Archive for Gemstones
Garnet Jewellery
Posted by: | CommentsThe Garnet was once a very popular gemstone with the deep ref variety being one of the main gemstones used during the Victorian era. Its blood red colour could be worn when a lady was first coming out of a period of deep mourning when black only was worn. The Victorians were not the first people to wear Garnets, it is believes that the Egyptians has Garnet beads.
Garnet Ring
Whilst we normally think of the Garnet as being red, the term actually refers to a whole family of Gemstones which vary in color from Black, through green, purple, yellow, orange to differing shades of red.
The Garnet is the birthstone for January and has also been used to signify Friendship improving personal relationships when worn.
Due to the popularity of the Garnet during the Victorian era imitation Garnets were introduced and many pieces of antique jewellery which appear to be set with red Garnets are actually set with red glass or other man made stones. You will need to take care when buying antique garnet jewellery that you know if you are buying real garnet gemstones or costume jewellery. Ask the Jewellery you are buying from, the can either test the stones for you. A clue for you, are the stones set into real gold? if so they may well be real. Stones set in base metal are more likely to be costume jewellery.
Garnet Earrings
Care of Garnet Jewellery
Garnets are quite resilient and can be cleaned in an ultrasonic machine or in a gentle liquid jewellery cleaner . A word of caution you will need to ensure which other materials the garnets are set with. If its gold then go ahead and clean you garnet jewellery as mentioned here. If other materials are used then you will need to ensure that your cleaning technique is appropriate to those materials too.
Emerald Jewellery
Posted by: | CommentsEmeralds are one of the loveliest gemstones, their green colour is reminiscent of spring and gardens. The emerald is a rare and valuable form of the Beryl family. They come in a range of shades of green from pale to dark velvet green with the darkest green being the most valuable.
Used in jewellery since ancient times the emerald is normally seen these days cut in a rectangular step cut shape ( Think Art Deco)/. You can also find emeralds as beads and cameos. The emerald has been made synthetically since the 1930s and it is also imitated by green glass.
emerald necklace
Natural emeralds normally have flaws and fissures which give a cloudy appearance to the stone. To improve the look of the emerald these fissures are filled with oil . You must take care when cleaning emerald jewellery or this oil can leak out of the stone ruining its appearance. For this reason you should never clean emerald jewellery in an ultrasoinic jewellery cleaner.
The emerald is the Birthstone for May and has traditionally been associated with Loyalty, faithfulness and friendship.
Not all emerald jewellery has to be expensive. Small emeralds can provide a beautiful flash of green and look great set into yellow gold Or how about an emerald gemstone chip necklace. You still have real emeralds but at a bargain price.
AntiquesAvenue normally has a selection of vintage and antique jewellery set with emeralds . Take a look at these emerald earrings for example:
These earrings are set with really nice Emeralds. Each emerald is faceted and measures about 6mm long. The emeralds are set into fully hallmarked nine carat gold. These emerald earrings are for pierced ears and are in excellent clean condition.
Affordable Antique and Vintage Diamond Jewellery
Posted by: | CommentsStrangely there is only one entry for AntiquesAvenue A-Z of Vintage and Antique Jewellery materials. It seems that D has been reserved for possible the most sought after material of all Diamonds.
Being one of the most popular and expensive gemstones you can read all about diamonds all over the Internet but most are promoting large and very expensive diamonds from several hundred pounds up to a few million for the very largest diamonds. Look carefully and there is some super antique and vintage jewellery about set with smaller diamonds which can be found much more affordable prices. Changing from my normal format of discussing the material , Here is AntiquesAvenue’s guide to buying affordable Antique and Vintage diamond jewellery.
Diamond Locket
A little bit of Diamond Jewellery History
In ancient times all Diamonds came from India and this was the major source of diamonds until the 1720s when diamonds were found in Brazil followed by discoveries in South Africa in the 1860s. All sorts of mystical and magical properties have been attributed to diamonds at different times including plague prevention. Diamonds being the hardest gemstone were difficult to cut and polish and so older diamonds are not as heavily faceted as they are today. Simpler cuts were used and looking at the way a diamond is cut can help tell us the earliest date that it could have been mounted and faceted. The Georgians tried several techniques to make diamonds appear whiter and more brilliant for example setting them into silver and giving them a white foil backing. Of course as with much antique jewellery, diamonds can be re-worked at various stages in their lives so that an ancient diamond could have been re cut in the Victorian ear to bring the shape more up to date. For example the Rose cut diamond popular in the 18th and 19th centuries appear quite grey next to a similar diamond which has been given a more modern cut such as the brilliant.
