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 Post subject: Ruby scam?
PostPosted: Fri Oct 22, 2010 8:13 pm 
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I finally received my "ruby beads" from Hong Kong; they seem dyed 'something-or-other. Under a loupe they are cloudy with very evenly spread 'flecks' inside. However I couldn't scratch them with german steel so they aren't quartz.
Can corundum be dyed? Heat-treated to this nice ruby color? What else could they be?
6mm Natural Ruby Round Loose Bead Gemstone 15" is what the ebay ad said.
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Last edited by kirk on Sat Oct 23, 2010 3:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Ruby scam?
PostPosted: Sat Oct 23, 2010 12:14 am 
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Quote:
Can corundum be dyed?

Oh yes, and beads often are.


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 Post subject: Re: Ruby scam?
PostPosted: Sat Oct 23, 2010 10:16 am 
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My teacher Barbra Voltaire says

Oh yes, and beads often are.[/quote]

yes Most Ruby and emerald beads which comes from India are dyed.

HUK

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 Post subject: Re: Ruby scam?
PostPosted: Sat Oct 23, 2010 11:39 am 
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Image

This is a picture of some dyed sapphire beads I picked up at a show.
The strand cost a little less than $50. I was not expecting much.


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 Post subject: Re: Ruby scam?
PostPosted: Sat Oct 23, 2010 4:15 pm 
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Dear Teacher Barbra Voltaire if you see the red beads picture it look like a Quartz not Ruby.

when you enlarge the picture then see the transparency in the beads. This type transparent ruby is not used for beads making.
In my personal opinion that it is not a dyed Ruby. It is a dyed Quartz or some other Synthetic or imitation material.

HUK

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 Post subject: Re: Ruby scam?
PostPosted: Sun Oct 24, 2010 3:01 pm 
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Huk, Like I posted originally, these beads will NOT scratch with good steel probes so it can't be "quartz". What other synthetic or otherwise material would be that hard?

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 Post subject: Re: Ruby scam?
PostPosted: Sun Oct 24, 2010 3:09 pm 
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Osman khattak wrote:
Dear Teacher Barbra Voltaire if you see the red beads picture it look like a Quartz not Ruby.

when you enlarge the picture then see the transparency in the beads. This type transparent ruby is not used for beads making.
In my personal opinion that it is not a dyed Ruby. It is a dyed Quartz or some other Synthetic or imitation material.

HUK

You know, can't really tell much from a photo.
Quartz wouldn't be the first thing that comes to my mind though when seeing the picture.
Kirk, are you still working on getting some instruments together so you can have more clues to identify an unknown?
I'd like a little more than results of a hardness test.
:D


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 Post subject: Re: Ruby scam?
PostPosted: Sun Oct 24, 2010 3:16 pm 
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Barbara, I don't have much access to other equipment and the beads were too cheap to be able to go out and buy some. What instruments would you suggest if I can borrow any? I doubt if the transparency is sufficient to use a refractometer, right? kirk

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 Post subject: Re: Ruby scam?
PostPosted: Sun Oct 24, 2010 3:25 pm 
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Dear kirk,
Today I go to one of gemstone shop in Peshawar and take some pictures of dyed quartz with comes from China.

The Pictures are not a high quality but it will clear you.

It is very interesting that they sold the red material in the name of Ruby.

The yellow material is sold in the name of Topaz. The Green material in sold in the name of Emerald. The purple material is sold in the name of Amethyst.

But all of these material are Dyed Quartz.

with Best regards

Hamid Usman Khattak-Pakistan


Attachments:
File comment: dyed quartz (Amethyst color)
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0X230009.JPG [ 56.05 KiB | Viewed 8468 times ]
0X230012.JPG
0X230012.JPG [ 63.63 KiB | Viewed 8468 times ]

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 Post subject: Re: Ruby scam?
PostPosted: Sun Oct 24, 2010 4:02 pm 
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Quote:
Like I posted originally, these beads will NOT scratch with good steel probes so it can't be "quartz". What other synthetic or otherwise material would be that hard?
--------
I'd like a little more than results of a hardness test.

“good steel probes” are not an accepted tool for measuring Mohs hardness. Consequently, your conclusion is essentially irrelevant.

Hardness is determined by what WILL scratch the sample, not by what won’t. One doesn’t identify quartz by determining it has a hardness of 7, but rather because it doesn’t have a hardness of 8.

Hardness is perfectly adequate for separating quartz from ruby as one has a value of 7 and the other has a value of 9 and a hardness point of 8 will clearly separate the two. Of course, knowing hardness does not equal identification of the material.


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 Post subject: Re: Ruby scam?
PostPosted: Sun Oct 24, 2010 4:12 pm 
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As Dr. Hanneman pointed out, if we were sure the beads were either ruby or quartz, hardness would suffice for separation.

If you want to drop a bead in the mail Kirk, I'll take a look at it for you.

Hamid, all those heads are quartz? I'm impressed. Gee, I'd love to have one of each.
Would the company make me a multi color strand. Price? I suspect the price of one of each color would not break the bank. :D


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 Post subject: Re: Ruby scam?
PostPosted: Sun Oct 24, 2010 7:51 pm 
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Barbara, I'd be happy to mail you one...to where? kirk

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 Post subject: Re: Ruby scam?
PostPosted: Sun Oct 24, 2010 8:26 pm 
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I'll PM my address
:D


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 Post subject: Re: Ruby scam?
PostPosted: Mon Oct 25, 2010 4:36 am 
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My Dear Teacher Barbra Voltaire, I am you student and I will send you the Quartz beads free of every color which I find in the market.

But only you pay the charges of delivery or posting charges.

I do not know about the delivery charges.

Thanks
with best regards

Hamid Usman

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 Post subject: Re: Ruby scam?
PostPosted: Mon Oct 25, 2010 12:43 pm 
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Sounds like a great deal....
Do a little research on the shipping, and let me know.
There is a special phrase used to describe such shipments to keep the price down.
Does anyone remember what that is?


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