Featured My Mom's Engagement Ring

Has to be from the early 1950s (mom & dad were married in September 1951). My aunt is drooling to get it from me, but it is very sentimental and in a safety deposit box. I have no idea what was originally paid for it (obviously purchased before I was born and it was never discussed). The inscription indicates to me it's 14 carat gold.

A few years ago I took it to a local jeweler for appraisal. Instead of telling me the value, he just said, "I'll give ya five bucks for it." I said the red stones were rubies. He said they were garnets and virtually worthless. I read somewhere that real rubies glow under UV light (photo included, but I'm still unsure).

Needless to say I did not accept the offer. He probably just saw it for a melt value. He's gone OOB now.

Any comments welcome.

 

A number of garnet types will glow under a UV light.
Any comments welcome.

 

I think it's lovely and $5 for a 14k ring is absurd!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Deb, look for a private conversation from me.

 

I agree it is lovely

 

Jewelers seem worse than used car dealers.

 

Very interesting discussion.

I was recently thinking of taking some of my family jewelry to a jeweler to get an appraisal. So that I could potentially sell it. I don't have photos here, but one piece is a 14K gold bracelet (marked on the clasp as such) and it has charms on it. The charms as far as I can see are not marked. I know nothing about jewelry.

I weighed it and it was about 3.4 ounces.

I have had it for over 30 years.

Any advice would be helpful. Thank you

 

96 grams. Times .585. Times $168.
Yeah, as a bracelet it will never be worth that.

 

u want to sell the metal at the best price.....find a refiner.

other wise I' don't know of a jeweller who'll give you fair price, or an auction where u could achieve anywhere near market value...

 

gold , has now become outlandishly expensive................

 

Thanks Komo. I have to google it and see where a refiner might be.

The place near me that I wanted to go to just closed its doors after decades They only bought like estate jewelry. I never went to them.

I need to figure this out somehow. I would love to be able to pay off some medical and car bills.

 

Mom had one of those...........I loved playing with it as a kid...

one day, she gave it to my young daughter......I railed against that....

My daughter does not remember receiving it................ aww well....

 

I feel you !!!
Do your research........... do it well....and good luck !!!

 

Thanks Komo.
I appreciate your input.

 

I have seen tourmaline this color, but never garnet. They look like rubies to me. Small lab grown rubies have been produced for more than 100 years, so there's that possibility.

Maybe offer your aunt some other keepsake.

 

My aunt is drooling to get it from me, but it is very sentimental and in a safety deposit box.

So , do u like your aunt ?
offer it to her at a fair price........

if it's so special to you , then why isn't it where you can see it and enjoy it ???

 

Lovely ring, Deb.

Criminal. The stones are indeed rubies, but even if they were garnets, the ring would still be worth something.

Both natural and synthetic rubies glow under UV light. Synthetic rubies glow more orangey. To me these look like natural rubies.

 

Afaik most garnets don't react to UV light, only some grossular garnets glow a little. Grossular garnets don't look like the stones in the ring.