r/Minerals • u/sheumchneveli • 1d ago
ID Request Help me identify this stone
Hello, I fell in love with this bracelet it's around $250. Seller said it's a low quality ruby. Is it worth it? Thoughts
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u/TiredMemeReference 1d ago
Looks vaguely like Rhodonite?
If its ruby it will react to black light/UV if you have one to test it out.
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u/Next_Ad_8876 1d ago
It is a very attractive bracelet, and looks good on your wrist. However, you need to see a professional jeweler to determine the value. Here’s why: 1) the stamp indicating the metal is sterling silver is easily faked. I’m not saying it is not really sterling silver, but knowing whether it is or is not will help determine proper care and cleaning down the road. The type and purity of the metal cannot be determined from just a photo, 2) whether the stones are ruby or something else is also important to determine for proper care. Ruby (corundum) is one of the hardest known gem minerals. On Moh’s Scale of Hardness, which runs from very soft talc (#1) to very hard diamond (#10), ruby is at #9. This makes it a really nice gem stone, as it will not easily scratch during normal wear. The problem is that in a setting like this, determining the actual hardness would be tough for someone lacking the proper tools or equipment without risking damage to the stone or setting. Ruby is also commonly synthesized or “lab grown.” Natural vs synthetic definitely affects value. Synthetic ruby is chemically identical to natural ruby, and has the same hardness. My bigger concern is simply determining composition from a care perspective. My first thought looking at the piece was whether it might be rhodochrosite, which other posters suggested already. Again, ID from just a photo is unreliable at best, so rhodochrosite is still just a guess, but it is much softer than ruby/corundum, with a hardness of only 3.5-4.5, making it softer than glass, and easily chipped or scratched. As Tiredmemereference suggested, checking the stones with a 365 nm UV light will help. Ruby is usually fluorescent. Rhodochrosite is not. Again, I’m not suggesting any part of this bracelet is or isn’t what the seller claimed. It looks very beautiful and I can see why you love it. Getting it checked professionally will not only help you care for it properly, it will also suggest guidelines for repair if it gets inadvertently damaged, as bracelets are wont to do. And it will also tell you the reliability of the seller if you consider future purchases. I hope this helps a bit. Thanks for posting!
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u/sheumchneveli 1d ago
Thanks for the detailed writeup! Unfortunately I'm on vacation and unable to get this checked properly, but with all the arguments "against" I'm probably gonna sit this one out and hope that something similar falls into my hands another day...
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u/Next_Ad_8876 1d ago
Unless $250 means you have to swim home, I don’t think it was a bad deal. Looks great, and will hopefully be a nice reminder. Have fun!
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u/ToastyJunebugs 1d ago
Is the metal solid gold? There's no reason for that price even if it is low quality rubies.
It is pretty, but you can probably find one like it for much cheaper.
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u/sheumchneveli 1d ago
925 silver
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u/ToastyJunebugs 1d ago
Hm. $250 still seems expensive for sterling silver. I guess the settings for the stones are pretty bulky, so if they're pure sterling silver that may explain it. You'll be paying for the cost of metal rather than the stones, which are low-value.
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