3rd Gold of rthe year and its a beauty . . .

[Welsh Neil]

Greetings from South Wales, UK. I have just had a week off work so excuse my tardiness in replying to people.

I had my first precious stone find this weekend at a local beach. Large square Emerald (tested) and Gold ring. The beach in question has been used for about 2 thousand years and as there is no Hallmarks (UK rings are always hallmarked with the Assay Office, Carrat (375 etc), Makers Stamp and year letter), I am speculating that its pre 1750's. the other option is of course that its Indian gold which tends not to be Hallmarked but is always 18ct or 22ct. So a good result either way - as we don't tend to find the gold as much as our cousins across the water. Other finds include a German bullet case from the bombing of our Docks in 1943, pair of glasses, and the usual odds and sods.

Also managed to find a nice Queen Victoria Penny 1894 and a silver sixpence 1936 in my garden yesterday, which was nice as my house was built in 1891, so the first one probably belonged to the original occupant.

I will try my best to post a photo of the ring, but last time I failed miserably. If anyone can date it let me know, as I have 14 days to declare it and then go through the long Treasure Trove process!

 

[Welsh Neil]

At long last I have figured it out!!![attachment 32893 Gold030806004small.JPG]

[attachment 32894 Gold030806003small2.JPG]

 

[bdahunter]

Nice looking ring Neil but a little blurry (have you tried using the macro setting on your digital camera?). It might be indian gold, thankfully they have joined the rest of the world and incorporated hallmarking in their jewellery. That's one big emerald all right, very simple setting so there is always the possibility that it is from the old Spanish colonies in Central America, wouldn't that be nice. Emerald and gold from the Spanish Main.

Thanks for sharing with us,

BDA

 

[Welsh Neil]

[attachment 32895 Gold203BampW0806005.jpg]A bit of a clearer photo. Any ideas any one to its age?

 

[bdahunter]

Old miner cut diamonds; the first "news" of diamond cutting is from the 1300 mostly to polish the irregular form of the rough; from the second half of 1400 they started to modify the rough trying to get a better light reflection. Around 1520 we have the first "news" of simple rose cut performed. Around the 1640 the French Cardinal Mazarin had the first "brilliant cut diamond" which is called Mazarin cut. Around the end of 1600 the Venetian Vincenzo Peruzzi performed the first "triple cut" or -Peruzzi cut-. The beginning of 1700 diamond were already cut with the same number of facets of the contemporary cut although proportion were not the same.

The cut on your emerald doesn't look very complex which would lead one to believe that it is a very old ring or a very low quality stone as the number of carats is high and you would expect that the stone would have been cut to enhance its value if the cutting techniques were available when the ring was made. I would have a dealer in antiquities have a look at it if I were you. You may have found something truly extraordinary.

Cheers,

BDA

 

[hollywoodmax-vabeach]

your tide like that

man i could not belive it...............big big area to surf when the tide was out

not knowing where the jersey shore is from where u are either

max

 

[therick]

n/t

 

[bdahunter]

The Rick is right, emeralds are delicate, they are beryl and will come apart if put in an ultrasonic cleaner. Whatever you do, don't put it in strong cleaners or the ultrasonic.
It really would be worth having that one looked at professionally, exceptional!

BDA

 

[Gulf Hunter]

n/t

 

[Swansea jack]

n/t

 

[Welsh Neil]

Its not the first I've picked up in South Wales during the short span I have partaken in this hobby, but its certainly the nicest. Any beach suggestions for South to West Wales from you would be appreciated?

I tried Tenby the other week and just ended up with a few coins - that was about it. I also tried the beach at Merthyr Mawr (the dunes are a no go area due to the Bronze Age settlement and the confiscation and fines if caught there). Merthyr Mawr beach was also dissapointing, with just a little surfy ring, but bizzarely the beach was covered in giant shelled craps, god knows what had been feasting on them but they ate about a 100+ Not the normal reds either a spikey crab about the size of my hand! Right at the top of the sand. Did you know there was a bronze age axe hoard found their a short while ago?

Whats happening to the Jacks this year? No win in 3! Too much BBQ for Trundle I think! Only joking. Every success for the season. I can honestly say I was gutted when you lost on penalties. Any Welsh club playing in the higher echelons is good for Welsh football, and we would have played you first game of the season as well!

Diolch yn fawr.
Neil