Blue beauty: diamond fetches record $10.4m

A blue diamond similar to one that sold for $10.4 million in Geneva this week. Photo: Colleen Petch

A flawless deep-blue diamond sold at auction on Wednesday night for 10.27 million Swiss francs ($10.4 million), a world record for a blue diamond per carat and more than twice its pre-sale estimate, Sotheby’s said.

The London luxury jeweller Laurence Graff, bidding by telephone, bought the drop-shaped stone which weighs 10.48 carats and is about the size of an almond, it said.

Signed pieces by top designers including Bulgari, Harry Winston and Van Cleef & Arpels fetched strong prices, easily exceeding their estimates, at the biannual sales in Geneva.

Royal heritage … a conch pearl, enamel and diamond bracelet that sold at a Sotheby’s auction in Geneva on Wednesday for $3.3 million.

Applause erupted after David Bennett, head of Sotheby’s international jewellery department, brought down the hammer after heated and lengthy bidding on the blue diamond which had been estimated to fetch 3.2 million to 4.2 million francs.

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“It is certainly a world record price per carat for a deep blue diamond,” Bennett told reporters after the sale. “It is an extraordinary stone, a very, very mystical deep blue.

“They only come from one mine, the Cullinan mine in South Africa.” The mine is owned by Petra Diamonds.

Mark Emanuel, of American jeweller David Webb, predicted that the blue diamond, the night’s top lot, would be recut.

“It is an extremely rare 10-carat deep blue briolette that can be recut to a 7-carat vivid blue,” Emanuel said.

“Most of these diamonds are bought on the basis of speculating and recutting. That’s why we come. As a diamond dealer we look at the potential of a stone.”

Spanish royal bracelet

A late 1920s Cartier bracelet put up for sale by a member of the extended Spanish royal family soared to 3.28 million Swiss francs. Its pre-sale estimate was 750,000-1.3 million.

Sotheby’s did not identify the “lady of title” who parted with the bracelet set with pink conch pearls and diamonds made in the 1920s for Queen Victoria Eugenia (1887-1969), grandmother of the present king of Spain, King Juan Carlos. The buyer was a European private collector.

“It is one of the most charming jewels to come to the auction block in many years,” Bennett said.

“It made a pretty sensational price. This is probably the most valuable bracelet made by Cartier between the wars.”

Only an iconic 1952 Cartier panther bracelet belonging to the Duchess of Windsor, part of her collection first sold in 1987, is worth more, netting $7 million two years ago, he said.

In all, 521 of 589 lots found new owners for a total of 76.6 million francs, double the low end of the pre-sale estimate.

“Most of the jewels were fresh to the market,” Bennett said. “Royal provenance proved to be extremely sought after.”

On Tuesday a huge, internally flawless diamond from India’s fabled Golconda mines sold at auction in Geneva for a record 20.355 million Swiss francs, Christie’s said.

The rare, colourless stone weighing 76.02 carats, and roughly the size of a large strawberry, once belonged to Archduke Joseph August of Austria (1872-1962), a prince of the Hungarian line of the Habsburgs.

“At this level of business, the very, very best of coloured stones and the very, very best of diamonds has almost no limit in market value,” said Emanuel of David Webb.

“People are willing to pay extraordinary prices to have the very, very best. The extraordinary prices are a sign of surging demand for the very best from the very wealthy.

“That was true for signed pieces and single stones. In this market place, quality rules.”

Eric Valdieu, an expert formerly with Christie’s who has launched an investment fund called Divine Jewels, said after attending both sales this week: “This is a sign of a healthy market, it is weathering the stormy economic climate.”

Source :  http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/luxury/blue-beauty-diamond-fetches-record-104m-20121115-29dzo.html#ixzz2FZXPEvzE

Gemstone Treatment and Enhancement

Gems are treated in different ways to improve their appearance. Some of these procedures are centuries old, while others are relatively new. Within the industry, some of these practices are taken as commonplace, while the gem buying public’s awareness of these treatments has been much lower.
… In this day of full disclosure and public awareness, the subject is coming to the forefront. Many industry officials are concerned that too much information will confuse customers and hurt sales. Others feel the public’s right to know outweighs these concerns.
… One certainly can confuse the public, as gem enhancement covers such difficult subjects as the physics of light response to molecular structure. However, some general comments are in order.

