Which gemstone sits in my ring.

My new project.
Wanted to turn this piece into a signet ring and engrave my initials in de stone. But it's bloody hard!, can't get a scratch on it. Is it maybe a Ruby, one of them smokey ones? It has no hallmarks but it's a precious metal.

Maybe also somebody a idea on age. Looks hand made and the stone is also hand polished I believe. Can you see from the way it's made and the setting how old it is?
Thank you

 

Pink quartz?

 

I have never heard of a smoky ruby, but it could be a 'natural ruby'. That is just a fancy name for a ruby that is not precious gemstone quality, but still beautiful.
Please don't damage it.
I don't think it is very old, possibly from India.

 

Rubies are very hard, about 9.0 on the Moh Scale compared to glass which is on average 5.5 or quartz which is 7.0; pretty much the only things you could cut or engrave with are diamonds or Silicon Carbide.

 

The ring appears to be from a common wax pattern someone has cast and cut a hole in the flat signet top. Then soldered a bezel onto it and and added the stone,the stone could be a low grade ruby.

 

Looks like it was cast that way, not cut. Jewellery from India and some other Asian ruby countries can be a bit rough around the edges.

 

Could be India yes. Should explain why their are no hallmarks and the stone. It was bought in the UK, so yes many items from India which ended up here because of the occupation.

I did like it and was looking for a signet ring with my initials to wear. It was lucky it was so hard otherwise it had to believe in it

 

That was my thoughts also but needed confirmation. I've seen jewellers work and the techniques they used. This one indeed looks like it's made from seveal pices into one. Also not very precisely done. Yes maybe a low grade natural Ruby. I like it, it has it charms.

 

Yeah it was sharp around the edges!! I had to round the edges because it scratch my finger open when I accidently hit it against something.

 

This is post-occupation, 1970's-80's, maybe even later. If it had sharp edges, even more recent.

 

Most likely it was made by a hobbyist/student, it could have been made anytime in the last 40 plus years.The hole was sawn after it was cast as the saw burr was not cleaned up.If you want to look thru 10,000 wax patterns Google "wax casting patterns",the above ring pattern is probably still available possible in a rough silver casting.

 

Greenland rubies can look cloudy.

 

I don't think it is ruby. the inclusions aren't right. I'm going with Quartz.

 

Well... I know there's red quartz in Tasmania.

 

I can definitely see what you mean.

 

It may be a "quench-crackled" ruby ...........http://www.gem-passion.com/treatedsynthetic-part1

 

I think you've got it, 'quench-crackled' ruby with 'induced fingerprints'. Certainly looks like it. But you've got my vote anyway, just for introducing a term I could say all day. 'Quench-crackled', wonderful!
Why anyone would want to quench-crackle a perfectly good (synthetic) stone is beyond me, but I suppose it is like micro-sanded, sand blasted etc. jeans, which I never understood the need for either. It is just detrimental to the health of young textile workers in poor countries.

 

They quench to make synthetics look more like natural stones with inclusions. Although some years ago lab grown rubies were sent to GIA and they passed all test for natural stones including natural looking inclusions.