Professional Gemologist Appraiser

Family Ring Stamped JF...

Question: Hello, I have just been given a ring passed down from Grandmother, to mother, to me.

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Price: $12.89

I know very little about jewelery but will try to describe it: large stone in center as if diamond, two small stones/chips? on either side also as if diamond, a third spot on either side of the smaller ones without any stones, just metal with a kind of flower indentation.

Inside the band (which is silver in color), are two markings: first appears to be a faded 12K (no promises on that one) and the second is JF (back to back, sharing the same 'stem' for the length of the letters).

Any idea as to its origin? Maker? Value? Can it be resized or cleaned up without causing damage?

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Rhodium Plating and pave Diamonds

Question: I have a white gold ring which is rhodium plated.

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Price: $15.60

I hear sometimes the ring will tarnish and needs to be re-plated with the rhodium.

Will this be an issue with a ring with pave diamonds? Do all these diamonds have to be removed before it can be re-plated.

Is there a significant difference in price between a white gold-rhodium plated ring and a platinum ring.

Do platinum rings tarnish as well?

Thanks...

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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...

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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....

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How to Identify Diamonds...

So a red gemstone is a Ruby, a blue one is a Sapphire and a white clear gemstone is a Diamond right!

• Errrrrr! Sorry wrong answer.

Diamonds and Gemstones (Rocks, Minerals, and Resources)

Price: $7.15

Yet how many of us think that way, especially when we are looking at Estate Jewelry. And just because it's an Antique makes it no easier when we try to Identify Diamonds.

They were pretty smart and very cunning those Victorian and Edwardian dealers (Remember Fagin and Ikey Solomon the 'Prince of Fences')? If not - read on...

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