Antique gold pin from estate sale - ruby or garnet?

Glad that turned out for you, Book!

 

I've never tried it, but don't see why it wouldn't work. Again, not on pearls or soft stones like opals.
I've used toothpaste, have to be sure you rinse it well.
Peroxide works well on gold.

For pearls or opals, I just use a drop of soap and warm water, rinse well.

 

Alcohol will not harm opals.

 

Good to know.

 

Drop of gin works well. That actually looks more like an amethyst on my screen!

 

Pat, Holly, and Bear, thanks for the info.

A question about opals... I have a modernist ring that was my mother's, with what was a really beautiful darker opal. In her later years, she kept it in a bank vault so the opal became cloudy and dull on the surface. Is there anything that can bring back the shine and brilliance?

 

I'd wear it - and I'd rub it gently with my fingers whilst doing so. You can also get them repolished, but it needs someone who knows what they're doing.

 

Bank vaults can be very hard on opals.It would also depend on the type of opal in the ring"solid,doublet,triplet".Maybe best to photograph it and start a new thread.

 

There is no way to tell from a photo, you need to have it tested. Do you know anyone with a gem tester? If not and if you want to send it to me I can test it for you. I've done that lots of times for boardies at the ebay jewelry group. You would mail it to me, I would test it and send it back the same day.

If you feel comfortable with that let me know and I will send you my mailing address, Marie.

 

A good photo can tell you many things,but a gem tester can only estimate what a stone could be.Since it is a known opal,starting with a photo is simple.

 

Doesn't seem to harm me either.................

 

Marie, I'm not sure if your offer was for Book for her pin or for my opal?

 

Holly, yup, I knew the dullness of the opal because I've read that lack of air will do that to them.

Bear, I have worn it in the past but not recently.

I'm going to start a new thread about my ring. Sorry, Book, for hijacking your thread!

 

Oops, it was for the pin with with maybe garnet. My gem tester has its limits and opals don't test well for me

 

No problem, Marie.

I kind of thought you were probably making the offer to Book since it's her stone where it wasn't clear. I know mine is an opal.

 

I started a new thread about my ring and would love to hear more thoughts.

https://www.antiquers.com/threads/modernist-ring-with-opal.7702/

 

I know this sounds dumb, but how do I do that?

 

Never mind, I figured it out

 

My sister has purchased a hardness tester, on eBay I think. It's a pocket sized battery operated device that checks the hardness and you can compare it with a chart that will tell you the established levels of each type of stone. Might not be for everyone. (My sister and spouse love stone jewelry and it's helped them from getting ripped off in places where they know you can't come back...)