… First, let me clarify that the term “natural gems” refers to those formed in the earth, whether or not they have been treated after mining. This, in contrast to “lab created,” “man made” or “synthetic” gems.
… The most common form of enhancement is heat treating. This is so common with corundum, (ruby and sapphire,) it is recommended that jewelers inform their customers that they are “probably heat treated.”
… ”Probably?” That doesn’t sound very professional. What is happening here is that the procedure so closely resembles what happens in nature, that one can’t always tell if they have been treated after mining. Microscopic examination will sometimes reveal evidence of heating, but lacking that there is no way to tell if the heat treatment was done before or after mining.
… A similar situation occurs with aquamarine. If properly heated, it will lose it’s green tint and become a pure blue. This is also identical to what happens in nature and there is no way of telling if it was done after mining. However, since most of the material coming out of the ground does have a green tint, it is recommended that the pure blue gems are described as “probably heat treated.”
… Very closely related to this is the treatment of blue topaz. Actually, it is a treatment of colorless topaz to turn them blue. This is done in two steps. First the rough is subjected to radiation to modify the sharing of electrons between certain atoms in the crystal structure. This turns the topaz brown. Then they are heated to become a stable blue color.
… ”Radiation!” Yes, this is one of the reason industry officials are reluctant to use full disclosure. Radiation is a scary word and telling someone a gem has exposed to it will certainly drive customers away.
… However, this too exactly duplicates what happens in nature. Many gem crystals get exposed to radioactive elements during their formation. That doesn’t mean they become radioactive, nor does it imply anything else. In fact, many gems seem to have beneficial effects on their wearers.

… The above represent some of the most common examples of gem enhancement. The industry has never felt a need to disclose treatments that are indistinguishable from the processes that occur in natural formation. However, there is one other common enhancement that falls into an entirely different category. That is the oiling of stones.
… Some gems, most notably emeralds, have internal fractures. Light reflects off of their surfaces, which seriously effects the clarity and brilliance of the gem. However, by simply filling them with a substance of similar optical properties, the tiny cavities once again become transparent. The difference in the appearance of the finished gem can often be startling!
… Now, how chicken this is depends on your point of view. To the gem cutter, this is a serious problem. Those tiny fractures represent areas of weakness that have to be considered in the cutting process. If masked with oil, the risk of damage during cutting becomes much greater.
… To the proud owner of an emerald, the improvement to it’s appearance is well worth it. One doesn’t see the oil, it simply allows the natural beauty of the gemstone to stand out. Both the emotional and the monetary value of the gem are considerably enhanced.
… However, the owner should certainly be made aware that it needs special care. Continual washing of dishes while wearing an emerald ring can cause it to lose its brilliance. Vigorous cleaning methods, like using heat or immersing in an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner can be disastrous.

… There are many other ways gems can be enhanced. Inexpensive ones are often dyed, the porosity of turquoise is often sealed so body oils don’t discolor them, etc. However, the above represent the most common examples one is likely to come across.

by Don Clark CSM

Le Beau Sancy diamond sold for £5m

• Jewel that began 400-year journey through European royalty in the crown of Henri IV’s second wife Maria Médicis sold for double the expected price

The eyecatching Beau Sancy diamond, the oldest diamond to go under the hammer at auction. Photograph: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images

As soon as she set eyes on the Beau Sancy diamond, Marie de Médicis, wife of the French king Henri IV, knew she wanted it, and she nagged her wayward husband until he bought it for her.

It was to bring neither of them great pleasure. In 1610, a day after her coronation – for which the large pear-shaped gem was set atop her crown – Henri was assassinated, leaving six children under the age of nine.

And so began the Beau Sancy’s 400-year journey through European royal history as it passed between warring and peacemaking monarchs in France, England, the Dutch Republic and Prussia.

On Tuesday the 34.98-carat jewel became the oldest diamond ever to go under the hammer at auction, selling for eight million francs (£5.3m) at Sotheby’s in Geneva, Switzerland. It was more than double the estimated top price.

“It is a very moving object,” said Sophie Dufresne, of Sotheby’s. “It is not just its perfect shape, but the impressive history that goes with it. There’s a kind of energy that radiates from it.”

The Beau Sancy, little sister of the Grand Sancy, now on display at the Louvre, in Paris, was believed to have been brought to France from India via Constantinople by the then ambassador of France, Nicolas de Harlay, Lord of Sancy, who gave the gem its name.

In 1604 the then queen consort was furious to discover that the bigger jewel had been sold, and set her heart on obtaining its sibling.

“She wanted that stone as soon as she knew that Nicolas de Harlay had sold le Grand Sancy to the king of England, James I, for his wife,” a Sotheby’s spokesperson told the Parisien newspaper.

King Henri was already in his 50s when he married De Médicis, daughter of the wealthy Italian aristocrats. He owed her Florentine family a considerable debt, which was conveniently written off when the couple wed, leading his mistress to nickname her “the fat banker”.

The relationship was tempestuous, not least of all because of his philandering. Henri was later killed by François Ravaillac, who wanted to stop the French king waging war against Spain.

In 1631, crippled with debts, De Médicis, now queen mother of France, fled to Brussels and later Amsterdam where she sold the Beau Sancy to the Dutch royal family, where it was used to seal the wedding of William II of Orange to Mary Stuart, daughter of King Charles I.

When William died, Stuart returned to England and pawned the jewel to fund her brother Charles II’s fight for the throne.

