What do you think about my old-fashioned ring with blue sapphire?

[Jello]

Hi everyone, I wanna show you my old-fashioned bezel gold ring with round blue sapphire (size of the stone: diameter ~12 mm, height ~8 mm). The gem is clear, under magnification has got a lot of inclusions, which aren't visible with naked eye. The stone has got modified diamond cut on the top and pavilon three step cut on the bottom, it has some small cavities. The sapphire has beautiful blue colour with reddish sparkles, visible under clear glass tungsten bulb light. Under UV light the stone is red, under candle light has purple hue. The ring is very old, it is in my family from over 50 years. Below you've got photos of it, you can also watch video

Write, what you think about my ring

 

[voce]

Hi everyone, I wanna show you my old-fashioned bezel gold ring with round blue sapphire (size of the stone: diameter ~12 mm, height ~8 mm). The gem is clear, under magnification has got a lot of inclusions, which aren't visible with naked eye. The stone has got modified diamond cut on the top and pavilon three step cut on the bottom, it has some small cavities. The sapphire has beautiful blue colour with reddish sparkles, visible under clear glass tungsten bulb light. Under UV light the stone is red, under candle light has purple hue. The ring is very old, it is in my family from over 50 years. Below you've got photos of it, you can also watch video

Write, what you think about my ring

Your ring is very beautiful, kudos for keeping it in that condition if it's 50 years old. The description about it turning red under UV and even having red sparkles under incandescent has got me wondering if it's synthetic. Have you ever sent it to a gem lab like GIA or AGL for identification?

 

[distracts]

Your ring is very beautiful, kudos for keeping it in that condition if it's 50 years old. The description about it turning red under UV and even having red sparkles under incandescent has got me wondering if it's synthetic. Have you ever sent it to a gem lab like GIA or AGL for identification?

I too suspect synthetic, based on those attributes, size, color, and type of setting. That does not at all diminish its beauty because it sure is gorgeous!

 

[CHRISTY-DANIELLE]

Beautiful color and love the setting!

 

[Jello]

Hi, thanks for opinions. As far as I know, the gem is natural, my mum bought it from husband of sister her sister-in-law, he was jeweler. She didn't wear the ring, so because of that it is in good condition. I don't have any certificate, but I' ve made some tests. First of all, it is red under UV light and I've red that naturals gems and spinels are red under UV. I checked it under polarized source of light, during observation through polarized filter, it gets dark and bright, so it shows that is sapphire, because it has trigonal structure and spinels don't have it. I've red also that syntetic sapphire are chalky blue in UV. Under magnification, there are inclusions, the same which I have seen in Internet, in pictures of ceylon sapphire. I also found one inclusion which looks like fingerprint. My sapphire has got some cavities, I've red in Internet that is typical for naturals sapphires. So I suppose that is natural, although as I say I don't have any certificate.

 

[chrono]

I'm sorry if this comes off as rude but that ring looks very familiar, as in I've seen posted here in the past and asking similar questions.

 

[MainSequence]

I thought only a lab could definitively determine if a stone is synthetic or natural. Ultimately though, if you aren't selling it and it makes you happy, it really doesn't matter Wear it in good health!

 

[MainSequence]

Oh, this is interesting! I follow a lot of jewelers & gemologists on instagram (for the eye candy!) and just saw this post:

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

They show an example of a cobalt-filled sapphire that someone had purchased not knowing it was altered (and to be honest, I doubt I could tell at a glance either!) But one thing they note is that under UV light, a natural sapphire should be inert, with the exception of some Sri Lankan stones that have apricot fluorescence. Red under UV light can be indicative of cobalt filling. Their third picture in that post shows the red flash under UV for that stone. So it's quite possible that your stone is not synthetic, but perhaps filled with cobalt.

 

[icy_jade]

“Under UV light the stone is red”

Blue sapphires don’t usually turn red under UV.

Would you be curious enough to send to a gemologist to check for you? A decent one should be able to tell if it’s natural or not. If you mention which area you stay in others may be able to point you to a decent one in your area.

FWIW I think it’s a beautiful ring and as others have said, it doesn’t matter so long as you like the ring.

 

[CSpan]

I just adore the setting, thank you for sharing

 

[Jello]

 

[Jello]

Hi, I don't think that my sapphire is filling with cobalt because I don't see typical cracks what you can see on video above “Under UV light the stone is red" , but is very similar colour and inclusions to this picture below. Read this article about magnetism and interesting things about fluorescence https://www.gemstonemagnetism.com/sapphire_and_ruby.html By the way I live in Poland and I'm looking for good lab. Thanks for all coments

 

[icy_jade]

Hey I just dug a bit more and found this

From the head gemologist of AGL, Christopher Smith.

"Blue sapphires may indeed fluoresce. Although iron will suppress fluorescence, if there is enough chromium a stone will have a red/reddish fluorescence reaction to LWUV. If you have other elements such as magnesium, a sapphire may have an orangey fluorescence reaction. Depending on the distribution of these elements, the fluorescence could be in bands or zones, as well as throughout. In some heated sapphires you may also observe a whitish or chalky fluorescence reaction to SWUV."

Hope that's good news, but if you're really worried, I would send the stone to AGL for testing.

From this https://www.pricescope.com/communit...ed-fluorescence-in-blue-sapphire-mean.172562/

 

[voce]

Hi, I don't think that my sapphire is filling with cobalt because I don't see typical cracks what you can see on video above “Under UV light the stone is red" , but is very similar colour and inclusions to this picture below. Read this article about magnetism and interesting things about fluorescence https://www.gemstonemagnetism.com/sapphire_and_ruby.html By the way I live in Poland and I'm looking for good lab. Thanks for all coments

Not to be rude, but... This doesn't even look the same shape as the round sapphire that's in your ring?

