Yellow Spinel

[Bev35803]

I found a yellow/greenish stone in my Mothers jewelry. Knowing her birthstone was Periodot, I assumed that is what the stone was. I wanted to 'build' a ring round this stone. So I took the stone to a local jeweler and much to my disappointment, he told me that the stone was indeed a Spinel. The stone - after I decided to have the ring made anyway - actually turned darker green once the emeralds were set. So I am pleased with the ring and I am guessing I have a rare 2 carat yellow Spinel. I have photos if anyone is interested. If you would like to see, let me know how to post.......I am new at this........lol.

 

[Barrett]

Isn't natural yellow spinel, rare to almost non-existent?

 

[davi_el_mejor]

Barret - Yes. Super mega rare.

Bev - Did the jeweler happen to mention the RI (refractive index) of the stone? I can't wait to see pictures once you've uploaded them. Click on the upload attachment tab.

 

[JewelFreak]

If you truly have a yellow spinel instead of a peridot, disappointment is far from what you'll be feeling! I'm interested whether they mentioned RI too. And would LOVE to see a photo.

--- Laurie

 

[LD]

I would really doubt what this jeweller has told. As others have said yellow/green spinel is almost unheard of and at 2ct this would be some find. What I suggest is that when you have time you go to another jeweller and ask him/her to conduct a few basic tests and look at it with a loupe BUT please make sure you go to somebody who is well versed in coloured gemstones otherwise you're wasting your time.

I do hope it is a very rare spinel but it could be a number of other gemstones as well (Chrysoberyl would be a good candidated based on your description) so it would be interesting to find out what you have!

 

[Pandora II]

Yellow spinels are exceptionally rare - to the point that I've never even seen a picture of one. I'm also guessing you have something else - or perhaps a synthetic spinel.

In any case, peridot is not a stone I would recommend for a ring unless it is for very occasional wear. They are fragile - I'm also an August baby and so have a fair amount of peridot. I'm extremely light on my jewellery and yet I have taken massive chips out of peridots without any noticeable bashing about.

 

[Bev35803]

The ring turned out really pretty......all the jeweler told me was that the stone was a spinel.....I need to go back to him and ask more questions...........thank all of you for your response.........

 

[JewelFreak]

Wow, it did come out beautifully, whatever stone that is. Bet you love wearing it! It could be a garnet.

 

[ChrisA222]

I don't mean to be negative...but I really doubt this is a natural Spinel. Don't forget..for many many years Spinel was THE go-to synthetic stone. If it is Spinel, I am willing to bet that it is a lab stone. But most likely..not Spinel.

There are others on here more versed in colored gems...maybe they know of a find of yellow/yellow green Spinel...but..I'm doubting that is what you have. If its not lab Spinel, my guess is Sapphire. I'm not sure if Peridot goes that light...

Another thing I've learned...many times, jewelers know very little about colored gemstones...

Just my 2 cents..

 

[Enerchi]

That is a lovely ring! Enjoy wearing it - no matter what it's pedigree is! How nice to have a family piece, Bev

 

[Bev35803]

I have learned alot by reading all your inputs.....thank you. My mother wore the stone for over 60 years so even if it is 'not real', it does have alot of history behind it and it does mean alot to me. The ring did turn out beautiful. I did notice on the stone there are a couple of scratches or wore marks. So that would mean that it is soft or has been worn alot. Before the stone was set, it was a light yellow. As I said the emeralds turned it darker green. Watching JTV, I have learned that garnets, topaz and sapphires some in all different colors. I realize that 'lab treated' means that man has interved in nature. But some of the colors are absolutely beautiful and can be quite costly. Alexandrite is another beautiful stone.....wish I could afford one of those.

 

[T L]

Yellow spinels are exceptionally rare - to the point that I've never even seen a picture of one. I'm also guessing you have something else - or perhaps a synthetic spinel.

In any case, peridot is not a stone I would recommend for a ring unless it is for very occasional wear. They are fragile - I'm also an August baby and so have a fair amount of peridot. I'm extremely light on my jewellery and yet I have taken massive chips out of peridots without any noticeable bashing about.

Yellow spinel is almost always synthetic. I have never ever ever seen a pure yellow spinel. I agree with Pandora that it's synthetic or something else.

 

[T L]

The ring turned out really pretty......all the jeweler told me was that the stone was a spinel.....I need to go back to him and ask more questions...........thank all of you for your response.........

Definitely synthetic spinel, or something else. Spinel just doesn't come in that color naturally.

 

[Bev35803]

I will take the ring to another jeweler and ask about the 'RI'.....is synthetic 'man made' or just plain glass? Since my stone has wear marks - if it is synthetic shouldn't it be hard?

 

[chrono]

RI is the refractive index which will narrow down the type to see if it is a spinel or some other gem type. It does not check if the stone is a synthetic, meaning it was created in a lab. Such stones are still a spinel and will have the same characteristics and properties. It will show wear and tear, like a natural spinel, with the difference of being super clean. One tends to get suspicious when a gemstone is inclusion free under magnification.

 

[T L]

I will take the ring to another jeweler and ask about the 'RI'.....is synthetic 'man made' or just plain glass? Since my stone has wear marks - if it is synthetic shouldn't it be hard?

"R.I.: about 1.72 for most natural gem material; red spinel may be as high as 1.74, Zn-rich as high as 1.805. Synthetic spinel has a noticeably different R.I. of 1.727+0.001."

reference: http://www.geo.utexas.edu/courses/347k/redesign/gem_notes/spinel/spinel__main.htm

Did your gemologist or jeweler use a refractometer?

