Gemstone Appraisals Center

How To Tell If It Is Real Opal & Gold Question: I have just purchased a brooch from a flea market of all places, it caught my eye and I really liked it.

Opal: The Phenomenal Gemstone

Price: $40.00

It is pretty simple gold in colour with what looks like an opal in the middle but I would like to know what the markings on the back mean..... K T G F and what looks like a 'Y' attached to an upside down 'T' and the remains of 2 backwards 'S' joined together.

The opal looks red/dark pink when held up to artificial light?

I would just like to know how I can tell if it is a real opal and what the metal is?

I hope that I have the correct place to ask this question, if not I apologize.

Many thanks for your time.

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Rubies and Sapphires Question: I am considering the purchase of a loose ruby and a loose sapphire for custom made pieces.

Dictionary of Gems and Gemology

Price: $238.97

I've done a lot of research on quality, origin, treatments, etc. It's a little overwhelming to say the least, but after all is said and done, my question is this: all other things being equal (sort of!) is the better ruby value in a heat treated Burmese, or an unheated one from anywhere else?

Likewise for sapphires, heated from Burma or Ceylon, or unheated from anywhere else?

I'm trying to keep it under the 5 figure range. Thank you.

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Mineral Question: Can you please tell me what you know about Phantom Quartz and Wiluite?

Thanks!

Answer: G'day Kristine and many thanks for your query.

The Complete Crystal Guidebook, A practical path to pesonal power, self development and healing using quartz crystals

Price: $49.90

Wiluite is a Siberian variation of Idocrase and depending on the color can be confused with quartz. Both of which are NOT very valuable anyway.

The Phantom Quartz is simply a Trade name or Commercial name to make the gem sound better than it really is.

For example Cape Ruby sound much better than Pyrope Garnet, which it actually is.

You might also like to add this query to our Gemstone Forum where there are more 'Experts' to help you.

I would also ask you to please Vote (below) on this article, and if you have any comments, would be very grateful if you could add some remarks. It will only take a couple of seconds, but the help it would provide to our efforts in answering questions would be amply rewarded - Thank you...

Hope this helps...

Determining Which Stones Are Worth Cutting Question: Hello there, I have a number of uncut stones of different varieties (emerald, ruby, sapphire, topaz, etc.) that I have found.

Introduction to Lapidary (Jewelry Crafts)

Price: $9.96

I was trying to see how can i find out if an individual stone is worth the investment in cutting beforehand?

The reason for knowing so is that I could try to sell it for more than I put into the cutting or at least have good quality stones for personal jewelry.

I am trying to see where I can look for places to get this advice in my area.

Is there also anything an average person can look at in a particular uncut stone that might be an indicator that a particular stone is of good quality?

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Russian Alexandrite Question: I have a ring with Russian alexandrite gem in it....it is over 40 years old and was given to me by a dear friend.

Kremlin Gold: 1000 Years of Russian Gems and Jewels

Price: $37.62 USD

The stone is the size of a dime...roughly....a little bigger.....it changes color dramatically....from teal to aqua blue to green in the daylight to deep purple at night and sometimes a touch of pink with the aqua blue...

It also has something curious deep in it that can only be seen with a 20 power magnifying glass....an etching that reads CAY or 11...not quite sure....if the last letter is a Y or not...

I had it set in a silver setting of which I am not please but want to get it appraised and not sure how to go about it.

Can you give me any insight into this beautiful ring that was acquired over 40 years ago from a jeweller in our town who actually reluctantly let it go.

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