2 rings help please

[collectingvisorgirl]

HI again,

I have 2 more rings that I need help with. . One is an opal and 14k the opal is huge! I seen prices on ebay some are for a couple of hundred dollars and some are a thousand dollars. What is the difference? Also have this blue ring and on my tester it tested as tanzanite. There are two stones on the side that tested for diamonds, on the inside of the shank it reads: 0 % irid Plat. Any help is appreciated.

[markowitz57]

I had a platinum watch that I gave to my sister.  It was marked 10% irid. plat.  I researched platinum jewelry and found that iridium is alloyed with platinum in jewelry.  Maybe the 1 wore off of the 10 in your marking.  I would venture to guess that ring with the blue stone has a platinum setting.  The stone looks like a Swiss blue topaz to me.....  The finish doesn't have the "warmth" of gold patina, so I vote platinum.

Sorry, I can't help with the opal.  handle it with care!

[evelyb30]

My first thought was aquamarine, but tanzanite is between a 6.5 and 7 on the Mohs scale.  Aquamarine is a 7.5-8.  Topaz is on the high end of that scale too.  Apatite is a lot softer.  Tourmaline runs somewhere in the middle, but I'm not sure of the color.  The setting on the blue stone is platinum or wants to be. 

Short form is, you've got me on the blue stone. 

But just in case: http://www.gia.edu/tourmaline-quality-factor  (GIA webpage - nothing for sale)

As for opals, all I know is the darker and the more play of color the better.  There are or were some hard core opal folks around. Maybe one of them will pipe up and keep me from making a fool of myself. 

[collectingvisorgirl]

Thank you, for your answers. I checked the shank again to see if maybe there was a 1 that faded, no faded 1. I see what you mean about taking care with the opal it does have a hairline crack by the shank. Evelyb, thanks for the website I will check it out! I really have a limited knowledge on these rings and appreciate any input given.

[markowitz57]

Key in iridium platinum ring in the ebay search and you will see some hallmarks.  

[collectingvisorgirl]

I looked at the hallmarks, so...is there no such hallmark as a 0% Irid hallmark?

[gauntlettgems]

Definitely not Tanzanite I vote Topaz too but in platinum maybe it's a very high quality aquamarine???

[gauntlettgems]

Read this Very informative

http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0294-platinum-jewelry

[old.crows.nest]

If the ring was sized the first part of the mark may have been obscured.

[collectingvisorgirl]

Read the article gauntgems, informative. I retested the blue stone and it goes to the far end of the tanzanite bar?

[collectingvisorgirl]

I will take these rings to a jeweler and let everyone know what I have found out.  The ring does not look like it has been resized but anything is possible! The lady that owned these rings was well off at one time and was a traveler.

[gauntlettgems]

Yeah but that bar also reads aqua. right? You may need to calibrate your tester Presidium?

[collectingvisorgirl]

Your right! off to calibrate the tester! I forgot to add I don't think the ring was sized because there was a ring guard inside the band that I took off so I could read the mark.

[collectingvisorgirl]

Hi all,

I wanted you all to know what I found out about the blue ring. It is a natural aquamarine, 14.5 carats 19x12x8.7, triple a. I have been so excited this week! The story on this ring is that I bought some jewelry from a family member not knowing what this ring was all about.

I called them tonite to let them know what I found out and they were very happy! I am letting them make up their minds on how they want to sell the ring. Thank you for all your help on this board.

Cindy

[markowitz57]

Wowza!  Congratulations!  Is the aquamarine set in platinum?