Kashmir Sapphire & Diamond Ring SSEF, AGL & GCS Certified No-Heat, 2-Carat Stone

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Kashmir Sapphire & Diamond Ring SSEF, AGL & GCS Certified No-Heat, 2-Carat Stone

About the Item

An antique Kashmir sapphire that is open and bright, vivid and intense is the centerpiece of this exceedingly rare unisex ring from the mid-1880s to early 1900s. Hand-crafted in high-karat gold (either 23K or 24K), the ring showcases an oval mixed-cut 2-carat unheated, untreated antique sapphire from Kashmir that has been certified by three independent gemological laboratories to be fully untreated in any way. This spectacularly rare gemstone is without "extinction," meaning it will not turn dark in low light like an ordinary blue sapphire. Because this is no ordinary blue sapphire. The astonishing royal blue sapphire displays the velvety, languid appearance these legendary sapphires are famous for. Buttressing the sapphire on either side are a pair of near-colorless old-mine diamonds that each weigh approximately .90 carats. Four 2-point old-mine diamonds are set atop and below the sapphire and a pair of 3-point diamonds at the crest of each shoulder. The diamonds do appear in photographs to be light yellow as they reflect the gold of their mounting. The Kashmir sapphire is the finest and rarest sapphire in the world. Fine examples such as this are the benchmark against which all other sapphires are judged. The story of the Kashmir sapphire is a good one. High in the Himalayan mountains, home of the tallest peak in the world —Mt. Everest— a landslide that occurred in the late 1880s that revealed a smattering of sapphire gems more magnificent than any sapphires ever seen before. They possessed a regal blue so so majestic it might as well have been a new color. And they didn't flash and sparkle like other sapphires. Instead, they had a languid appearance that was described as both "sleepy" and like "velvet." The interior of these mystifying gems revealed what resembled a microscopic snowstorm, where light became trapped in the finest, faintest threads causing them to glow. Sapphires had been prized for centuries, and suddenly in the mountains two miles higher than any other sapphire mine, a brand new sapphire appeared seemingly from the mist. The maharajah of Kashmir immediately claimed ownership of the deposit. And in just a few years, all the original Kashmir sapphires would be gone. Later mining efforts in the area have produced sapphires that are technically "Kashmir sapphires," but these new stones are vastly inferior to the fine old original stones. The name "Kashmir sapphire" is certainly more frequently encountered than one would expect for such an elusive gem. But that's not really surprising, is it? After all, a sapphire called a "Kashmir sapphire" is worth multiples of an equal-quality sapphire from Ceylon (Sri Lanka) or Burma (Myanmar). Unfortunately, the name has been appropriated and misused as an adjective. Currently, this ring is a size 7, but your good jeweler could quite simply resize it. This magnificent and rare jewel ships with certification documents from three of the world's most prestigious gemological laboratories: SSEF, AGL & GCS, all testifying to the fact that this magnificent stone is unheated and from Kashmir.

Ring Size:
7 US, Resizable
Metal:
22k Gold
Stone:
Diamond,Sapphire
Stone Cut:
Old Mine Cut
Weight:
8.66 g
Style:
Victorian
Lab Report Available:
SSEF 100941
Period:
Late 19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1885-1905
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Excellent condition with no signs of damage or repair. Facet junctions are remarkably sharp for a stone of this age, slight abrasions visible under magnification.
Seller Location:
Southbury, CT
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU1589116042232