10K Gold Ring LC Maker's Mark in Diamondplease help identify

[bewildered]

I got this ring when my mother passed away in 1981. I have kept it put away and just recently brought it out and examined it. I use to think it was costume jewellery but after seeing a makers mark and 10K I no longer believe that to be true. I am now searching out where it came from, who the maker is and are they rubies. Through my own research I have discovered 10K is American and the crown stands for quality, however, I have not found out what the C shape is around the crown or what the LC in a diamond shape stands for. Is there anyone who can let me know. I appreciate any and all responses.

Click on picture to enlarge

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[kerangoumar]

welcome to the forum


first things first: i cannot help you with the marks.

however i can help you with other questions.

first of all, the ring is very dirty. get hagerty's jewellery cleaner, dip the ring for a minute or so, then brush the backs of the stones and all nooks and crannies and then dip again, swishing around the ring. after that, wash off the chemicals in lukewarm water and air dry. (mfgrs say you just need to dry it but you should rinse and then give it a blast with some canned air that is used for dusting computers)

now you are ready to check it out in detail.

most 10k rings ARE costume jewellery but of a different era - so there is gold in the metal, but the stones are synthetic or substitutes or glass. most of the time rubies are imitated by synthetic spinel dyed red, but spinel - like garnet - gives the same appearance from front and back, whereas rubies are different.

the stones have a decidedly bluish cast - as rubies do - but because the metal is only 10 karat it is unlikely that they are natural rubies. rubies are expensive stones and usually set in 18k or above. it is possible that these are synthetic rubies which would account for that bluish cast.


when you look at the stones, put them against a very bright white paper. if they look dark from the front but light or pale from the back, they are almost certainly synthetic rubies - which have been around for over 100 years and have foole dmany an expert - though usually they are of a small size. natural rubies would not be set in a 10k setting of any sort, and the setting you have is not secure enough to contain natural rubies which - of this size - would be hideously expensive.

so - i can't give you a date, or a definitive ID for the stones, but i have given you the likeliest scenario.

good luck and keep us posted.
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[bewildered]

Thank you for all your information, though not quite what I was hoping to hear, helpful just the same. I haven't got the cleaner yet but will do so A.S.A.P. Once it is cleaned I will try the light paper and see what happens. Thanks again!
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[JLDoggett]

Actually synthetic ruby has been used in jewelry since 1891. Auguste Verneuil perfected the flame fusion method that year, and synthetic rubies have been popular ever since.

Your American (the C encircling the crown may be a Canadian mark, the LC stamp would be the makers mark, but it is not listed in any of my books) made ring most likely dates from the 1950-70's from its style and use of 10kt gold (the lower karat gold was popular for fashion jewelry during that period as a way to keep prices down). The main stones appear to be garnets (a popular and inexpensive stone at that time) and most likely the smaller stones are also garnet. Their colour is a little pale in comparison to the larger stones and a ring like this in mixed stones would be very unusual to have been made.

Over thge years I have dealt with many similar rings, and have yet to find one that is not garnet set. As for the marks, they are proper for the period before 1961 and a bit later as most jewelers did not switch to full name stamps until later, some still use initial stamps to this day.
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