It returned to royal ownership when her son William III of Orange-Nassau married Mary II, with whom he jointly ruled England until her death in 1694. When he died without heirs, the Beau Sancy was returned to the Dutch family and then to the first Prussian kaiser, Frederick I, in 1701. It has passed down through generations of the House of Prussia until now.

The Beau Sancy was part of Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels auction. The sale, in which most lots sold for much more than their guide price, also featured a historic diamond once owned by Charles Edward Stuart, better known as Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Other highlights of the sale included a necklace with a 41-carat detachable pear-shaped diamond, an emerald and diamond necklace designed by Bulgari in the 70s, and a sapphire and diamond ring dating from the 1930s that once belonged to Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain.

guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 16 May 2012 

Ten gemstones that are rarer than diamond

We've all heard that diamond is actually pretty common when it comes to gemstones (seriously, you can find millions of them in your typical candle flame), but who among us — short of those fostering a wicked gem-obsession — can actually name any that are rarer?

Here, we present to you a collection of ten of the rarest gemstones on Earth.

10. Painite
In 2005, The Guinness Book of World Records called painite the world's rarest gemstone mineral. First discovered in Myanmar by British mineralogist Arthur C. D. Pain in the 1950s, for decades there were only two known crystals of the hexagonal mineral on Earth; by 2005, there were still fewer than 25 known specimens.

Today, painite isn't as rare as it used to be — according to Caltech's division of geological and planetary sciences, the identification of a new painite repository in Myanmar, "the recent discovery of the actual source of the original stones," and "the subsequent discovery of two major new localities in the Mogok area" have all led to the recovery of several thousand crystals and fragments, but painite nevertheless ranks among the rarest minerals on Earth.

9. Alexandrite
Alexandrite is a genuinely incredible gemstone, owing to the fact that it can actually undergo dramatic shifts in color depending on what kind of light it's in. To be clear: this color change is independent of your viewing angle; a gemstone that shifts colors when you rotate it in your hand, is said to be pleochroic, and while alexandrite isstrongly pleochroic, it can also change colors independently of viewing angle when viewed under an artificial light source. (In natural sunlight, the gem appears greenish blue; in soft incandescent light, the gem appears reddish purple, instead.)

A variety of Chrysoberyl, alexandrite belongs to the same family of gemstones as emerald. It's color-changing properties (and its scarcity relative to diamond) is due to an exceedingly rare combination of minerals that includes titanium, iron and chromium.

8. Tanzanite
The catchphrase you hear tossed around about tanzanite is that it's 1000 times rarer than diamond, which it very well may be, considering that it's found almost exclusively in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, and in limited supplies. Like alexandrite, tanzanite exhibits dramatic color shifts that are dependent upon both crystal orientation and lighting conditions. In this figure you can see how the tanzanite changes color when viewed in vertically polarized light, unpolarized light, and horizontally polarized light, moving from left to right. According to Caltech's geology division, these color variations are largely due to the presence ofvanadium ions. [Figure via Caltech]

7. Benitoite
This striking blue stone has only been found, as its name suggests, near the head waters of the San Benito River in San Benito County, California (some sources say it has also been unearthed in limited quantities in Japan and Arkansas, but that these specimens are not "gemstone quality"), and is also the state's official gem.

One of the most distinctive features of benitoite is how positively awesome it looks under a UV light, where it fluoresces a brilliant color reminiscent of glowing blue chalk. What's strange is that, even though it was first described at the turn of the twentieth century, and we've known its chemical composition for decades, the origin of its color and its fluorescent properties still aren't well understood.

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6. Poudretteite
The first traces of poudrette were discovered in the mid 1960s in the Poudrette quarry of Mont Saint Hilaire, Quebec, but it wasn't officially recognized as a new species of mineral until 1987, and wasn't thoroughly described until as recently as 2003.According to some sources, it's likely that few people will ever encounter a poudretteite specimen in person, and many will likely never even hear of it.

5. Grandidierite
This bluish-green mineral is found almost exclusively in Madagascar, though the first (and, presumably, only) clean faceted specimen (pictured here) was recovered from Sri Lanka. Like alexandrite and tanzinite, grandidierite is pleochroic, and can transmit blue, green, and white light.

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4. Red diamonds
Alright, so technically speaking red diamondsare diamonds, but they highlight an important point about the mineral that's really worth pointing out, namely that diamonds come in a range of colors. They are, in order of rarity: yellow, brown, colorless, blue, green, black, pink, orange, purple and red. In other words, The clear diamonds you're liable to encounter at your local jeweler aren't even rare as far as diamonds go.

As a point of reference, the largest red diamond on Earth — The Moussaieff Red, pictured here — weighs just 5.11 carats (about 1 gram). The largest traditional diamonds — such as those cut from the 3,106.75-carat Cullinan diamond — weigh in at well over 500 carats.

