Possibly a diamond?

TeamNugget · May 11, 2013

Doing a little panning today and this beautiful thing caught me eye. Sorry about the garnets in the pic too, couldn't get the camera to focus right with just the... Stone in the frame.

I tried to get different angles.

It was found with garnets, rubys, magnetite and gold. Tests: cuts glass and wine bottles, tested it on a metal ******* file, messed up my file. :BangHead:

Location: ummmm... South Carolina, you Really don't wanna know where.

Alex Burke · May 11, 2013

Is it pitted at all, If you breathe on it does the condensation stay for a couple of seconds? I think it's glass unfortunately I am rooting for you, does light go straight through or refract is another home test.

TeamNugget · May 11, 2013

I can't tell if theres any condensation on it at all, tried several times, I held a magnifying glass up in the sun and pinpointed it, theres no rainbow colors from it. Theres a sharp point on one end, I've ground that over and over on my file and it still cuts a glass bottle. Also so, put it over some text, I can kind of make out a bluish color from the writing but can actually see any shapes or letters.

If you click the middle pic and click it again to get full view you can get a really nice look at it.

Alex Burke · May 11, 2013

If you can read through it it's not a diamond if you put a tiny light right up to it it will halo and not go thru if its diamond

Brian T. Booth · May 12, 2013

TeamNugget said:
Doing a little panning today and this beautiful thing caught me eye. Sorry about the garnets in the pic too, couldn't get the camera to focus right with just the... Stone in the frame.

<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=793953"/><img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=793954"/><img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=793955"/>

I tried to get different angles.

It was found with garnets, rubys, magnetite and gold. Tests: cuts glass and wine bottles, tested it on a metal ******* file, messed up my file.
Location: ummmm... South Carolina, you Really don't wanna know where.

take it to a local jewelry store. Have them test it. Most jewelry stores have instruments to test to see if a mineral is a diamond.

Jim in Idaho · May 12, 2013

I don't think it's diamond. It doesn't have the adamantine luster of diamonds...that sorta oily look. Also doesn't have any apparent trigons on the surface.
Jim

woof! · May 12, 2013

Y'know that old story that since diamonds are the hardest material, just whack it with a hammer? Don't be tempted! They may be hard, but they're also brittle.

Like Jim says, natural diamond has a greasy lustre to it.

Like MeteorMiner says, it's almost impossible to get anything to image through natural diamond. That's because its refractive index is so high.

You've probably seen movies where some clever thief hides diamonds in a glass of water. It's malarkey. You can hide cheap soda lime glass that way because its index is about the same as that of water, but a diamond shows up loud and clear when immersed in water.

--Dave J.

TeamNugget · May 13, 2013

I ordered a full testing kit, diamond tester, gold, platinum everything. Also ordered a 365 Nm Uv LED light.

No you can't read thru it, can't even make out a single letter, you can very slightly see a hint color of the text under it. Shows up wonderfully in water, found it in my pan. Also put it in a glass of water, still see it perfectly.

Hope these help. My camera sucks.

dbsmokey · May 14, 2013

I'm quite interested in the fact you bought a bigpk spears at Wally World! :laughing7:

It's also interesting Walmart sells them. Seriously, though, I hope it's a diamond. That would be neat. Please share your results.

TeamNugget said:
I ordered a full testing kit, diamond tester, gold, platinum everything. Also ordered a 365 Nm Uv LED light.

No you can't read thru it, can't even make out a single letter, you can very slightly see a hint color of the text under it. Shows up wonderfully in water, found it in my pan. Also put it in a glass of water, still see it perfectly.

Hope these help. My camera sucks.
View attachment 794996 View attachment 794997 View attachment 794998

Alex Burke · May 15, 2013

Lol there's no stoppin TeamNugget, since you like gems you should check out polariscopes on youtube or online. You could even build your own cheap if you wanted. I still think it's glass lol good luck though.
Polariscope - The Gemology Project

nomad1 · May 15, 2013

Could be just plain old quartz. Quartz will also cut glass.

woof! · May 15, 2013

The weight (found by hydraulic classification), apparent optical index (see the photo in water), and apparent extreme hardness (remember that file?) argue against either glass or quartz. If not diamond, then possibly corundum?

It really does deserve to be looked at by a competent mineralogist.

--Dave J.

smokeythecat · May 15, 2013

It doesn't have the luster or general shape for diamond, but that's not definitive. A jeweler will know best, or see if it will scratch a cheap sapphire. NC and SC have a lot of them. Only a diamond will scratch a sapphire.

TeamNugget · May 15, 2013

Well, I guess I have the answer, Not glass.

Doesn't glow under UV light. I think rough diamonds do, haven't found anything that says either and or. Diamond Selector II set on 2 hits a 7-8, just can't quite get that beep. SOOOOOOO.... its prolly just some purdy quartz.

Oh well, I did learn a lot this week tho. Maybe someday I'll find a real diamond.

Alex Burke · May 15, 2013

Oh well at least you know how to test them at home now, and have a test kit for next time, I have a feeling you'll find more potential emeralds and diamonds. Did you look into building a cheap polariscope it'll help with emerald ID and with a light and 30 dollar microscope you'll be able to see if its diamond or other gem easier. Sometimes if it doesn't have the right inclusions or refraction qualities it doesn't matter if its a emerald ruby etc. Keep em coming Nugget.

Eu_citzen · May 17, 2013

The text test can not be applied to a rough gem I think.
However, due to the blue colour and hardness; aquamarine would be my first guess.

urbantreasure · Jul 8, 2013

Well I don't know but not all diamonds look or act the same. There are many types of diamonds with different properties. I am not saying it is one, but I do know that here in Georgia, early gold miners used to throw back diamonds because they didn't know what they were! Also, there is a piece of property in North Georgia that produces diamonds and has for a very long time. All I am saying is that I wouldn't discount the diamond theory all together just because they aren't plentiful in this part of the country or the world.

Jim in Idaho · Jul 8, 2013

TeamNugget said:
Well, I guess I have the answer, Not glass. Doesn't glow under UV light. I think rough diamonds do, haven't found anything that says either and or. Diamond Selector II set on 2 hits a 7-8, just can't quite get that beep. SOOOOOOO.... its prolly just some purdy quartz.

Oh well, I did learn a lot this week tho. Maybe someday I'll find a real diamond.

I definitely would not give up without doing a specific gravity test. I would also try and scratch a piece of quartz with it. That scratch test won't rule out corundum, but will rule out quartz. The specific gravity test will rule out corundum, which is 20% heavier than diamond.
Jim

dannythompson · Dec 27, 2013

This is one of the reasons why I had been interested into treasure hunting for you can find interesting stuffs.

mypreciousstones · Feb 7, 2014

Hi, any idea what this 'stone' could be. I found it in Gabon, Africa . Any suggestions would help. thanks
It has indentations where it looks like it formed around some debris and also very 'knobbly' exterior on the one side yet quite smooth on the other. ooo also it is about the size of a beer lid ....