Sapphires

Sapphires are the blue variety of the mineral corundum. Sapphire like rubies are found in may local around the world, but the finest, most beautiful sapphires came from a now extinct mines in Kashmir.

Sotheby’s sold two cushion cut sapphires, one weighing 7.07 carats and the other one weighing 7.30 carats, each fetching $85,000 per carat on May 11,2011.

In upper Burma (Myanmar) in the valley of Mogok is an ancient source for finest quality sapphires, rubies and other rare precious stones.

On May 11, 2011 Sothebys sold a 19.29 carat Burmese sapphire for $29,671. per carat or $572,353. for the stone.

Sri Lanka is another ancient source for sapphires that is still producing.

In Madagascar sapphires were discovered about twenty years ago. Some of the sapphires mined in Madagascar range from very commercial to very fine quality.

Thailand and Cambodia are two other ancient sources for mining sapphires.

 

The small Indian state off Kashmir in the Himalayas is the source of one of the world’s finest gems.  Sapphires in this region were discovered around 1882, and they were immediately identified as gems of superior quality with an aristocratic blue colored combined with a serenely soft hue. The name “sapphire’ (that is Greek for blue) was very often applied to a variety of gems of this color. For many years the exact whereabouts of the Kashmir mines were a jealously guarded secret, kept particularly from Europeans, who were known to  use up any prodigious mining areas in these early days. In Kashmir, sapphires were supposedly found in such abundance that the indigenous population bought and sold them as semi-precious stones and it was only when the gem merchants of Delhi became aware of their existence that their true worth came about. It was not long before the Maharajah of Kashmir began to take interest in these sapphires and imposed strict licensing for potential miners.  By 1887, after being very productive the mine stopped producing the Maharajah of Kashmir enlisted in the aid of British Indian government for geological assistance. The British geologist determined that the source was mined out. Today collectors and buyers of Kashmir sapphires have to seek out antique and period  jewelry as virtually the only source for this coveted gemstone.

April 2007 Christies Auction sold a 22.66 carat cushion cut Kashmir sapphire for $3,064,000 or $135,000 per carat.

The experts considered this a “good” stone, not approaching the finest example of Kashmir sapphire.

                                                  KASHMIR SAPPHIRES

The small Indian state off Kashmir in the Himalayas is the source of one of the world’s finest gems.  Sapphires in this region were discovered around 1882, and they were immediately identified as gems of superior quality with an aristocratic blue colored combined with a serenely soft hue. The name “sapphire’ (that is Greek for blue) was very often applied to a variety of gems of this color. For many years the exact whereabouts of the Kashmir mines were a jealously guarded secret, kept particularly from Europeans, who were known to  use up any prodigious mining areas in these early days. In Kashmir, sapphires were supposedly found in such abundance that the indigenous population bought and sold them as semi-precious stones and it was only when the gem merchants of Delhi became aware of their existence that their true worth came about. It was not long before the Maharajah of Kashmir began to take interest in these sapphires and imposed strict licensing for potential miners.  By the early twentieth century the Kashmir sapphire mine’s production trickled to a virtual stop. In the 1930s the Maharajah of Kashmir enlisted in the aid of English geologist to see if they could extract any more of these beautiful sapphires. They were successful for a few more years before being mined out. Today collectors and buyers of Kashmir sapphires have to seek ou