Identifying Emeralds: Is Your Crown Necklace Real?

Question

necklace  

necklace sitting on ta   i purchased a vintage purse. there was a small rip in lining after looking i found this crown shaped necklace.with green stones. looks like kings crown. how do you tell if there emerald or fake? theres no maker mark. how would i find info on this? its gold finish. with flat bottom (you can sit up on table) four large green stones one on each side. then four tiny green stones on top. can you suggest anything?

Answer
Hello.  The best way to try to identify what you have is to take it to a local jeweler that has a Graduate Gemologist (G.G.) on staff.  They have the training and some equipment that may be able to identify whether it is karat gold and what type of stones as well as give you an idea of overall value.  Because the stones are set and are cabochon cuts, they do not have a flat surface to get a refractive index reading, so it may be a little more difficult to get an exact identification, but the G.G. would be the most qualified to help.  Good luck.  It's always fun to investigate something you've found.  You never know what you may have.