3. Musgravite
This mineral was first discovered in 1967 at the Musgrave Range in South Australia, but has shown up in limited quantities in Greenland, Madagascar, and Antarctica. The very first specimen that was actually large and pure enough to be cut to shape (like the one pictured here, courtesy of the Gemological Institue of America) wasn't reported until 1993, and, as of 2005, only eight such specimens are believed to exist.

2. Jeremejevite
First discovered in Siberia at the end of the 19th century, gem-quality crystals of jeremejevite (i.e. minerals large and clear enough to be cut to shape) have since been recovered in limited supplies in Namibia. Pictured here is the largest faceted jeremejevite on Earth, weighing in at just shy of 60 carats (or roughly 12 grams).

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1. Red Beryl
Red beryl (aka bixbite, "red emerald," or "scarlet emerald") was first described in 1904, and while it is closely related on a chemical level to both emerald and aquamarine, it is considerably rarer than both. (The mineral's red color is due to the presence of Mn³⁺ ions.)

The mineral's known distribution is limited to parts of Utah and New Mexico, and has proven exceptionally difficult to mine in an economically feasible fashion. As a result, some published estimates say rubies of similar quality (rubies being a rare gem, themselves), are roughly 8000 times as plentiful as any given red beryl specimen. Consequently, prices on red beryl have been known to reach as much as 10 grand per carat for cut stones.

By: Robert T. Gonzalez                                                                                             

Sapphires of Sri Lanka

Driving along the Colombo-Ratnapura highway in the direction of Pelmadulla, you cannot miss the gem pits in the ricefields by the roadside.
They are only a fraction of what may be found along a rich seam of hidden colour stretching across the province of Sabaragamuwa, which was once known as "Sapra Gammuwa" in recognition of the beautiful sapphires mined there.
You will see the barebodied miners swirling water and the rich pebbly gravel or illama in large cane baskets, looking intently for the tell-tale glimmer of nila or blue sapphire, king of precious stones in Sri Lanka.
Should good fortune favour their enterprise, all those involved will get a share of the buried treasure in time-honoured proportions: the financier of the project, licensee of the mineral rights of the land, the water pump operator and those who toil in the mud and water.

Yellow sapphire

There are stories of lucky finds. One such find occurred on a tea estate. The driver of a lorry was the one that fortune favoured. Reversing his vehicle on the narrow estate road he hit the embankment, dislodging the earth which fell onto the open tailboard. Cleaning out the debris he came upon a nila and was Rs. 60,000 richer overnight. Lucky strikes like that however are rare. Overall it is the muddy quest in the pits that prevails.
When one reads the old time travel literature in respect of Sri Lanka, oddly enough it is not sapphires but rubies or hyacinth stones that are glowingly referred to by the writers.

Star sapphire

Rubies as big as pine cones; rubies so large that they could not be gripped by a closed fist; rubies that gave as much light as a candle; a saucer made of ruby as large as the palm of a man's hand; and a ruby a span long and quite as thick as a man's arm. That last was an observation by the Venetian traveller Marco Polo, who must have been wearing very strong magnifying glasses.
This is difficult to understand because Sri Lankan rubies are not anywhere near the size of quality mentioned by travellers. It is far more likely that what they saw were imports from Burma (Myanmar) which was a country well known for its rubies.
It was the Portuguese in the 16th century who first mentioned sapphires as an important gem export. Vasco de Gama, who established Portuguese rule in Malabar, stated that Lanka had "all the fine cinnamon of the Indies and the best sapphires."

We still have the best blue sapphires of cerulean hue, a favourite with fashionable women all over the world. The 14 carat "Blue Belle" adorns the British crown.
The pretty yellow sapphire of the colour of pollen is nowhere near as popular as the blue. Yet a colour saturated stone can be extremely beautiful, deserving of far more attention.
And, of course, there are the rare star-sapphires. The largest in the world was mined over 100 years ago in Sri Lanka and may now be seen in the subcontinent as the "Pride of India".
Blue sapphires are the most important economically. Of a total export of gems from Sri Lanka in 2002, valued at Rs. 5,878 million, blue sapphires topped the list at Rs. 2,520 million, nearly 50 per cent.
The gem and jewellery industry taken together is the third highest foreign exchange earner in this country today, exporting around Rs. 8,000 million. Yet our share of the world gem and jewellery trade is a paltry 5 per cent.
We can do much better say the experts if we convert our most important natural resource of blue sapphire stones into design jewellery, and thereby bring about a considerable increase in earnings.
The USAID-TCI consultancy report regarding "Sapphire Brand Strategy" is in agreement: "The best way to add value to these unique stones is to put them into beautiful high value designer jewellery, designed by the world's top designer houses and produced by manufacturers in Sri Lanka."
In the manufacture and sale of jewellery, the need for attractive designs is vital. And these designs must be acceptable to the markets that are targetted.
Sri Lankan gem traders are aware of the importance of design.
Their problem is that they have little knowledge of foreign market designs, and little resources for design development or the purchase of foreign designs.
To fill this lacuna the Sri Lankan gem and jewellery industry requires assistance to procure suitable designs from outside (eg. Hong Kong) until domestic capabilities are developed.
This would be a positive marketing policy to adopt if our island of gems is to earn recognition as the Sapphire Centre of the world and claim a larger pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
Daily News - Mon Oct 20 2003

