Star Sapphire - How to tell if it is synthetic?

[CharmyPoo]

I am in a small town for business and walked by an 8 floor pawn shop. I walked in and found a lovely star sapphire ring - they seem like honest and knowledgeable people and told me it was an authentic stone. They were upfront about the stones that were synthentic. However, without a certification I am just not sure.

Is there an easy way to tell if a star sapphire is synthentic? How about treated?

 

[CharmyPoo]

No one was answering probably because this question was answered so many times. I decided to use the search function (I was being lazy). This stone does look a little too perfect. But bottom is not polished and no L engraving. Also, the star follows the light source. Any chance it is natural?

 

[chrono]

I''m so sorry Charmy. I must have missed your post. There''s really no way to be able to tell about treatment without some high powered tools. Even the method for checking synthetic isn''t fool proof but at least it''s a start.

 

[RubyCharm]

Star sapphires that look too perfect (i.e., intense/attractive body color, sharp prominent star with 6 fairly straight legs, great clarity, etc.) are most likely synthetic or natural but enhanced in some way (e.g., diffused star). Natural untreated star sapphires with a great body color and a sharp/strong asterism are very rare and highly valued. The only way of finding out whether this particular star sapphire is in fact natural & untreated is to send it to one of the major labs (e.g., AGTA) for verification. However, if the ring is not that expensive (in the thousands at the very least), I would suspect the stone is synthetic (if it's vivid blue, super clean, and has a perfect star).

 

[CharmyPoo]

I finally got around to taking a photo of the star sapphire ring. I am fairly certain that it is synthetic but it wasn''t expensive and I thought it was cute. The bottom is not polished and there was no marking. The star is a little too perfect but it does follow around the light source even though I heard the synthetic ones do this as well.

 

[chrono]

The star sapphire has good blue colour and the legs are extremely straight, even and strong. I would suspect synthetic too but what the heck, it''s too pretty not to enjoy wearing it plus you didn''t pay an arm and a leg for it.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Pretty ring! I agree that it looks like either synthetic or diffused. But as long as you paid a good price and knew the risk (says the person with a diffused star on her finger

)