While I wait for my test kit to arrive...

[Hunting_Dad]

I found this ring tonight down at a saltwater beach. Overall it looks like costume jewelry. However, it does appear to have been in the water for a long time and the metal shows ZERO tarnish or blistering. Its heavy and when cut into the band the metal seems homogenous.. The only markings read ?Made in Austria?. Could this ring predate the normal 10k/14k markings? The green stone looks too perfect to be real. Do they make costume jewelry with fake stones and real gold? Outside of the band I wear and the engagement ring i bought 24 yrs ago, I dont have a lot of experience with jewelry... I ordered an acid test tonight, but until that arrives; what do you all think?

HD

 

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[Jose The Goon]

Whatever it turns out to be, HUGE CONGRATS on a beautiful & interesting find !! Like you speculate, the ring could pre-date the early 1900's karat markings. It does look like old gold & the design & pronged setting look old & professional. The fact that the stone "looks too perfect to be real" leads me to believe it is real. A fake stone would be marked & scratched up from years in the sea. I'm assuming the stone is an emerald, possibly from Austria. You can do some cross checking of goldsmiths, jewelry makers & Austrian designs etc., but for now, I'm giving you an interesting link to Austrian emeralds that mentions some goldsmiths etc. For example, notice this from 1861 about goldsmith "Samuel Goldschmitd" from Vienna;
1861 The Viennese Goldsmith Samuel Goldschmitd buys the area and starts a mining operation. after his death in 1871 no one is really interested to take over the mine that consists of two buildings and 4 shafts.
I hope your ring is the real-deal "Hunting Dad". Best wishes. CHEERS !!! (see links below)
https://www.langantiques.com/university/emeralds-from-habachtal-austria/
Samuel Goldschmitd link;
https://www.geni.com/people/Samuel-Goldschmidt/6000000018109691253

p.s. The following is from the bottom of the first link. If your ring tests positive for gold, it might be worth while to email the guy & see what his opinion is of the emerald.


" As I am currently working on a book project on the Habachtal emerald deposit, I want to encourage you to report any suspected Habachtal emeralds for further scientific investigation to my email address: [email protected]

If one of these criteria is met, a further investigation should be made by a gemmologist. Remember, if a piece is proven to be of Austrian origin, the value of the piece is higher. Since Habachtal emeralds are collectors objects and, especially in good qualities, very scarce."

 

[Argentium]

Very nice ! I'd like to see the stone lit up a bit more , but I agree with the first responder - the gold looks bang on ! I should think at least 18K .. Keep us posted when you know more .

 

[Lost Signal]

Looks real. Hope it's real. Looking forward to finding out. Congrats!

 

[Lenrac2]

Amazing find! Congrats!

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

That's a beautiful looking ring find and I'd be very surprised if it turned out not to be gold.
I agree with Arg, if we could see the stone better it may give us an idea as to whether it's a natural emerald.
Dave

 

[SCpicker]

Nice find. It has a nice look but there is no chance of the metal being gold or the stone being a real gemstone. I have seen many costume rings in a similar style marked ?made in Austria? or ?Czechoslovakia?.

 

[Rmeav8r]

Nice find! You will always have the the thrill you got when you found it…regardless of the value. One of my favorite water finds was a Catholic medallion and heavy chain that I just knew was gold….it wasn’t but it’s still a great find.
I’ll keep my fingers crossed!

 

[Hunting_Dad]

Thanks for the responses, im even more optimistic now!!
the setting doesn't allow for a good back lighting but i took a couple with a flash that show the stone better

 

[jewelerguy]

of course we're just looking at pics, but based on what I see it looks like high karat gold. Possibly 20 to 22k. Also looks old in my opinion, like perhaps 1880s to 1900-ish.

 

[Hunting_Dad]

Jewelerguy, There are several estates from the late 1700s still visible from the beach and the last time I was there this winter, I found an 1892 nickel so that timeline would be spot on!

 

[Hunting_Dad]

Thanks for the info Jose!!

 

[johnnycat]

Really nice. I hope it turns out to be real. Either way...Very nice.

 

[ajaj]

Stunning ring find! Don’t know why, maybe the design and stone coupled with age, but I find this recovery particularly great! My GUESS is also a higher purity gold.

aj

 

[pepperj]

Sitting on the fence-the second set of photos got my-oh my! going.
Congrats on the recovery-hoping for the best.

 

[scruggs]

Very nice find!

 

[Argentium]

I'm becoming a believer after the new photo's ! Very exciting !

 

[SCpicker]

Brass, glass, and no earlier than the 1930s.

 

[Tpmetal]

if that thing is real..... I am guessing it has some age to it. Amazing.

 

[DigToChina]

That?s a stunner if real. Did you say you cut the band? If you have what you now suspect you have, let a pro do any further straightening, fixing or cleaning from this point on.

Congratulations on your find.