Featured Help Identifying Large Blue Stone Ring – Hallmarks, Stone Type, and Period?

Hello everyone,

I’d really appreciate some expert opinions on a ring I recently acquired. I’ll attach several photos of the piece, including close-ups of the stone and hallmarks.



About the Ring

• The ring is marked 750 along with what appears to be a maker’s mark “AK” and a national hallmark that I was told is from Cyprus.
• The mounting is substantial 18ct white gold, with four small irradiated blue diamonds set around the central stone in a sort of cross-shaped arrangement.
• The central stone measures approximately 21.67 × 16.25 mm and is cut in an emerald/scissor style.

Gemstone Question



A valuation document that accompanied the ring describes the centre stone as “blue quartz”, but based on the transparency, inclusions, cutting style, and overall setting, this seems unusual.

Many people I’ve shown it to believe it is more likely to be an aquamarine, especially considering the design and the use of blue diamonds.


I’m hoping for your opinions on:

1. Do you think the centre stone looks more like aquamarine than quartz?(Any gemologists or experienced collectors’ thoughts are welcome.)
2. Can anyone confirm whether these hallmarks are indeed Cypriot?I’ll post clear photos of the marks.
3. Does the construction/style suggest a particular period or workshop?The design feels modern but possibly artisan-made.
4. Has anyone seen a valuation misidentify aquamarine as quartz before?(The diamonds, gold purity, and craftsmanship seem inconsistent with a quartz centre.)

I’d be grateful for any observations or insights into the origin, maker, or gemstone identification.

Thank you very much in advance

 

nice ring.... but 33 photo's ......?

take it to a gemologist if u don't like the signed valuation..!

 

Hi

I don’t know why it’s uploaded so many duplicate photos I’m trying to delete them

 

Also my friend brought his refractometer around and its RI is falling within the range of beryl (Aquamarine)

 

So I’m trying to delete this post now

 

Thanks.

 

2024 , u should be able to locate Mr. O'donnell......and ask him !

 

It’s a Cyprus mark for 18 carat, yes. Looks typical of some of the rather lovely honking big cocktail rings sold there. Could well be aquamarine.

 

My first thought was"big honkin' aquamarine" with blue topaz. Aquamarine is a beryl and shouldn't read as quartz, but unless I'm really mistaken there aren't any blue quartz stones. Aquamarines come that big, and I wouldn't expect a big blue topaz in an 18k setting.

All I know is, if that showed up here I'd cheerfully wear it! It's about my size .. big....

 

Any chance of seeing how the center stone would look with plain white behind it? I agree with evelyb's thoughts. Based on color alone, my first thought for all the stones was treated topaz. If the appraiser IDed the round stones as diamonds, I have no way to argue with that.

As for blue quartz, had to poke around a bit on that. Between the Internet and the gems & minerals book I keep at my elbow, I'm not seeing any gem quality quartz that is this shade of blue, although I can't entirely rule out the possibility that a technique has been found to produce this color, the way citrine is produced from amethyst.

As evelyb said, aquamarine crystals can grow quite large, and since it is beryl, the same mineral as emerald, it lends itself to this type of cut. It also seems more likely to find a large aquamarine accented with diamonds than any quartz, no matter the color.

Unless I missed it, the appraisal does not state how the nature of the stones was determined.

 

The appraiser is one of those cash for bling places. I doubt they tested it. They’re pawnbrokers, and I think I bought a ring there a few years ago. This was probably an unredeemed pledge, and this is their supposed valuation. Which is not to denigrate the ring, it’s a lovely thing.

 

They appraise under the imprimatur of the Birmingham Assay Office?

 

I had this problem at first. I found I could delete them in edit when they are in text form: ATTACH NUMBER ATTACH. I also was able to move text & images around when images appear in odd places (like in the middle of my Q). (ATTACH is in brackets.)

 

To me, it looks like Capital Cash is/was the owner, not the appraiser. That letterhead indicates it was appraised through the Birmingham Assay Office, they offer valuation services and Mr O'Donnell is one of their valuers.
What seems odd is that under the appraiser's name and date, Craig O'Donnell 24/07/2024, it states, "I have examined the articles scheduled above, on behalf of SafeGuard Quality Assurance... yada, yada..." yet according to gov.uk SafeGuard Quality Assurance was dissolved in January 2023.

From the Jewellery Valuers Association website:

 

Maybe just boilerplate on an outdated form?

 

I purchased it from capital cash which is basically cash converters who are a chain of pawn shops in the uk. I think possibly it was purposely listed as as quartz due to fact unredeemed pawned items must legally be sold in auction after they expire

The only other stone it could really be would be blue topaz and in which case it should show strong doubling of the facets. I know there are lots of variations but Is there even such a big blue quartz cut gemstone with this Color maybe a new one blue amethyst