Sapphires of Sri Lanka

by T. Piyadasa, Director General, National Gem & Jewellery Authority
Sri Lanka has already got a national flag, national anthem, national tree and a national flower. Cabinet has given approval for adoption of the blue sapphire as a National Gemstone of Sri Lanka, and to issue a stamp with the picture of the blue sapphire concurrently so as to give publicity to this initiative. The stamp is released as the National Gem Blue Sapphire and also commemorate the certification date (21.10.1993) of National Gem and Jewellery Authority Act.

40.3 kg Corundum Crystal

Pure Corundum is colourless. In hardness corundum is second only to diamond and rates 9 on Moh's scale. The red variety is termed 'Ruby'. Blue corundum is called 'Blue Sapphire'. All the other colours except 'Pathmaraga' are simply termed with colour designating prefix such as Yellow Sapphire, Pink Sapphire and Green Sapphire. Corundum is Aluminium Oxide (Al2O3).
The colour in rubies could be in various shapes and is dependent on the quantity of chromic oxide present. The colour in ruby could be patchy banded or uniform. The colouring oxides responsible for the Blue Sapphire are the Iron and Titanium.
A remarkable improvement in colour and lustre is shown in the course of polishing in 'Rambuka' Blue Sapphires of Sri Lanka. Iron is basically the colouring element in Yellow Sapphires.

They are identified as Pushparaga. Most reputed area is Aluthnuwara in Balangoda electorate. The term Pathmaraga is a Sinhalese term applied to very special colour variety of corundum. This word in Sinhalese language means colour of 'Lotus flower'.
The name Pathmaraga is now universally accepted. The colour of this stone is a combination of yellow, pink and orange.
This mineral is a member of trigonal crystal system. Asteriated Sapphires are in blue colour known as Star Sapphire. If these asteriated sapphires are in red colour, they are known as Star Rubies. When such stones are cut 'en cabochon', they display a special reflection effect in the form of six and in rare instances a twelve rayed star on the cabochon surface. This star effect is shown in yellow colour stones of corundum family.
Zircon is one of the most common solid inclusions found in Sri Lanka Corundums. These are rounded grains of Zircon surrounded by tiny tension fractures creating a halo. (Zircon haloes). Other common mineral guests in Sri Lankan sapphires are dark prism of rutile, hexagonal prisms of apatite and spinel octahedra. As with all gems, the value of corundum gems depend on colour, clarity, weight and the quality of cutting. Flawless, transparent blue sapphires of deep colour are highly prized. Sri Lanka's Blue Sapphires stand out in any collection of the world's best gemstones.

2965 Carat Blue Sapphire found in Sri Lanka.

It is also necessary to mention Sri Lanka Geuda Corundum. Approximately 85 per cent found in Sri Lanka are 'Geuda'. Geuda is low gem quality corundum. These varieties can be turned into high quality Blue, Yellow Sapphire by heat treatment.
Generally gemstones containing geuda display a smoky, milky or murky appearance.
They are semi-transparent, semi-translucent, whitish or semi-brownish milky or silky corundum with characteristic 'diesel effect' (colour of diesel fuel) in transmitted light. This effect or cloudiness is caused by the presence of a dense concentration of rutile. (T102) inclusions.
According to the symposium classification four main sub-varieties are identified. These names were common usage in the trade. What symposium did was to categorise and separately identify the, numerous varieties according to their properties as follows:
i. Diesel Geuda 
ii. Silky Geuda
iii. Ottu Geuda
iv. Dun Geuda

Classification of 'Geuda' is as follows:

