10/18/25 Report - Two Recent Mystery Objects and Another Recent Find. Lab Grown Versus Mined Diamonds: Morality and Values.

 

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.

Finds from Several Days Ago.

It must have been nearly a week ago now that I went metal detecting and found the items shown above.  I showed them in a previous post.  At that time there were a couple items I need to research.  I found out the little ring is 14K.

It is a signet ring that I thought might have some light engraving on it.  After looking at it with magnification, I could see that the marks were just scratches.

Scratched Signet Ring Find.

The other item I wanted to look at better, I haven't figured out yet.  It is a highly corroded piece of metal about the size of a four reale.  You can see it at the bottom right of the find photo at the top of this post. Below is the surface under magnification.

Surface of Mystery Find.

I've tried some gentle cleaning methods, which had no significant effect.  I also tried to scratch through the surface on a small spot on the edge.  It is silverish, but I didn't want to damage it enough to get a good test.  I might resort to that eventually.  It is not magnetic at all.  The entire surface is so corroded that I suspect I'll have to do something harsher than I'd prefer to do.

Two Finds.

View of Edge of Mystery Object.

To compare that with a couple heavily corroded known half reales, here are closeups of the half reales.

Two Heavily Corroded Half Reales.

The bottom line is that I'm not sure yet.  Still more testing to do.  Most of all I have a hard time imagining that the first beach item I dug with a Manticore was a reale.  Then on the other hand one of the first items I dug on the way home from picking up a new Sovereign was a gold crucifix found north of Ambersands.  For now, I'm a doubter.  I'm expecting a piece of junk.

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Here is another mystery object.

Mystery Object Submitted by Mark G.

Here is what Mark said about this mystery object.

I did not dig it it’s more of some stuff from my dads collection of coins and stuff. It’s not a ring it has a hook on the inside diameter and looks like something was soldered on the outside on the half with the slots. It has a hinge and a clasp the slotted half maybe a little bent out of round. Most likely brass.

Mark said it is about the size of a finger ring.

I'm pretty sure I have an item like that around somewhere, but the color is different and the one I have is smaller - more the size of an earring.  It is a silverish color.  My best guess on it was earring, but I never really figured it out.  The one Mark is showing seems to have a bit of a stud if that is what it is.  I don't know. 

Anyone have any ideas on what Mark's object is.

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If you decided to sell any of your gold jewelry, you might find that many shops won't pay anything for diamonds unless they are something very exceptional.  Most jewelry or pawn stores seem to have tons of diamonds and they are not selling.  Many buyers are now choosing lab grown diamonds, which are cheaper than real diamonds have been in the past.  The poplarity of lab grown diamonds is decreasing prices on most real diamonds..  It's the old supply and demand thing, but it can be discouraging if you were thinking of trading in a diamond ring for big money.  One St. Lucie store advertises that they don't buy your jewelry for scrap, but they pay jewelry prices.  From what I've seen, that isn't true.  They want to pay you maybe 80% the melt value for your jewelry unless it is a signed piece or something very special.  And they won't pay anything for most of the pretty stones or diamonds.

Below is part of an article on the issues involved with lab diamonds.

Lab grown diamonds or 'man-made miracles' according to their glossy marketing, have exploded in popularity in recent years, fueled by celebrities, influencers, and a wave of advertising telling us they're greener, fairer, and smarter than the real thing. 

Meghan Markle, Emma Watson and even Lady Gaga have been spotted wearing them. 

The pitch is simple: why spend on the 'old-fashioned' mined version when you can have an identical sparkle without the ethical baggage or the larger price tag.

But let me, as someone who's spent a career valuing everything from Victorian jewelry to vinyl-capes on Star Wars figurines, cut through the glittering spin: lab grown diamonds are not the guilt-free gems they've been sold as. 

Here is the link for the rest of the story.

What you need to know before you buy a lab grown diamond: Industry expert's verdict on the 'ethical' gems popular with stars like Meghan Markle | This is Money

The author suggests that lab diamonds aren't as morally clean as you might think.  They involve the use of dirty energy and unfair labor practices.  Furthermore, who knows what will happen with the popularity and values of lab grown and natural diamonds.  Basically, the lab grown diamonds are cheaper than mined diamonds have been, and some people do believe they are a morally better option.

Come to think of it, it isn't uncommon for treasures to come from histories that involve some of man's most deplorable acts. 

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I plan to do Part III of my How Coins Move on a Beach series soon.

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Source: SurfGuru.com.

We are still having some rough surf.  It will be a touch bigger tomorrow before slacking off.

The King tides are still nice and high too.

Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net