Posted 12 years ago
superteach…
(1 item)
I'm curious about any information you may be able to tell me about the ring on the right--the blue ring. As far as I can tell, it is an American Edwardian ring. It is 14 K gold, according to the stamp on the inside of the ring. It was a gift to me as a child, from my mother, born in 1937, who had received it from a great aunt. The blue stone is original and quite beautiful...full, rich color, perfect bezels. I receive many inquiries whenever I wear it! My guess is that the size is between a 6 or 7. I can only wear it on my pinkie, but wish it could be resized. A jeweler refused to resize it until it was appraised, but I'm not certain how to go about this process. He believes I need an antiques appraisal. The pink ring came to me from the same source, but the stone is a replacement stone. There was no stone when I received the setting. Thank you for any information you can share!
Take this to a nice reputable jeweler preferably not a chain. Get the rings appraised then ask him who could size it for you. I don't see that there would be a problem sizing it as the filigree tapers into a solid band. These are beautiful I love this style.
I am no expert but I do know depending on what the stone is some jewelry can't take the heat to re size . I was told that by a reputable jeweler on a piece I had . The risk of damaging stone they would not do it either . Lots of Victorian jewelry did have real gemstones surprisingly to me . If the ring with replaced stone was done by jeweler you went to I would go someplace else . The stone is not set straight and doesn't fit quite right . They are beautiful rings I love them and how lucky you are to have got them. Good luck . I can see why you would want to wear them bling bling :-) The blue stone reminds me of a Tanzanite ring I have . Does it change colors in light ?
@AmberRose--I took both rings to two area private jewelers who specialize in stones. The first believed that the stone was a sapphire. The second was unsure. So the type of stone remains a mystery. @ Manikin - The pink stone isn't a perfect fit, but had to be made for the ring, because the ring was handcrafted before standard sized gems were used. There IS no stone made today that will fit. I spent a little bit, rather than a lot, to have a pretty, albeit inexpensive stone placed in the ring. I don't believe the blue stone is tanzanite. I'm not certain it is glass, either, due to the color (brilliant blue), and the beveled edges, which are quite sharp. That's why one jeweler thought it could be sapphire. I wonder if it is just glass. Both jewelers told me not to size them.
I would think they would see natural imperfections in sapphire under a loop vs synthetic which usually appears inclusion free ? Good luck what ever they are they are so beautiful and I do so love them. I have 2 from my grandmother not nearly as magnificent as yours . I also had to replace stones so I know it was a challenge to get right fit and I needed a much smaller stone . I pinked pink garnet to put in it and it looks much like yours .
Thanks so much for your responses!
The blue stone is most likely iolite, also called "water sapphire."
@Stillwater...thanks for this info! The gem has one very difficult to spot inclusion that one jeweler saw after a close inspection. The other jeweler didn't pick up on this. After googling "iolite", it makes sense!
Yeah, like you said, its deffinitely not glass since the facets are sharp and its set in gold, and its not a sapphire because its too large, its not tanzanite because that was only discovered in 1967, and iolite was in use in the Georgian era, AND, there aren't many other stones with that specific hue. Based on all of that, you can say with reasonable certainty that it is iolite. Isn't it a beautiful color? Keep that ring in the family, don't sell it!
My son has staked his claim on this ring...he has loved it since he was little! Thank you, Stillwater!
Hmmm... Is he planning on wearing it? Thats a woman's ring
No, he's planning on passing it on to his children. The man has a good eye for value and beauty.
If he has two daughters, he gets two rings--one for each of them!