Question....anyone know anything about star ruby sapphire?

[curious kat]

....we've had this for years now, was bought in Viet Nam by hubby for about 25.00. Don't really know much about them, is the color good? Is it worth more now?....anything? thanks

 

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[Eu_citzen]

Any iron will prohibit fluorescence, so that isn't reliable.

 

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[curious kat]

...so those little dark specks in it is iron? Sorry, you've got a novice here...lol what are you guys saying, feeling a little lost here...

 

[loco oro]

he is right ,iron will deminish flourescence, but a true ruby or saphire should have little iron, put it under a black light and see what you get, it should glow pink or red, true rubys and saphires will glow a pink or red!real easy ,no fuss, if it doesnt glow its proablely not real. but if it does and your star moves with light,chances are its real, thats a lot of bother to go to fake a imperfect ,25$ stone. just my opinion.let us know what you get.p.s it would be impossible for someone to tell what those specks are from a pic.

 

[curious kat]

...good info loco oro, thank you. Don't have a black light but the star does move with light. The reason I asked about the dark specks is that there are so many, maybe 100 or so...thought that would mean something? Hubby said when he bought it the guy wanted a lot more but finally let him have it for such a low price when he was leaving. Thank you all for the help again!

 

[Eu_citzen]

What I was saying is that small trace amounts in the ruby will prohibit fluorescence. Just in the same way trace amounts of chrome account for the red colour.
The amounts are usually so small - it can't be seen. We're in the PPM regions, perhaps less. PPM is parts per million.

It is also worth stating that many synthetics don't have trace amounts of iron and will fluorescence to.
Many natural rubies don't fluorescence - those from India usually don't, for example.

I can recommend the book "Artificial Gemstones" by Michael O'Donoghue for anyone interested in further reading.

 

[travelerga]

http://www.starruby.in/store/vietnamese-star-rubies?sort=20a&page=1

 

[loco oro]

you are very right agian,but this is a s. east asia saph,and i am pointing out easy ways she could test,i am going with the (rule) rather than the exceptions.you post very good info,thanks for sharing your knowledge with us, i would have a gemy look at it in the flesh, to see if it is a asset,or novelty.

 

[curious kat]

....yes, I'm very grateful for everyone's help! Eu is coming at it from "above" me and loco oro is trying to come down to my level, bless you! lol And now we have travelerga, who's got pictures...love pic's...and not only of the stars, but ones from the place where this was bought...thank you!

 

[Eu_citzen]

A gemmologist works basically by excluding all possibilities until only one is left and then it's gotta be that one. They don't work with "rules", not the ones I know.

I'll try to get back to a layman level, but keep in mind these are only indications in one way or another.
IF I where to buy a piece I'd keep the following in mind:

- Beware of perfect starts (usually not natural and untreated)
- Beware if the dealer goes down in price a lot (he has to make profit so either he overpriced from the beginning or its not what he says it is)
- Check for variations in colour (natural pieces often show slightly different colours in different directions, sometimes in the form of hexagonal patterns)
- If you see spherical bubbles under magnification - run! (think of glass and how the bubbles look)

 

[curious kat]

Good info Eu & I can understand it! lol I like what you said about "rules"! The star in this one isn't perfect but nice. It was bought in a hurry during war time...so who know? Don't see any bubbles through the jewelers glass, only the dark specks....and a variation in color...will have to re check for that one. Again, thanks for all your help.

 

[huntsman53]

I tried to read all the posts and am not sure that anyone hit on the easiest way to tell if it is a genuine Ruby/Sapphire. If using a Gem Loupe, you can see carbon specks, other debris or cracks/faults internally inside the stone, then it is genuine! These will never be seen in Lab grown specimens as they are purely grown in a clean and stable environment which is not the case in nature.


Frank

 

[loco oro]

she did say there were all these little specks in it!

 

[curious kat]

It does have the specks as loco oro said and a couple of other little marks, kind of light reflection things or something like that, sorry don't know the terms. Thank you huntsman for that!

 

[Eu_citzen]

Generally speaking...
There are synthetics which do have carbon-like inclusions. Some have "flaws", to.
So, again, that's just an indication it might be natural.

Here's further reading for anyone interested:
Synthetics, Simulants and Fakes

The "home" page of the website, a lot of good reading:
Gemology Course

 

[curious kat]

Thanks for the sites & help Eu, it will probably remain a question until/if someone in the trade looks at it I suppose. But it's been fun trying to find out!

 

[curious kat]

....just incase...here's pictures of the back......

 

[Buckshotnc]

he is right ,iron will deminish flourescence, but a true ruby or saphire should have little iron, put it under a black light and see what you get, it should glow pink or red, true rubys and saphires will glow a pink or red!real easy ,no fuss, if it doesnt glow its proablely not real. but if it does and your star moves with light,chances are its real, thats a lot of bother to go to fake a imperfect ,25$ stone. just my opinion.let us know what you get.p.s it would be impossible for someone to tell what those specks are from a pic.

I'm with loco here, all rubies from my farm that I've tried have flouresced.

 

[pippinwhitepaws]

I have never hit a ruby with a black light...i'll do mine tonight.

southeast asia has some of the finest gemstones found anywhere...but, they also learned long ago about heat treating and other methods of improving a stone.

this piece looks good...nice star, sickly color, but I like it...
worth more since hubby brought it home...imo

 

[curious kat]

OK Buckshot....don't know if/where to get a black light...Walmart? lol Hey pwp...let us know what yours does under the light, and agree on the color....and thanks for saying that last part to!

 

[Buckshotnc]

OK Buckshot....don't know if/where to get a black light...Walmart? lol Hey pwp...let us know what yours does under the light, and agree on the color....and thanks for saying that last part to!

Flouresced pink to red and I'm sure not all were perfect and probably had some iron in them. A friend from SC brought a light that had short & long wave and I don't remember which he used on the rubies, I had other rocks on the farm that flouresced also we went down to the creek area just after dark, was a lot of fun seeing them flouresce and he brought some that flouresce with him and gave me some. Not sure on where to get the lights, I know one is more expensive than the other, maybe someone else can help out here.