am going to have to google this question.

 

[marriahlyn]

QUOTE

"A synthetic ruby is nearly identical to the natural gem in physical appearance, chemical composition and optical properties and can easily be confused with genuine ruby by an untrained eye. Only a trained gemologist can tell the difference by locating telltale inclusions in the stone. Inclusions are common in real stones. They are not indicative of lower quality, but show the difference between a natural and a synthetic stone."

I do know that synthetics can have inclusions too. My local jeweler told me he''s 75% sure it''s synthetic. If it''s real, I''m sitting on a goldmine.

 

[Richard Sherwood]

"Huge" = synthetic, 99.9% of the time.

But the 0.1% makes it worth getting checked.

 

[marriahlyn]

But Richard how do they tell the difference??? AND next time I'm down in Bradenton, would love to come visit your labs!! I go once a year.

 

[marriahlyn]

By the way Richard, I''m from down there..........was born almost 30 years ago at Manatee Memorial Hospital!!

 

[valeria101]

Date: 2/27/2006 12:33:23 PM
Author: marriahlyn

But Richard how do they tell the difference?

It isn''t very easy... aside the common-sense ID, the type of inclusions and crystal growth tell the tale. Possibly fluorescence, if it is there... Things like this. Each type of synthetic has its own signature, and most gemology courses have a section dedicated to these problems.

Funny how synthetics and natural color stones are considered such different animals. Most of the time, it is the cut, the setting and the context in which the gem is presented that make them ''look fake''. Not the material itself.

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Date: 2/27/2006 12:34:17 PM
Author: marriahlyn
By the way Richard, I''m from down there..........was born almost 30 years ago at Manatee Memorial Hospital!!

So we''re practically ex-neighbors. Cool...

The seperation of synthetic versus natural is mainly determined by the nature of the inclusions. The fast-growth synthetics have different inclusions than the slow-growth naturals.