Diamond and lapis ring
Affordable Antique diamond jewellery dating from before the late 1880s is not really available in any quantity as it is at that time when it when it became available to those with a little disposable income. Simple antique diamond jewellery set with small diamonds such as brooches, bangles and earrings started to be mass produced and it is these that we can now find affordable today. Look out for diamonds which are used as an accent to other stones as in this lapis ring. A sparkle of diamond can go a long was an smaller diamonds are relatively cheap in price.
Looking to but a genuine piece of antique jewellery set with diamonds? I suggest that you consider and antique brooch. Antique gold brooches from the Victorian and Edwardian eras and set with small diamonds can be bought for under £100. You may also be able to find a 9 carat gold ring with other gemstones and diamond points for around this sort of price too. I’ve just checked the antiquesavenue.co.uk website and I even have one antique stick pin with a real diamond point ( a tiny diamond) for £25, now that has got to be a bargain.
As the 20th century progressed diamond cutting was improved and new shapes were introduced. Just take a look at some expensive diamond jewellery from the art deco era to see the range of shapes and sizes available by that time. These include Baguettes and Marquise shapes.
The other technical innovation of the 20th century which improved diamond jewellery was the ability use Platinum to set the diamonds into giving a real white colour to show them off to their best advantage.
Looking for affordable vintage diamond jewellery? The best bargains to be had at the moment are in pieces of 9 carat jewellery from the second half of the last century. For example you can get rings set with smaller diamonds from about £50. I’ve just checked the antiquesavenue.co.uk website and see I have rings with diamonds in from £45 upwards.
If you want the look of diamond but cant afford a single large gem then I suggest taking a look at jewellery with clusters of diamonds. The reason is that several small diamonds adding up to one carat in diamond size will be the fraction of the cost of a one carat diamond.
As hard as Diamonds
Posted by: | CommentsDiamonds are cherished not only because of their beauty but also for their long lasting durable qualities. They are used in Jewellery such as engagement rings as they do not wear away and will last a life time. Unfortunately these sparkling beauties are expensive and so other clear diamond like materials have been developed to look like diamonds.
Diamond brooch
The first of these diamond imitations was probably glass, Clear quarts has been used for centuries and during the Georgian era paste a high lead content glass was developed. Other imitation diamonds include Cubic zirconia and recently Moissanite.
These diamond imitations can be very attractive and are often set into jewellery. The main problem with them is that when we are looking to buy a piece of vintage jewellery we need to know if the piece is set with a diamond or an imitation. Traditionally it was easy for a jeweller to tell the difference between a real diamond and any of the imitations as an electronic diamond tester could be used. nowadays we need to be a little more careful as Moissanite test the same as diamonds on traditional diamond testers.
Today I was looking at a ring prior to adding it to the shop. Hallmarked as 9 carat gold and with crystal clear diamond looking stones and it tested as diamonds. But to me something seemed wrong. The stones were just a bit to sparkly so I looked at them even more closely than normal and had to come to the unfortunate ( for me) conclusion that these stones are Moissanite.
Moissanite Ring
How did I come to this conclusion? Diamonds and Moissanite deflect light differently and if you shine a bright light into a Mossanite stone you can see a rainbow like effect as the light plays across the facets. This effect is not seen with real diamonds.
Moissanite is largely a man made material which has only been available in commercial quantities since the 1990s . We must still check our antique and vintage diamond like jewellery in case one of the stones has been replaced with Moissanite which has a much lower value.
Gemstones in your jewellery, Whats in a name?
Posted by: | CommentsI’ve been looking at a lovely piece of vintage jewellery today made of French Jet. Did you know that French Jet is not actually real Jet at all but an imitation made of black glass? There are lots of similar gemstone terms that have the name of the gemstone with an additional name alongside. This can be quite confusing and its only fair that when you are looking to buy a piece of jewellery you know what you are getting for your money.
