QuestionI have a ring that I fell in love with the moment I saw it. It is marked 18k and a maker's mark that I cannot identify. It also has 6 beautiful diamonds set around the ring.
The unique characteristic about this ring is the deep blue material inlaid? around the entire ring. It almost has a waxy look to it, but it's firm. I have linked a few pictures to it. Can you identify the blue material on this ring or tell me anything else about it?
http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/415/DSC00165.jpg
http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/7403/DSC00167.jpg
http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/2616/DSC00169.jpg
http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/9584/DSC00166.jpg
http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/8585/DSC00168.jpg
AnswerJames, thanks for the question and a very special thanks for the images. Since the allexperts site is not "image friendly", when I receive pictures that is a real assist. Thanks again for that.
The first image is the best for me to use. As for the maker's mark, I cannot identify that and gave up searching for such marks a while back...it was too often a rabbit trail with only frustration.
I took the first image and copied and pasted it into an image editing software to lighten up the ring a bit and get a better look at the blue inlay. This helped.
The blue is one of two substances, that is, best odds are it is one of these:
From the rises at the edges it is apparent the material was either melted and then solidified as would be the case with hard glass enamel, or the substance was poured or painted in the recess between the sides of the ring and around the bezel set stones then cured. This leaves two primary substances:
Hard Glass Enamel. For some reason this is not flat enough looking for glass enamel but it well could be. The rises around the bezel are almost too high for glass. Do you see any slight imperfections in the surface or slight chips any where, similar to miniature chips in glass? Do you see any tiny bubbles or remnants of "gald bubbles" on the surface? Glass Enamel is simply powdered glass, heated in a kiln where it melts, joins and provides a durable and uniform inlay.
Epoxy Resin Substance. Nowadays, hard glass enamel is often not used and the substitute is a special form(or forms)of expoy resins. These resins are formulated for inlay and suface coloring to duplicate or create the look of hard fired glass. The rises in the material next to the bezel makes me suspect the resin instead of glass enamel.
Both substances are fairly durable. Try not to knock the inlay since glass will sometimes chip and do not put the ring into solvents like acetone since that will affect resins. (Yikes, who puts their rings into acetone or nail polish remover in the first place!)
This is a very attractive ring. I do like it. If the finger size is incorrect, there is the problem. The ring cannot be resized with the inlay. Bending will break or tear loose glass enamel and heat will destroy epoxy reisin.
If the ring needs to go up one size, that may be done by sanding out the inside circumfrence to fit.
Thanks for the question and thanks again for the images. That is a real bonus from this end, believe me.
God Bless and Peace. Thomas. June 12, 2006 8:50pm
