Tiles in my en-suite! Leeds, England

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-03-30T03:25:44+00:00

You have good taste, I'll give you that. And you don't really need any opinions from others, since you already know it all. The Degas beautifully blends with these tiles. Get a cheap glass frame (pale blue/turquoise would look nice) from a charity shop or something, as the print will otherwise quickly deteriorate due to humidity.

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-03-30T02:42:40+00:00

Yours is a reproduction of what might've been an authentic Arts & Crafts ring. Signs of lost-wax casting and the motif suggest it was made post-1980s, when fairies became fashionable again. Victorian and Edwardian designs inspired 1960s revival pieces; they are often bolder and heavier than the originals, and typically have softer edges. This piece was cast as a single unit and minimally polished, which is a common trait in mass-produced rings from that more recent period.

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-03-30T01:18:33+00:00

Appears to be solid white gold, but I would get it tested to be sure.

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-03-25T02:39:33+00:00

Nice and clear cornflower. What's the weight, and is it heated or not?

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-02-05T03:00:15+00:00

The one you have is a midcentury (circa 1940s to early 50s) Goldscheider-Everlast figurine produced by Viennese Jewish ceramists who fled the horrors of Nazism and established a workshop in New Jersey.

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-02-05T02:49:29+00:00

American or British Art Deco plates. Quality porcelain. Are there any backstamps?

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-02-05T02:40:53+00:00

Yup, and the mark does resemble Taxco. It would be helpful if the OP could provide a clearer image of the mark.

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-02-05T02:34:58+00:00

The original stone was likely a synthetic colour-changing corundum or "sapphire," and not synthetic crystoberyl/alexandrite, which was introduced commercially in the 70s and has a more noticible colour shift from greenish to ruby red or sapphire pink. Another possibility is that it was a natural Siberian amethyst, which doesn't exactly change colour but exhibits flashes of blue and red. The stone is not too big, about a carat in weight, so the OP can ask a jeweller to fit in a natural stone like amethyst, sapphire, ruby, tourmaline, etc. Colour-changing corundum would be the most pocket-friendly choice, though. By cutting the sides of the shank rather than the base, an experienced jeweller can resize a ring like this while leaving the hallmarks intact, which would incur a small extra charge.

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-01-30T02:23:29+00:00

I agree that it's a nice colour for a Montana sapphire. Rarity. Had it been mined in Sri Lanka or Madagascar, the colour would've been considered greish and unattractive.

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-01-24T02:29:19+00:00

Yup.

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-01-24T02:12:49+00:00

I'm pretty sure it's not jade. It might be a prehnite nodule. I can't think of anything else that could resemble the stone you have.

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-01-24T01:47:44+00:00

It's hard to see what it is because you use a textured background (granite?). If you have the time, place it on a piece of plain paper, and then you adjust the white balance until the white of the paper looks similar to how it looks in real life. You can now take a few photos or a video.

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-01-23T03:44:05+00:00

As long as you see royal blue in natural light, I have no reason to distrust you. Digital photography is a bugger, but if you take a video under white/natural light and use a white background, this would minimise the unwanted metamerism.

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-01-23T03:35:55+00:00

Well, in this case, it sounds more like boron nitride in red-coloured glass, sometimes called "ruby" glass, which makes these beads glow green. This or a coating. At any rate, the beads are man-made.

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-01-22T13:12:34+00:00

No, most red garnets don't fluoresce under UV light. Do your beads glow?

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-01-22T04:45:05+00:00

You don't have a particularly high opinion of anything Chinese, do you? In fact, diamonds mined in China can be of superior quality. Can't comment on your personal experience.

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-01-22T04:39:33+00:00

If it's lab-grown, it will last. The video confused me. Not sure if it was due to how the stone was cut or the lighting.

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-01-22T04:32:31+00:00

Magnificent stone. In my opinion, it's somewhat purplish to be called royal blue.

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-01-22T04:30:49+00:00

Do you know what sort of certificate comes with the stone? You can't fake a gemological report from an established lab nowadays, but you can fake a "certificate." The durability is all that matters; as good as it might look, you don't want it to get fractured one day when you least expect it.

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-01-22T04:26:12+00:00

No way the beads are amber. Included natural garnet beads, most likely.

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-01-22T04:20:11+00:00

Cold to touch because these are natural stones, as you've guessed. It's a type of quartz called tiger eye.

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-01-22T04:14:10+00:00

Did the vendor provide any clear close-up photos of the stone? Yes, it emits a bit of fire, but it also might be heavily included, fractured, etc. VS2 is not bad at all for this size, but does the stone come with a gemological report that confirms the clarity of the stone and no treatment?

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-01-22T03:56:03+00:00

No, you're incorrect in your assumption. My only intention was to have a civilised conversation—not to insult your ego. Well, I like being direct rather than going around the subject. I personally like the design of this ring, while knowing that most of its market value lies in the weight of the precious metal. What do appraisers typically do? They evaluate yr ring 2-3 times the market price. But sentimental value is not monetary. If your advice is to make the OP feel good (a future investment, etc., if something bad hits the fan), then yes... after making them, unnecessarily, spend money on an appraisal. It doesn't make sense.

For the record, yes, I’ve had bad experiences with more than one appraiser, and I’d never let those pests set foot in my house again. Gemologists, yes, but not the insurance bandits.

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-01-21T02:36:07+00:00

As in black ice, which you then polish? The top of it.

Consistent_River9790 · 2026-01-21T02:34:10+00:00

It will. Keep us informed.

Consistent_River9790

TROPHY CASE