What kind of stone is in the middle of the pendant?

Merry Christmas!
I am a new member, just started last month.
I would appreciate your professional opinion about the stone in the middle of the pendant.
The pendant or hidden locket, I think, is Victorian made in silver with 3 marks I can not see clear.
Has seed pearls, enamel, emeralds and this pink stone that I have no idea what is it.
I will really appreciate your help.
I found similar one with garnets, where they refer to Art Nouveau (Belle Epoque)





Thank you a lot,
Lana

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It may be a pink garnet, a tourmaline, a sapphire (including a pale ruby), a spinel, or a faded amethyst. A refractive index should narrow it down to one stone. The clean facet edge indicates it is harder than quartz as the main stone seems to have no wear. Bohemian garnet is normally redder and darker than your central stone. Cheers. Ivan

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How beautiful! To me it looks like pink and green tourmalines. It was used a lot in Art Deco jewelry.

I think your best bet is to contact

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Thank you for your response! I checked the main stone and it is harder than garnet, amethyst and tourmaline but I am not sure if is as hard as sapphire or topaz!? I am still thinking about how to figure out the refractive index without removing the stone!? Do you have an idea?

Hi JCBellGG,
Thank you for your response! I checked the main stone and it is harder than garnet, amethyst and tourmaline but I am not sure if is as hard as sapphire or topaz!? I am still thinking about how to figure out the refractive index without removing the stone!? Do you have an idea?
Do you think this is Art Deco? It has hidden locket at the back and black and white enamel what was common in Georgian era. I even have feelings that the stone has foil at the back. Please see additional pictures maybe it will help.



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I admire your ability to do a hardness test on that central stone! The fact it is foil backed suggests the stone is a white sapphire, but only a refractive index may tell. However, sometimes very low quality diamonds were backed with foil. Other than refractive index, I suggest a microscopical observation to see any inclusions that may reveal its nature/origin. That may be difficult given the stone is mounted and foil backed. Do the markings on the silver give a hint to the maker other than the grade of silver? An antique expert as suggested may assist on this aspect. Cheers. Ivan

Colors match those used by the Suffragettes, and from what I’ve found, most likely to be paste and faux pearls, but happy hunting, interesting piece.

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Hi Ivan
Thank you for your response.I took additional pictures with the diamond tester to see how it will react. Just for curiosity. Tester react different on Green and pink stones.



please see pictures attached

Thank you for you suggestions.
I contacted Lang Antiques & Estate Jewelry, and grateful for their response, they confirmed that the locket pendant is from Victorian era.
The pearls were easy the check, they are real seed pearls.
The stones I do not see as glass. they have inclusions.I also attached picture above with the diamond tester.

Regarding the Suffrage jewelry I found an interesting link. please take a look below
The colors were adopted To this end they adopted colours representing the ideals they hoped to exemplify; PURPLE for loyalty and dignity, WHITE for purity and GREEN for hope.
Amethyst, Pearls and Peridot

I agree with you that the stones are not glass, at least most of them. Of course, pictures are hard to judge well. It looks like a couple of stones are replacements because they have stronger saturation. Maybe these are glass. I am not familiar with your diamond tester, so I do not know what the readings means. If you are hoping the pink stone is a diamond, it means unlikely a jeweler in Victorian times put a diamond in medium price piece of jewelry. It does not mean it happened. pink spinel, pink sapphire. If you can take pictures under 20X plus magnification, maybe people here can narrow it done. Lovely piece!

Thank you for your response.I was thinking that I have paste jewelry. But when I began to do research I figured out a lot of interesting information.
The Diamond tester didnt show the red light for diamond. it shows topaz.
I removed one stone and checked the refractive index - and it is topaz
The Green stones are emeralds and the pink stones are actually white topazes with coloured foiled back.
This beautiful hidden locket pendant I believe is from Edwardian era

  1. stones set in the crimped collet setting
    2.closet back settings with colored foiles used to add color to clear stones.
    3.one of the hallmark is antique french boar’s head
  2. all jewelry at that time was hand crafted and silver doesnt have porosity also possible to see hand crafted marks on silver, it sagest that the pendant is not a reproduction.
  3. Topaz was discovered in 1735 in Minas Gerais and become very popular during Edwardian era.

yes 1 stones was replaced and 1 missing . Now I am going to order 2 topazes and do restoration.
I had a lot of fun. buy the way I ordered USB Microscope Inspection Camera Endoscope 40x-1000x Magnification for my tablet.
Will see how it will work on stones.
Happy New Year To everyone!!!

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The centre gem is most likely foiled behind the gem giving me a sneaky suspicion that it is a quartz! With pink foil behind it. This was a common practice in the 1700’s to the early 1900’s to emphasise the shine and colour of a gem, in most cases and to some extent make the gem appear larger and more expensive. pleas keep me updated on what you fined out in this regard best regards jarred.

so sorry I only saw your response to it now lol. :rofl: :sweat_smile: :rofl:

I’m pretty sure it is not a low quality diamond. I think rather for a cheap quality pink sapphire or tourmaline. The quality of the gems is rather less important because it is mounted in an antique piece. But identify needed I agree but pretty sure no diamond. I suggest take refractive index with a digital refractometer