(i) Geuda - Diesel Geuda; Milky Geuda; Silky, Milky Geuda' Young Milky.
(ii) Ottu - Pita Ottu - Dot/Dun/Iri/Ural/Black; Atul Ottu - Dot/Dun/Iri/Ural/Black.
(iii) Silky - Silky; Young Silky; Thick Silky.
Sri Lanka is considered one of the oldest sources of sapphires. No sapphire in the world can equal that obtained in Sri Lanka. Dr. Gubelin, the famous Gemmologist with his vast knowledge and experience recognises a blue sapphire from Sri Lanka. He decides this by the study of inclusions which are in themselves typical. Good Blue Sapphires from Sri Lanka are reputed for having a very pleasing intensity of colour. Its degree of transparency is very high. Clarity is excellent.
These characters combined enable the stone to display a very high lustre. Legend says King Solomon in the Biblical times wooed the queen of Sheba with precious stones from the paradise isle. Marco Polo the supreme traveller who had seen the wonders, mysteries and the unparalleled splendour of the Kingdom of the Cathay, was amazed by the priceless Ruby in the possession of the King of Sri Lanka. He recorded his wonder in these words, "It was a span in Length, without a flaw, brilliant beyond comparison." Richerd W. Huges, author of 'Ruby and Sapphire" book says abut a sapphire of 2965 cts. fist sized example and was estimated to yield a number of cut gems in the 50-100 ct. range.
But he has not mentioned the details of the exact locality. The biggest Sapphire Gem 563 carats on display at the American Museum of Natural History in New York named as "The Star of India" but in the actual fact, it is from Sri Lanka.

Some of the Sri Lanka's most renowned Sapphires:

Blue Giant of the Orient, 466 carats - "The Morning Leader" a news paper in Sri Lanka on August 23, 1907 published the following news item under the headline "A moonstone Sapphire worth 7000 pounds". The stone was mined in Ratnapura district some six months ago. In its finished state it is 2 1/2 inches long, 1 3/4 broad and its greatest thickness 3/4 of an inch. The Sapphire, there is every reason to believe is the largest sapphire in the world.

Belle of Asia

400 carats - Discovered in the paddy field of Pelmadulla in 1926. Reputed gem dealer sold the above stone to the British named Lord Naffield. The Blue Belle is held in the highest esteem among blue sapphires owing to its highly prized peacock blue colour and its excellent clarity.

Blue giant of the Orient

486 carats - Considered to be the largest blue sapphire in the world was sold to a Japanese by a reputed gem dealer in 1972. Now this stone is in Switzerland.

Logan Blue Sapphire

423 carats - Considered to be the second largest blue sapphire on record. It is a flawless specimen. A rich deep blue in colour. Gifted to the Smithsonian institute in Washington by Mrs. John A. Logan.

Star of Lanka

362 carats - The Star of Lanka has the reputation of being the third largest star sapphire of similar quality in existence. This is rich deep blue in colour and has a well defined six rayed star. This is owned by the National Gem and Jewellery Authority of Sri Lanka. Another star sapphire was found weighing 224 carats named as "Star of Asia".

Rosser Reeves Star Ruby

138.7 Carats - The world's largest star ruby of comparably fine quality. It has rare features of excellent colour, a well defined star and good transparency. One of the outstanding gem collection at the U.S. National Gem Collection at the Smithsonian.

Recent discoveries of large sapphires

1. Orange Sapphire (825 Carats) - This was found from a gem pit at Kuruwita in Ratnapura district. It was transparent and free of cracks.
2. Blue Sapphire (856 Carats) - This was found in a gem pit at Hakamuwa close to Ratnapura city in 1998. This was named as "Pride of Lanka".
3. Blue Sapphire (8042 Carats) - This was found in a gem pit at Pelmadulla in Ratnapura district. It was named as "Splendour of Lanka".
4. Blue Sapphire (2516 Carats) - This was found in a river bank at Ellawala in Ratnapura district. It was transparent.
5. Blue Sapphire (4002 Carats) - This was found in a gem pit at Neelagama in Ratnapura district in the year 2000.
6. Blue Sapphire (254 carats) - This deep Blue Sapphire was found in a gem pit at Ganegama near Pelmadulla in Ratnapura district. According to the reports received following Blue Sapphires were mined during this year in Ratnapura district.
i. 1200 Carat Blue Sapphire - Kosgala.
ii. 138 Carat Blue Sapphire - Watapotha.
iii. 260 Carat Blue Sapphire - Pelawela.
Synthetic Sapphires were introduced in 1902 onwards by various names such as "Vernuil, Chatham, Czocharlski. Then 1980's diffused stones were introduced. Now the threat to the sapphire is known as Bulk diffusion.
At present there are stones of corundum family such as blue, green and brown coloured sapphires are also produced by the same way of Beryllium bulks diffusion treatment. This is alarming to all the coloured sapphires.

by Derrick Schokman                                                                                         

A Consumer's Guide to Gem Grading

... Gems are graded by four qualities, known as the "four C's." These stand for Color, Clarity, Cut, and Carat, (meaning size.)
... The first thing a consumer needs to understand is that gemstones are graded by the rarity of their features. Even though we use the term "quality" that does not necessarily mean that one gem is better than another. On the contrary, what is best for you personally may not be the top, or rarest grade of a gem.
... When a mineral deposit is found there will be a wide variety of qualities. For example, let's say someone just mined 100 pounds of amethyst. One of the first things the grader will notice is the size variation. The smaller stones will settle to the bottom of the pile and the larger ones will demand the most attention. There are fewer large stones, so they will receive a higher grade in the size category than the smaller ones.
... A 100-carat stone is much less common than a one-carat stone and that feature will add to its value. However, simply being larger does not mean that it is better. A small woman could not wear a huge stone gracefully. This would not be the best gem for a small person. ... The same principle applies to the other grading factors as well. As the grader goes through his gems, only a few of the amethyst will have the absolute deepest and richest coloring. These will demand special attention and special pricing. However, the boldest colored stones are not the best match for every complexion, or every personality. Pastels are more feminine than bold colors and will suit some people much better.
... So, as you read the following descriptions understand that the grades have to do with the rarity of the feature. They do not mean more durable, (with a single exception,) more beautiful, or better suited to your needs. When choosing a gem, look for the one that will give you the most enjoyment.

