Professional Gemologist Appraiser

Semi-Precious Ring Appraisal Question: My ring was bought new for me at a local fine jewelers 35 years ago.

It is 10k gold.

Rings: Jewelry of Power, Love, and Loyalty

Price: $31.17

The band is thin and has a flower stem with a leaf on each side of the stem. The Flower is the stone, and I believe it is aquamarine, since that is my birthstone.

I have misplaced the ring and I need to know if it had any value before I have a meltdown.

It was $35.00 new. Thank You.

(more…)

How to Identify Sapphires…

If you think all Sapphires are Blue, you had better think again.

Rubies & Sapphires, Fourth Edition

Price: $14.50

They are seen in ALL colors including parti-colours and Synthetics.

Better known within the gemstone industry as ‘Corundum‘ they form an impressive array of gemstones, second only to Diamond. So How do we Identify Sapphires - especially when it comes to doing a Valuation Appraisal…

(more…)

DIRTY DIAMONDS? Ohh-my…

Diamond Handbook: How To Look At Diamonds & Avoid Ripoffs (Newman Gem & Jewelry Series)

Price: $12.89

Most of the white colorless gemstones used over the past hundred years or so as Diamond Imitations or Simulants, were either Paste (Fancy name for glass) Spinels or White Sapphire (corundum) and occasionally Zircon (Not to be confused with Cubic Zirconia CZ’s which is quite modern).

When you first purchased your beautiful ring it glistened like diamond, but slowly became duller and duller.

Ladies, you are to Blame! And this is why…

(more…)

So what are the alternatives when we try to identify diamonds?

Properties of Natural and Synthetic Diamond

Price: $356.13

Let’s forget all the possible choices we have in white clear gemstones for a moment, and simply bring it to the most probable.

These are:

• PASTE: (a fancy name for glass and very common in old Jewelry, especially brooches).
• WHITE SPINEL: A natural gemstone found in Jewelry made between the 1900’s and up to the 1970’s (roughly) but lacking the sparkle of diamond.
• ZIRCON: Again natural but with great sparkle and flashes of color. Do not confuse with Cubic Zirconia.

And the most common of them all:

• WHITE CORUNDUM: These are White Sapphires….

Yes Sapphires, but they can be man made and most importantly, they are HARD! This is a great secret….

(more…)