 

[T L]

I have learned alot by reading all your inputs.....thank you. My mother wore the stone for over 60 years so even if it is 'not real', it does have alot of history behind it and it does mean alot to me. The ring did turn out beautiful. I did notice on the stone there are a couple of scratches or wore marks. So that would mean that it is soft or has been worn alot. Before the stone was set, it was a light yellow. As I said the emeralds turned it darker green. Watching JTV, I have learned that garnets, topaz and sapphires some in all different colors. I realize that 'lab treated' means that man has interved in nature. But some of the colors are absolutely beautiful and can be quite costly. Alexandrite is another beautiful stone.....wish I could afford one of those.

I wouldn't get all your colored stone education from JTV. They purposely tell you things that make you want to buy their stones, and give a lot of misinformation or hide information about possible treatment. While it is true that garnets, topaz and sapphires come in different colors, that information is not something that will hurt their sales.

Enjoy your grandmother's ring, regardless of the stone's species and/or natural or synthetic status. It's still a sentimental piece. If you want to know what it is, I suggest you take it to a gemologist that knows how to expertly use a refractometer.

 

[Starzin]

Bev you've created a lovely ring and, as TL says, regardless of the centre stone's origin take pleasure in it and the sentimental value it has for you. That's what's important here. Enjoy your ring and if sometime in the future you feel like pursuing the "what are you" question so be it. It doesn't have to be done this week - there's too much gazing and enjoying to be done

Waiting for the hand shots now you've got the hang of uploading pics.

 

[LD]

Bev. Have you taken the Photo with a flash? If so can you take it out of the white box and take photos of it on your hand please? That will give a better indication of the colour. I inherited a ring from my mum with a green stone that is a synthetic but it too shows signs of wear and tear and it's about the same age as yours so it's perfectly possible if synthetic to show marks.

Don't worry too much about what it is. Your mum had it for a long time and now it's yours. That's what makes it special NOT what it is or isn't.

 

[Pandora II]

The RI of synthetic spinel is, as TL says, slightly different from the natural material. They also show a very distinctive pattern called 'tabby extinction' when looked at with a polariscope, so would be very easy for a gemmologist to rule out.

A couple of scratches after 60 years would rule out things like glass, demantoid and peridot which would be much more beaten up. Highly doubt it's a sapphire, but could be a chrysoberyl, garnet is unlikely - tsavorite wasn't discovered until 1969 and although I'm not 100% certain I don't think the paler green grossulars where about much 60 years ago.

Synthetic means that a stone has the same physical, chemical and optical properties as the natural material - so a synthetic spinel or sapphire or diamond is still a real spinel or real sapphire or real diamond, it just didn't come out of the ground.

In any case, you've made a very pretty ring and I hope your mother likes it!

PS. Please do come back if you get the stone checked out and let us know what it is!

 

[Bev35803]

I took some pics without the flash. I plan on going to another jewler tomorrow. I will post the results. Thank you for your responses and interest.

 

[Bev35803]

wow.......ugly hand!..........lol........

 

[Bev35803]

last one........

 

[T L]

Very pretty, enjoy your grandmother's ring.

 

[LD]

Great photos - thank you!

Well, I'm even more intrigued now because I simply have no idea what it is! If we rule out spinel (think it's safe to do so) then we're left with garnet which would be my best guess but as Pandora has said, would it have been around years ago? Sapphire? I don't think so but you never know. Chrysoberyl, well, it could be but the size would be unusual and it looks fairly clean as well!

As it's mounted, a jeweller may not be able to tell you much but fingers crossed they can!

 

[minousbijoux]

Wow, I think its just a beautiful ring! Really gorgeous and looks good on your hand. I, too, am curious to know what it is, so at your leisure please come back and let us know.

 

[Pandora II]

Great photos - thank you!

Well, I'm even more intrigued now because I simply have no idea what it is! If we rule out spinel (think it's safe to do so) then we're left with garnet which would be my best guess but as Pandora has said, would it have been around years ago? Sapphire? I don't think so but you never know. Chrysoberyl, well, it could be but the size would be unusual and it looks fairly clean as well!

As it's mounted, a jeweller may not be able to tell you much but fingers crossed they can!

Depending on the height of the crown compared with the prongs they should be able to get an RI - in any case, a spectrum, dichroscope and twirl on the polariscope are all easy peasy even when set.

Make sure the jeweller is also a gemmologist. The majority of jewellers know bugger all about gemstones.

 

[LD]

Great photos - thank you!

Well, I'm even more intrigued now because I simply have no idea what it is! If we rule out spinel (think it's safe to do so) then we're left with garnet which would be my best guess but as Pandora has said, would it have been around years ago? Sapphire? I don't think so but you never know. Chrysoberyl, well, it could be but the size would be unusual and it looks fairly clean as well!

As it's mounted, a jeweller may not be able to tell you much but fingers crossed they can!

Depending on the height of the crown compared with the prongs they should be able to get an RI - in any case, a spectrum, dichroscope and twirl on the polariscope are all easy peasy even when set.

Make sure the jeweller is also a gemmologist. The majority of jewellers know bugger all about gemstones.

Very good advice.

Bev does the gemstone look slightly cloudy?

 

[Bev35803]

the stone is 'clear as a bell'........in fact I was secretly hoping for some type of diamond....maybe a yellow one.

 

[justginger]

I am curious as to what it is -- but no matter what you find out, one thing is certain. IT'S GORGEOUS. Really, it looks so lovely on your hand, and to have the added history behind it makes it priceless.