Here are the names that I have come across, the list may not be complete so please do let me know if you come across any and I will add them here.
Gemstone Ring
These are not real Diamonds
- German diamond: quartz
- Herkimer diamond: double-terminated quartz
- Bohemian Diamond: quartz
These are not real Emeralds
- African emerald: green fluorite
- Bohemian emerald: green fluorspar
- Broghton emerald: green glass
- Chatham emerald: synthetic emerald
- Cape emerald: Prehnite
- Gilson emerald: synthetic emerald
- Emeraldine: chalcedony that’s dyed green
- Oriental emerald: sapphire
- Evening emerald: peridot
- Spanish emerald: glass
These are not real Rubies
- Adelaide ruby: Australian garnet
- Australian ruby: garnet
- Bohemian ruby: garnet
- California ruby: garnet
- Cape ruby: garnet
- Montana ruby: garnet
- San Diego ruby: red tourmaline
- Siberian ruby: tourmaline
These are not real Sapphires
- Brazilian sapphire: blue tourmaline
- Burma sapphire: synthetic sapphire
- Hope sapphire: synthetic blue spinel or lab grown sapphire
Real Opals
This is not real Jade
- African jade: garnet
- Colorado jade: feldspar
- Honan jade: soapstone
- Indian jade: aventurine
- Manchurian jade: soapstone
- Swiss jade: jasper
These are not real Pearls
- Atlas pearls: calcite beads
- Delta pearls: imitations
- Roman pearls: glass beads
- Swarovski pearls: glass beads
This is not real Opal
- Ceylon opal: moonstone
- Blue opal: lazulite
- Gilson Opal: Synthetic opal
- Opal Doublett or Tripplet, part opal part glass
Not real Lapis Lazuli
- Swiss lapis: chalcedony or dyed jasper
- German lapis: dyed jasper
- Canadian lapis: sodalite
Turquoise Immitations
- African turquoise: jasper
- Chinese turquoise: calcite, soapstone
- Sacred turquoise: smithsonite
- Utah turquoise: variscite
- Vienna turquoise: simulated at one time but may contain reconstituted turquoise
- Yellow turquoise: often jasper or serpentine
Jet Immitations
- French Jet: Black Glass
Remember also that anything with the term “Faux” is not real. It is a term used a lot ( including by me) . The word “Faux” is actually French for false.
Amethysts, The sobriety Jewel
Posted by: | CommentsIs your vintage jewellery set with a purple or violet gemstone? If so there is a good chance that that stone is amethyst. The amethyst is a popular gemstone which varies from a light violet to a deep Royal Purple in colour . The amethyst is a purple form of quartz.
amethyst jewellery
The amethyst in history and legend
The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that the amethyst protected from drunkenness, drinking from an amethyst bowl would keep you sober. In fact the word amethyst is derived from the ancient Greek work for intoxicated. The Legends of the Gods include variations of stories about Dionysus’s tears staining quartz purple to form amethyst.
The amethyst has been worn as a gemstone since at least Egyptian times
Is this a real amethyst or a piece of costume jewellery?
Whilst amethysts are quite abundant and not over particularly expensive as gemstones go, not every purple or violet stone you find is real. Some amethyst coloured stones are made of glass. Look deep into the amethyst with a 10 x magnifying class. Can you see round bubbles? if so it is most likely to be glass. Can you see tiger stripes? If so then your amethyst could well be real. You will need to take your gemstone to an experienced jewellery to be sure.
What makes an Amethyst valuable?
Like all gemstones the larger the better and the clearer the better. Amethysts can be quite opaque and cloudy and such stones are often turned into beads.
Care of Amethyst jewellery.
The amethyst is quite a tough material measuring 7 on Mohs scale . This means that any jewellery set with amethysts will be quite durable and it is suitable for wearing in rings. As with all jewellery you need to take a look at what the stone is set into before you decide how to clean it. If the amethyst is set into silver or jewellery and with no other stones present you may clean it in an ultrasonic cleaner without any real harm. Alternatively a quick dip in liquid jewellery cleaner should be OK ( not silver dip) . Rinse well and pat dry.
