Featured Gold ring with orange stone

I found this at an estate sale today. There are no markings that I can find. On one half of the stone I am seeing these cool flashing colors. I only have silver tester. When I tested it the liquid did not dissolve the gold color on the stone. Does that mean anything? Any thoughts on what the stone is or where and when the ring was made are much appreciated. Thanks a bunch!

 

I've read that an Australian opal can be orange, I've seen plenty with the orange as fire inside, but never one so large as this, so am following this post.. Other members will probably know, so please wait for their responses.

Despite the cut, which appears to have been done deliberately to engulf all of the orange part, it's a gorgeous stone.
What country / city was the estate sale in? Were there any other aussie souvies in the house for sale?

 

I found this ring in the Texas panhandle area. I didn’t see any other Aussie souvenirs. One lady did pick up a couple of jade pieces in the jewelry area. But I didn’t really get a good look at them.

 

@cfh, how large is this ring? Do you know the size?
Does the one side have much more wear than the other side?

 

I don't know about how to test for gold content, but to my eye, it LOOKS like at least 9k gold. Any markings on the gold?

The one side looks to have been buried in the ground for a long time...

 

Wouldn't surprise me if it's extremely old, lost in the Mexican desert by Pancho Villa's riders, later found and then sold in Texas.

When he was a young man, my grandfather and his friend wanted to become actors in Hollywood. When that didn't come to pass, they were broke and walked home from California to Texas. At one point they slept in a canyon in northern Mexico. He told me Pancho and his men rode up and laid down for the night. My grandpa and his friend snuck out before daylight! Said THEY RODE UP WITH SO MUCH GOLD AND SILVER ON THEIR HORSES AND BODIES!

So I wonder what you've got there?
Following to see what others think this ring and stone could be.

 

There is something being called an "orange Mexican opal" so maybe look into that? The images I saw online did not look like stone, but rather more like glass, and the cuts were angular, not cabochon, so that may have made them appear more transparent than yours. I think your is old.

 

Love the story!!! And that must be what I have! I found mostly Native American stuff at the sale. A couple of nice handmade black pots and a old whirling logs ring. I will never wear the ring but is is still cool to have. The orange stone on my ring is about 1 inch long and little less than half an inch wide.

 

Wow that's a huge stone, likely valuable. Let's wait to hear what others will say about your ring.

To me, the gold looks old. Is one side of the gold and setting - a little bit messed up? It looks like it was stuck in dirt to me, but perhaps this is just my bad eyesight and the shine of the gold in the photograph.

 

Mexican fire opals are orange with a flash. In Texas, a Mexican stone is more likely.
I have never seen an orange Australian opal though.

 

ANY ONE could have lost or sold it, but my grandpa told me details of the saddles, belts, spurs and jewels of Pancho Villa and his men, so my mind went there!

AJ, do you think this is a Mexican opal?

 

One side is more worn than the other. But I was wondering if that could be from wearing it a bit. Like where the fingers rub together?

 

I see quite a bit of Mexican jewelry here in texas. But I really do like the idea of lost gold! If anyone asks, that is the story I am going with!

 

It doesn't appear (to me) to be rub wear from finger, but rather looks to have been pried up out of being stuck in dirt.

 

NO DOUBT there is lost treasure still buried there!

Does the setting look "pried up" to you? it does to me in your 4th photo.
The gold wear in the 3rd photo looks like finger wear.
The wear in the 1st photo looks like it was scraped against concrete or stuck in dirt. It's not smooth finger wear. Is that the side it is pried up on?
Can you see what I'm talking about?????

 

Yes that picture was a bit grainy. The wear is actually quite smooth. Honestly, I am pretty new at this so I have no idea what something might look like if it was pried up. But my guess would be no.But on a side note, I have been researching my pots a bit. The are not native American, but actually Mata Ortiz pots. I am definitely going with Mexican fire opal.

 

I'd like to see that under UV light.

 

I see no UV effect on fire opal

 

On the other hand, just in case this is other than a fire opal...? Couldn't hurt the ring.

 

Precisely so. It narrows it down.