Topaz? Any suggestions?

[CharmedOne]

I purchased this from an estate sale and the seller didn't know what kind of gemstone it is. A huge amount of jewelry and coins were willed to this really nice young guy and he was just getting rid of it all. I really wanted a gold pocket watch but the men were fighting over then.

When I asked a jeweler what he thought I could be and he said it had to be taken out of the setting to test it. It's bezel set so that's not going to happen. I have had a few people ask me what it is and since I have no idea, I was hoping I could get some suggestions to look into. It's a greenish blue color, which is why I bought it and for it to bezel set, it really does sparkle. Thanks for any suggestions you can give. ~d

 

[maccers]

Sorry I have no guesses but I wanted to say: It's beautiful! Truly, it's gorgeous. I absolutely love the setting and the stone. It looks awesome with your skin tone. I'm jealous!

 

[Kismet]

Its' beautiful! I can see why you bought it. I would guess it's a zircon and not a topaz.

 

[CharmedOne]

Maccers Thank you so much! That was very sweet of you to say. I was thinking I should have put some lotion on, so that made my day

Thanks Kismet, I will definitely research them.

 

[JewelFreak]

It could be a tourmaline too, but I'd say probably zircon, especially from your description. Possible also that it could be synthetic, of course. It's very pretty & the ring is terrific! Enjoy -- it looks great on your hand, just the perfect size.

 

[GregS]

Great cut and fantastic color, all around beautiful ring. I thought Tourmaline when I first saw it.

 

[CharmedOne]

JewelFreak Thanks! Gemstones are pretty new to me and I'm so glad you gals don't mind helping me out with some ideas.

 

[CharmedOne]

Thanks Greg! I will check those out too.

 

[texaskj]

It's really pretty and looks great on you. The only reason I would want to know what it really is would be to see how much to baby it. But if you're not hard on stuff, who cares?

 

[CharmedOne]

Good point and thank you texaskj, that was my concern. I didn't think about that at the jeweler they stuck in the ultrasonic to clean it. It was fine, but I honestly have no idea what gemstones shouldn't be put in the machine. I do know pearls shouldn't. But that is about it. It's an old ring and pretty well made and I just love the stone and don't want to damage it. So it would help to figure if I should wear it everyday, like I have been since I got it.

 

[texaskj]

Emeralds and opals should also never go into an ultrasonic.
I'm really hard on rings and bracelets, so I'd need to know. Especially if it's a zircon because they can be brittle, but I'm not sure about synthetics. Once it's not so new, maybe you can trade it out with another ring so you're not wearing it every day.

 

[pandabee]

It's very pretty! I love the engraving. From the looks of the detailing and the color of the stone, I would guess zircon as it seemed to be used quite a bit in pieces similar to this. Do you ever see rainbow refractions, like that of a diamond? That would be a good sign it is zircon. Regardless it's a gorgeous color!

 

[chrono]

I thought the colour is more zircon-y but the fact that there are no signs of wear and tear on the crown facets, in addition to how well cut and clean it is, leads me to think this is more likely to be a synthetic stone. Whatever it is, it is pretty so you might as well enjoy it. In general, most coloured stones should not be steam cleaned or put in the ultrasonic.

 

[pregcurious]

You can have it tested without taking it out of the setting. Just give AGL a call. Their fee schedule is here, and they charge slightly more for a gem that is still in its setting (mounted): http://aglgemlab.com/pricelist/

 

[CharmedOne]

Thank you so much for your suggestions. The stones facets are very worn, thankfully it's pretty hard to tell with the naked eye. I've been on a rose gold kick lately, which is why I bought it too. The color is cool and I'm have a great time wearing it with this turquoise bracelet I found. The metals don't match but they look good together Thanks again for all your help!

 

[chrono]

In that case, it could be a zircon. I thought perhaps your pictures were just fuzzy. If you can check for double refraction, your question can be answered at no extra cost.

 

[Deathspi]

I agree that it could be zircon, I have one that is pretty much it's twin. As chrono said, you should check for DR, might help you a lot. Oh, and beautiful ring btw!

 

[CharmedOne]

Thanks Chrono, I see the double refraction when I view it from the side. Is that what I should see?

 

[CharmedOne]

Thank you Deathspi, this has all been very helpful to me

 

[chrono]

Sounds very likely to be zircon then.

 

[CharmedOne]

Great! Thanks again Chrono!