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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: Oceans64 on December 18, 2010, 10:56:48 PM

Title: Vintage Ring... Unknown stone? plastic?
Post by: Oceans64 on December 18, 2010, 10:56:48 PM
This ring belonged to my Gma and I have no idea of the history nor does my Dad.  My niece wears a similar style of ring and since I never wear it I am going to give it to her.  Does anyone have an idea of what the center would be made of.  It's light and feels a bit like plastic - I have a cameo of hers and it feels the same way.  I dont' know what the dark spots would be.  The ring itself is stamped 10K-MS. She was b. 1906 and d. 2001

Thanks...



Title: Re: Vintage Ring... Unknown stone? plastic?
Post by: greenacres on December 18, 2010, 11:07:39 PM
It was very popular for people to use Agate.
Title: Re: Vintage Ring... Unknown stone? plastic?
Post by: waywardangler on December 19, 2010, 01:37:23 AM
I was going to suggest Moonstone but I have no idea about the brown spots.  Are they in the "stone" or on the surface?
Title: Re: Vintage Ring... Unknown stone? plastic?
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on December 19, 2010, 01:55:57 AM
might be tortise shell, but usually there would be more brown in it. It could be some kind of bakelite or celluloid.
Title: Re: Vintage Ring... Unknown stone? plastic?
Post by: mariok54 on December 19, 2010, 03:15:56 AM
Could be Moonstone, Wayward, I've seen uncut and unpolished examples of it with brown sections.
Oceans, as the ring is 10K I doubt whether it would be plastic, so you can be almost certain that it's going to be some sort of semi-precious stone.
Title: Re: Vintage Ring... Unknown stone? plastic?
Post by: Oceans64 on December 19, 2010, 09:50:26 AM
The brown is in the stone and it does feel cold to touch. I think it feels plastic when I tap... hard to explain.  I've never heard of moonstone. I'll have to go look...  Would they have marked the ring with the stone type thus the MS?

Updating...  Seems too translucent for moonstone.  If you put something behind it you can easily see the color through it. Could be tortoise shell altho an odd example I guess with the small flecks of brown only.  Hmm - I'll have to keep looking.

Title: Re: Vintage Ring... Unknown stone? plastic?
Post by: Oceans64 on December 19, 2010, 10:35:48 AM
Ah Ha!!!  http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-Deco-Moss-Agate-Gold-Cocktail-Ring-Vintage-Old-/380300446153?pt=Vintage_Fine_Jewelry&hash=item588bac49c9

The style is exact altho mine is yellow gold. Greenacres may get the cookie for this one...
Title: Re: Vintage Ring... Unknown stone? plastic?
Post by: waywardangler on December 19, 2010, 10:39:53 AM
WOW! Even the style and marking is the same.  Moss agate as greenacres suggested and worth a small bit of change too.
Title: Re: Vintage Ring... Unknown stone? plastic?
Post by: Oceans64 on December 19, 2010, 10:42:07 AM
Only problem is if you google pics, the seller may have got the "moss" part wrong... They are usually green, thus the name. 

I get to go to an auction today  ;D  so I'll have to look more later...
Title: Re: Vintage Ring... Unknown stone? plastic?
Post by: KC on December 19, 2010, 10:58:51 AM
Nice!
Title: Re: Vintage Ring... Unknown stone? plastic?
Post by: Oceans64 on December 19, 2010, 11:07:53 AM
Thanks KC - What's great is my niece loves and wears this style of ring so it can be used again (vrs spending 10 more yrs in my jewelry box) and she will have something of her g-gma's - which is best of all...  I have some earrings and the cameo I can save for my other 2 nieces.  I'm pretty excited about giving it to her.
Title: Re: Vintage Ring... Unknown stone? plastic?
Post by: Dean Perdue on December 19, 2010, 11:30:18 AM
I wonder if this heirloom was passed on to your grandmother.To me it looks older than 1906.The style looks victorian to me.What do you guys think?
Sure would be cool to find a photo of grandma wearing it so if it stays in the family it can be passed on to future generations with some type of history attatched.
What a keeper.Sweet.
Title: Re: Vintage Ring... Unknown stone? plastic?
Post by: greenacres on December 19, 2010, 01:34:53 PM
I'm a "Jewelry Junkie"!
Title: Re: Vintage Ring... Unknown stone? plastic?
Post by: KC on December 19, 2010, 08:29:42 PM
Great advice Dean!  It could be a little older...
Title: Re: Vintage Ring... Unknown stone? plastic?
Post by: Oceans64 on December 20, 2010, 08:55:25 AM
That is a great idea Dean - I started going through some pics last night.  I would love to find a pic to give to her as well. So far no luck but I have lots!
Title: Re: Vintage Ring... Unknown stone? plastic?
Post by: greenacres on December 20, 2010, 01:37:00 PM
Here is a picture.
Title: Re: Vintage Ring... Unknown stone? plastic?
Post by: Oceans64 on December 20, 2010, 03:52:29 PM
My current vote is that mine is a Montana Agate...  This guy is a rock collector:

http://www.mindat.org/photo-159194.html

ETA:  They are AKA Montana Moss Agates: http://www.articlesphere.com/Article/Power-Stones---Montana-Moss-Agates/172475

"Montana Moss Agate is normally a soft creamy yellow to almost clear with embedded intrusions or “moss structures” in variegated shades of tawny red to blackish brown. These bands or inclusions often appear to be trees or mountain ranges and are crafted into prized jewelry pieces, each as unique as snowflakes."
Title: Re: Vintage Ring... Unknown stone? plastic?
Post by: greenacres on December 20, 2010, 05:50:06 PM
They use a lot of agate in "Celtic" jewelry.
Title: Re: Vintage Ring... Unknown stone? plastic?
Post by: mariok54 on December 21, 2010, 05:53:13 AM
They use a lot of agate in "Celtic" jewelry.

They do indeed and there are some spectacular Scottish bracelets of agate and silver ... didn't this crop up in a recent thread?