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Color

... Colors are described by three factors:

• Hue, (red, green, blue, etc.) 
• Saturation, (strong or pastel, red or pink.) 
• Tone, (light to dark.) 

... Generally speaking, highest values go to stones with pure hues and strong rich colors. With high value gems, subtle variations make a significant difference in price. For example, a slightly orangish ruby will not be worth nearly as much as one that is pure red. Most people cannot see the difference, but to the expert grader it is significant.
... On moderate priced gems, color has less affect on value. For example, tourmaline comes in every possible color. Unless it is an exceptionally pure green, red or pink, they are all about the same value. It is the other factors of size, clarity and cutting that determine the gem's value.
... Diamonds are graded on how close they are to being colorless. There are three grades of "colorless" that only vary by subtle differences in transparency. Then there are four grades of "white." These are gems that will appear colorless when set in jewelry. It takes an expert in a laboratory setting to distinguish between these grades, but each represents a change in value.
... The color that is best for you is a personal matter. Strong, bold colors correspond with strong personalities; others prefer something softer and brighter. The color of your complexion and the color of the clothing you prefer also have a significant effect on your gem choice.
... To find what colors are best for you, look at a lot of gems. You will find that subtle variations in color can have a significant affect on both how they look on you and your emotional reaction to them.
... If you are a connoisseur of fine gems, the higher grades are significant. On the other hand, the average consumer will find just as much beauty in the more modestly priced stones. Remember, quality does not mean better, it means rarer.

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Clarity

... Gemstones contain a wide variety of "inclusions." In a faceted gem, an inclusion is defined as anything that will interfere with the free passage of light. They can be little bits of minerals, hollow areas, or fractures.
... As with color, tiny differences which are only apparent to the grader have a significant affect on value. The best examples of this are diamonds. There are several grades where the inclusions are invisible to the naked eye and have no affect on the beauty of the stone. Yet the difference in value, between something that is very difficult for an expert to find with 10 power magnification and something that is easy to find with magnification, is substantial.
... Most colored stones are simply graded "eye clean," (meaning that the inclusions are not visible to the naked eye,) slightly, moderately, or heavily included. Gems with eye visible inclusions are always lower in value, but the change is not applied equally. There are three classes of colored stones, those that are "usually clean," those that are "usually included," and those that are "almost always included." ... Emeralds fall into the last category. Their clarity cannot be compared with other gems. If you want an emerald without any eye visible inclusions, you are limited to small stones. If you want a larger emerald, you will have to accept a certain amount of inclusions and find its value in the color.
... If this does not appeal to you, then look at other green stones, like tourmaline and diopside. Their color can equal that of fine emeralds, without the inclusions, and at a much lower price. Now your choice is between having the name "emerald" or the premium color.
... Eye visible inclusions always have an affect on value. Sometimes this can be used to your advantage. I remember one young woman showing off her engagement ring. She had me look real close to see three tiny black dots. By accepting those small inclusions, which could not be seen from more than six inches away, her fiancé was able to afford a much larger diamond. ... You will find just slightly visible inclusions in colored stones as well. Even some stones that are moderately included, like dark garnets, will look fine from the distance jewelry is usually viewed from. It is up to your personality to determine if it is going to affect the joy you get from the stone.
... While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, you need to pay special attention to fractures and veils. They represent a weakness in the gem and are prone to breakage. Earrings, pendants and brooches do not receive much abuse, but ring stones are subjected to a constant onslaught of bumps and bangs. If you intend a gem for a ring stone, you should be particularly cautious of a weak gem.
... Finding these types of inclusions in a gem, and determining their affect on its integrity, is difficult for the lay person to do. The old advice, "If you don't know your gems, know your gemologist," applies here.