Vintage Jewellery set with Amethysts
Here are a few examples of vintage jewellery set with amethysts available from antiquesavenue:
vintage amethyst jewellery
vintage pendant pearl amethyst silver baroque
What an amazing vintage pendant and is in the antique baroque style although it actually dates from the early 1900s. This pendant is made of silver and set with a central real amethyst and baroque and round pearls (I am presuming the round pearls are cultured although I cannot test these without damaging them). The smaller “amethysts” are coloured glass. I have added a newer silver chain so that this pendant is ready to wear.
Material:Silver, amethyst and costume jewellery Size: Pendant is 4 cms long and 3.6 cms wide. The silver chain is 60 cms long-Age:Early 1900s Condition: Excellent
Antique lavalier 9 carat gold amethyst
gold ring diamond and amethysts
A wonderful antique style gold ring made of fully hallmarked nine carat gold and set with real amethysts and diamonds. This ring sparkles wonderfully. The head of the ring measures about 6 mm wide. It is UK ring size just over O, USA 7.5
November Birthstone Jewellery, Yellow Topaz or Citrine
Posted by: | CommentsGiving gifts of Jewellery which is associated with a persons Birthday or star sign is a lovely way of showing you care enough to seek out a piece which is special for the lucky receiver. If someone has a Birthday in November they have a choice of birthstones Citrines or Yellow Topaz . Both have a bright sunshine colour. The Topaz is also linked to the star sign of Scorpio ( November 22 to December 21).
In Myth and Ledgend the topaz has been associated with strength, rejuvination and happiness also loyalty and friendship. Citrines are about joy and friendship as well.
Here are a few pieces of Jewellery which would be wonderful gifts for someone born under Scorpio or in November:
I am mentioning this piece first as it is quite unusual to be able to find a piece of genuine antique or vintage Jewellery which is birthstone set and also suitable as a gift for a gent.A lovely simple old Georgian gold fob set with a real citrine which is quite large measuring 3/4 x 1/2 inch. This fob will date from the early 1800s
Approx Size: a little over 0.75 inch long
Approx Weight: 4.3 grams
citrine jewellery
Vintage 1960s daisy flower citrine pendant 9 carat gold
fashionsboho todays. This is made of fully hallmarked 9 carat gold . This stylish piece of vintage jewellery would really suit a retro outfit or CitrinesWonderful for someone who loves fashionable things: A special daisy pendant dating from the 1960s and made of gold set with
wide at the basecms long including bail, 2.3 cms4.3
Vintage brooch silver citrine
- huge. This brooch is in excellent conditioncms measuring about 1.5 x 1 citrine long with the cms Gemstone in a pale lemon colour. This is typical of the arts and crafts bar brooches popular in the early 1900s. The brooch measures about 6 Citrine is huge. This vintage brooch is made of silver and set with a lovely real citrineFor Mum, Aunty or Grandma – this
The Opal, Octobers birthstone
Posted by: | Comments
black opal brooch
Opals are one of my favourite gemstones for setting in jewellery and so I am delighted that not only are they the Birthstone for October but Opals are also the Birthstone for Libra and so I can claim them for my own even having a birthday in late September.
Opals are commonly seen in a milky white colour with sparkles of green, blue, red and ( less commonly black). Most Opals are from Australia.
In history Opals have has a chequered reputation. Originally they stood for Hope, Purity and innocence. In the middle ages they though that opals had the powers of every gemstone where the colour was found in that opal. So an opal with green in also had the power of an emerald and one with red or blue had the powers of rubies or sapphires. Hence the more colours in an opal the more powerful and sought after it was.
In the Victorian era there was a famous Novel written by Sir Walter Scott in which an enchanted opal causes the death of a baroness. This seems to have been the beginning of the opals reputaion for bad luck and death. In otherwords its poor reputaiton stems from a Victorian novel and I like to think of it more in the traditional medieval way as having multiple powers.
Here are a few pieces of vintage jewellery set with opals available from antiquesavenue:
There is a super oval black opal set into this 9 carat gold brooch. The hallmarks date it to the 1980s. The opal is a doublet
What a beautiful brooch, It is is set with a heart shaped opal. It is marked as 9 ct gold
This vintage ring is made of fully hallmarked nine carat gold and set high with a real opal which measures about 1 cm long. The hallmarks date this ring to vintage 1980s. It is in really excellent clean condition
UK ring size O, USA ring size 7.25
opal pendant
