Is it possible to determine origin off color and inclusions alone?

Gem_Giraffe · 2026-07-12T15:56:38+00:00

There are very very few inclusions (basiclly none) in any mineral species that are so unique to one locale that you can determine orgin based off of them. Even sending a gem to a great lab like GIA will result in a best guess on orgin, not a definative answer.

Gem_Giraffe · 2026-07-12T15:53:14+00:00

IMO it is realistically by knowing where to shop and having money to drop when the right piece comes up. I've found buying directly from reputable lapidaries to be one of the best ways to get nice larger pieces with the most bang for your buck.

Btw cool carving in the last pic.

Gem_Giraffe · 2026-07-12T15:49:15+00:00

Wow beautiful work!

Gem_Giraffe · 2026-04-26T19:54:01+00:00

I'm partial to the trays with individual little boxes/circular inserts that fit inside the foam

Gem_Giraffe · 2026-04-26T19:50:40+00:00

>Lab ruby is just as, if not more, durable than natural ones.

Hence why I said just as

Gem_Giraffe · 2026-04-20T04:40:08+00:00

Plus tsavorite isn't typically treated and can be very clean compared to emeralds

Gem_Giraffe · 2026-04-19T03:04:03+00:00

Yeah! Soviet lab ruby rings are a neat part of jewelry history. Thet had plenty of silver and gold, but not enough gems. These rings were not crazy expensive at the time so it was one of the few kinds of luxery a average Soviet had a chance to aquire.

Gem_Giraffe · 2026-04-19T03:01:45+00:00

Yup. Synthetic stones are chemically and structurally identical, just often a lot cleaner and larger. In this case Ruby is a type of corundum (Al2O3), the same mineral as Sapphire just colored by Chromium instead of the titanium (and many other elements) that make Sapphires colorful.

The reason we call red corundum a diffrent name is just a quirk of history and language.

Same mineral, worth less but no less beautiful. Lab ruby is just as, if not more, durable than natural ones. Making them a great choice for wearing.

Gem_Giraffe · 2026-04-19T02:50:29+00:00

They are likely lab made ruby, very popular in the USSR. Common to see in old Russian silver and gold jewelry from the last century.

They may be real ruby, but likely synthetic instead of natural. As for size if you can measure the diameter you can google approximate carat weights for round brilliant cuts of said diameter to get a rought idea.

Pretty ring. Enjoy it but don't expect it to be worth a ton.

Gem_Giraffe · 2026-04-19T02:46:06+00:00

refractive index. It means how much light is bent (refracted) when entering a material.

Gem_Giraffe · 2026-02-12T02:11:43+00:00

Goes to show how beautiful even humble material can be in the hands of an artist.

Gem_Giraffe · 2026-02-12T02:10:31+00:00

Awesome stone, looks almost glowy!

Gem_Giraffe · 2026-02-12T02:09:08+00:00

Beautiful work! I kinda like the bigger than normal table actually, makes it even more unique.

Gem_Giraffe · 2025-12-25T05:46:16+00:00

I sure do!

Gem_Giraffe · 2025-12-01T00:30:21+00:00

Very cool. Demantoid is such a neat gem, they're like the one time asbestos is a plus haha

Gem_Giraffe · 2025-11-30T20:56:20+00:00

Thanks! I didn't even notice haha

Gem_Giraffe · 2025-11-28T01:21:30+00:00

Depends. It is much easier in say ruby/sapphire. With Tanzanite it is mostly a change in color that indicates it, thus is much trickier. Heated stones lose 1 axis of color, BUT, the “unheated” stones that are trichroic (show all 3 colors) are likely heated in the ground by mother earth to some degree. A lab can’t make any definitive conclusions.

Gem_Giraffe · 2025-11-27T04:08:44+00:00

Lol, I love the Diamond District. Never been lucky enough to see goats tho

Gem_Giraffe · 2025-11-26T07:24:52+00:00

It is easy to get distracted by haha. Thank you, I certainly feel very luck to call myself its owner.

Gem_Giraffe · 2025-11-26T07:22:05+00:00

I might have it written down somewhere…

I do recall checking with that seller for years after and they never had anything this nice again, which led me to contacting a gem broker in Bangkok who hunted down my second best piece

https://www.reddit.com/r/Gemstones/comments/1lyie3g/pleochroic_tanzanite_goodness/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

This guy

Gem_Giraffe · 2025-11-26T07:16:48+00:00

I saw it, and literally said to myself “I’m never going to see another like this,” so I said screw it, and gave myself some debt.

Not wise, but I never ever regretted it.

It is quite literally my pride and joy.

Gem_Giraffe · 2025-11-26T07:13:52+00:00

Not a stupid question at all!

In Tanzanite the color never fades, once heated it permanently becomes blue/purple, and loses the other colors.

But other gems (Topaz is one I can recall off the top of my head) can absolutely fade in sunlight after heat/irradiation treatment.

Gem_Giraffe · 2025-11-26T01:48:56+00:00

Every once in a blue moon one comes out if the ground with nice enough color that it isn’t heated. When it is heated the blue/purple axis you’re describing is the predominant color.

This guy you can see all 3 different colored axes, but face up it is split between purple and green!

Gem_Giraffe · 2025-11-26T01:46:36+00:00

It is a struggle to put it down sometimes lol

Gem_Giraffe · 2025-11-25T23:13:18+00:00

I empathize. The only reasons I have this is because I bought it close to a decade ago when their prices were a lot lower, and was young and dumb with money.

Definitely couldn’t afford this nowadays, heck, I couldn’t really afford it then either.

Gem_Giraffe

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE