Featured Can you guess if this is a ruby or garnet??

I don't have one of those gem testers "Mary" or whatever KSW calls them.

So what is your best guess on the stones here. Earrings are stamped 14K. I'm thinking has to be either Ruby or garnet. More pink than red.

Best guess?

 

That's because KSW's tester is "quite contrary".

They are lovely, but it is impossible to say for certain which stone it is from a photo. Can you take them to a jeweller?

 

Precious stones are usually used with 14K gold.

 

Precious stones can be used with any fineness, and no fineness is a guarantee of the stones used. I have 18k gold earrings with catalin.
As far as the possible 'suspects' for these earrings go, both rubies and garnets can be used with 14K, but so can pink sapphires, zircons and other pink stones, even glass. The only way to know for sure which one it is, is to have them tested.

 

If you want a guess.....
Then I'm guessing ruby. Just based on color.

 

I keep thinking Sri Lanka pink sapphire. Which only goes to show, you can't tell from a photo.

 

Suspect lab pink sapphire. If you have a UV light, see how they respond to it.

 

Those sure are pretty.

 

How do you use this to discern the difference?

 

See if they really glow hot pink. Experimenting with my own jewels, found that only 3 of 4 light pink sapphires in a ring react that way; the fourth, a replacement, does not, so not absolute proof if they do not, but pretty good indicator if they do.

 

I love that you experiment with your jewelry. You are so fascinating. I never thought of that, but I have little good jewelry to examine anyway. Thanks for the explanation.

 

I have Czech garnet earrings with a certificate (bought them from Prague airport) and they are deep wine red, and don't glow at UV light. Don't know if it is normal or not.

 

I have an obscene number of rings, most set with stones, so often good for reference.

 

That she is. Takes way too long to explain all her contrary ways but they include not being functional if in a cold wind ie the window is open, throwing a hissy fit if your feet are on the floor and randomly testing the air and saying it’s glass When on form and been pandered to, she’s quite accurate with good stuff like diamonds,ruby, sapphire but if she’s not sure, everything is jadeite or nephrite.
Her piece de resistance is to completely ignore something and say it doesn’t exist. Or to blame the user that your rock steady hand ‘slipped’.

You can never have too many

 

What is this "too many"?

 

No idea, never met 'im!

I'd suspect rubies or pink sapphires (same stone, different name based on the color) If they match exactly in color and shape then lab-grown is a good base to work from.

 

Keep checking the jewellery forum! We joolies experiment and test more than anyone in any other Antiquers discipline.
UV light, testing acid, lemon juice, acetone, Mohs hardness tester AKA Mary, Presidiums for those with deeper pockets, baking soda, simichrome, in plastic bag submerged in hot water, milk test, you mention it, we've exerimented with it.
Except for the dreaded hot pin test! The devil's work.

Then there is kyra's advice to taste things, sometimes useful, but not always to be recommended.

And I must admit, I am personally reponsible for sending people into closets with a UV light, and for scaring Bronwen's neighbours with an eerie UV glow shining through the curtains.

 

That is perfectly normal. Czech garnets are pyrope garnets, they don't glow in UV light.
The only types of garnet that can glow (but not always), are green and colourless grossularite garnets.

 

There is no such thing, I know that for a fact.

 

Thank you, Any! I bought them from a reputable shop but still was not sure if it was normal.