 

[distracts]

GRS is a highly-regarded lab that could tell you what it is: http://gemresearch.ch/

If you think it might be natural, it would be worth a WHOLE lot of money at that size so I would get it tested so you can get it accurately appraised and insured.

 

[stracci2000]

I'm skeptical just by looking at the setting.
A big fabulous sapphire of this color and size would have been in a mounting surrounded or accented by high quality diamonds.
This plain setting screams "synthetic"

 

[pokerface]

Synthetic sapphire and synthetic spinel have both been around since at least the 1940s. I personally would not bother submitting the stone for an identification report because it appears to be a pretty textbook example of a synthetic. If you do choose to pay for a report, brace yourself for disappointment.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

its a very pretty ring
if it were mine id just wear it and enjoy it

 

[Jello]

Not to be rude, but... This doesn't even look the same shape as the round sapphire that's in your ring?

Because it's not my stone, I found this photo in Internet to show you how it looks like under UV, unfortunatly I can't find my UV lamp, so I can't show you picture of my stone, but the colour is the same

 

[Jello]

I'm skeptical just by looking at the setting.
A big fabulous sapphire of this color and size would have been in a mounting surrounded or accented by high quality diamonds. Yes, but in Poland in 60's jewelers didn't give diamonds around stones, besides, if it would have diamonds around, it could be too big to wear it by woman Sorry for quality of video with bottom, I don't have idea why it's so bad, I made it in quite good quality, so I don't know why it's bad. Thanks for interesting and coments

 

[Jello]

Yes, but in Poland in 60's jewelers didn't give diamonds around stones, besides, if it would have diamonds around, it could be too big to wear it by woman Sorry for quality of video with bottom, I don't have idea why it's so bad, I made it in quite good quality, so I don't know why it's bad. Thanks for interesting and comments

 

[voce]

I wonder where a Polish jeweler would have got the sapphire from in the 60s. The Soviets used a lot of synthetic gems with real gold. They're known for it.

 

[Jello]

The stone was setted in Cracow, what do you mean "I wonder where a Polish jeweler would have got the sapphire from in the 60s."? Do you think it's impossible? To be honest, I'm suprised that you judge the stone just for set, I've seen too natural diamonds in the same set,so it doesn't proof anything.

 

[Lilith112]

The stone was setted in Cracow, what do you mean "I wonder where a Polish jeweler would have got the sapphire from in the 60s."? Do you think it's impossible? To be honest, I'm suprised that you judge the stone just for set, I've seen too natural diamonds in the same set,so it doesn't proof anything.

So the only way to settle that is to send it in for certification.

 

[Bron357]

A large sapphire of that hue and tone would be worth many many thousands of dollars.
And because such a beautiful hue is rare and very expensive in natural from the earth sapphires, they are replicated in laboratories.
Lab grown sapphires are the same chemical composition as natural so you do need a reputable lab to assess the gemstone.
It is very rare for a natural blue sapphire to fluoresce under Long Wave UV (that’s the easy to obtain and safe to use “black light”) whereas very very few lab grown sapphires don’t. Reactions under Short Wave can include a chalky appearance if the natural gem has been exposed to high heat treatment. A machine emitting Short waves is not only very expensive it is hazardous to the eyes so special eyewear and precautions must be taken.
Lab grown sapphires can have unmelted flux material which is very similar looking to a veil inclusion that is found in natural sapphires. Sometimes there are air bubbles which can resemble crystal inclusions that are found in natural sapphires. This is why it is to be certain of the status of your sapphire you really need a lab certificate from a reputable laboratory.

 

[Anne111]

Perhaps it is better NOT to know? Doesn't change reality but will spoil your love for it. Wisdom is a double-edge sword and all those sayings....

 

[pokerface]

If it glows red under the UV, my money is on synthetic spinel: https://www.gemstonemagnetism.com/spinel_pg_2.html

A quick search on etsy or ebay will reveal dozens of nearly identical (synthetic) pieces from the relevant time period.

PS is not the right forum for people seeking positive reinforcement only. OP asked for opinions, and unfortunately, it seems that not one of the responders thinks that this is a natural stone. I hope OP is still able to enjoy the ring, and next time, remembers that ignorance is bliss, etc.

 

[distracts]

Synthetic sapphire and synthetic spinel have both been around since at least the 1940s. I personally would not bother submitting the stone for an identification report because it appears to be a pretty textbook example of a synthetic. If you do choose to pay for a report, brace yourself for disappointment.

They've been fairly common since the 1920s, even.

This type of setting was very common for synthetic stones back in the day - if you search ebay or Etsy for vintage synthetic stones you'll find a ton in very similar settings. As others have mentioned, the Soviet jewelry in particular commonly used this style of setting for synthetic stones. If the stone is real, it is more likely to have a more closed in back with azures. If the back is almost entirely open, it is just about certain to be a synthetic stone.

The way to know is to send it to a lab (or find a reputable appraiser in your area). You know better than we do whether your grandmother was wealthy enough to afford a very large, very perfect natural blue sapphire that today if unheated or only low heat would cost tens of thousands of dollars. If she was middle or upper-middle class it is, again, much more likely to be synthetic. We only have the pictures to go on and based on the pictures, it looks like a very nice synthetic. It being probably synhetic in no way reduces the beauty or sentimental value of the jewelry.

Here even is another synthetic in a similar setting from Warsaw: https://www.rubylane.com/item/1759378-00016087/Vintage-Lab-Color-Change-Sapphire-14k?search=1

 

[arkieb1]

A large number of synthetics do that under UV that's why people are suggesting this might be one of them, the best way to tell will be to send it to a European lab or find something reliable that is a valuer that can tell you.