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Cut

... The cut of a gemstone, the workmanship that went into fashioning it, is one of the most important factors in its appearance. It is also one of the most difficult factors for the non-professional to judge because of the number of variations involved.... The first thing to do is to look at the shape of the stone. Some gems are cut "freeform" but most are intended to be a regular shape. If so, look at the symmetry. Does it bulge here or there, or is it symmetrical in all directions. Look at the stone from the side and the ends. Again, it should be symmetrical in all directions. If not, it is up to you to determine how much it will affect your appreciation of the stone.... When considering a gem, insist on inspecting it with magnification. Look at areas where light is being reflected from the surface. They should be smooth and mirror like. If you see pitting, scratches, or dull areas, the gem is not well polished. It may look good in the store, but someday you will compare it with a well polished gem and be disappointed with your purchase.
... If it is a faceted gem, look at the facets junctions also. On a well cut stone, they will be crisp and come together in a single point. You may see facets that are slightly rounded and not quite meeting where they should. Just how far off they are will affect the brilliance of the gem.
... The other factors in a faceted gem are too complex for the lay-person. However, you can get a good idea of the cutting quality simply by comparing it with other gems. When you do this, make sure you are comparing similar stones. An amethyst will never have the brilliance of a topaz and dark stones will not be as bright as light colored ones. ... When comparing like stones, what you want to look for is the overall light return, the brilliance and sparkle of the gem. It is entirely possible to look at two gems with the same size and coloring, but one having much more brilliance and sparkle than the other. This is the result of cutting.... One thing to pay special attention to is "windowing." That is where light passes straight through the center, rather than being reflected back. It is easy to spot; the center will be much lighter than the outside of the gem and have no flashes of light. Some windows are small; others are quite large and hideous.
... This is another example of something that might look good in the store, but someday you will compare it with a well cut gem and be disappointed with your purchase.
... Cabochons are easier to judge. Begin by checking the polish under magnification. Then hold the stone a short distance from your head and rotate it slowly. Notice how the light passes across the surface. On a well cut gem, it will flow smoothly from one side to the other. If it is poorly shaped the light will not flow smoothly, but snake across the surface. Surface irregularities and poorly polished areas will also show up this way.

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Carat

... Simply put, larger stones are less common than small ones. Hence, they demand a higher price per carat. For example, a quarter-carat topaz may cost $60 per carat, or $15. A half-carat topaz, (with the same color, clarity and cutting grades,) might cost $100 per carat, or $50. A full carat topaz would cost $200.
... Choosing the right size is a personal matter. For the bold, dynamic individual, a large gem mirrors their personality. On the other hand, small stones are better suited to someone with delicate and feminine tastes. Most people will fall in between these two extremes.
... When budget is a strong factor, smaller stones have a significant advantage. Not only do they cost less per weight, the amount of gem you see is disproportionate to their size. The reason is that volume goes up faster than the outside dimensions. For example, a half carat, round diamond measures 5 mm in diameter, a ¾ carat diamond 6 mm, and a full carat 6.5 mm. From a casual observation, the half and ¾ carat stones, or the ¾ and full carat stones look to be about the same size, but the price difference can be considerable.
... Small gems are often clustered to give the illusion of more gemstone. Seven 1.6 mm diamonds, set close together, will take up as much space as a whole carat diamond. If set on white gold, it is hard to distinguish the separate stones, hence these are often called "illusion settings". ... While these seven stones approach the eye appeal of a one carat diamond, they only weigh .14 carats. Considering that the price per carat is also much lower, the cost difference is significant. A cluster ring would be in the hundreds of dollars, rather than the thousands.
... Colored stones are often clustered for the same reason: you get a lot more visible gem for less money. If your budget doesn't allow for your first choice in a gem, consider a setting with several smaller gems. With the right piece, you may find just the look and emotional appeal you wanted and at a price you can afford.

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Conclusion

... This guide is intended to help you understand the factors that go into grading gemstones. You have learned that the term "quality" has to do with the rarity of a feature, not that it is necessarily better than something else. What is best for you may be smaller or lighter colored than the top grade.
... Nature does not provide us with perfect gems, nor do lapidaries produce perfect work. In addition, you are not likely to be able to afford your first choice in gems. There are always compromises to be made. When shopping for a gem, you need to find what suits your personality best, as well as fitting it to your budget. The final and most important factor is the joy you get from your gem.

by Don Clark CSM IMG                                                      

Spain shipwreck treasure shown for the first time

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• A worker of the ministry holds up for photographers a silver coin from the shipwreck of a 1804 galleon, on its first display to the media at a ministry building, in Madrid, Friday, Nov. 30, 2012. Spanish cultural …

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MADRID (AP) — Spanish cultural officials allowed a first peek Friday at some of the 16 tons (14.5 metric tons) of shipwreck treasure worth an estimated $500 million that a U.S. salvage company gave up this year after a five-year ownership dispute.

Only a tiny portion of the haul from the Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes, a galleon that sank off Portugal’s Atlantic coast near the straits of Gibraltar in 1804, was shown to the media: 12 individual silver coins, a block of encrusted silver coins stuck together after centuries underwater, two gold tobacco boxes and a bronze pulley.

Authorities who have been inventorying the treasure since it was flown from Florida to Spain in February said it will be transferred later this year from Madrid to the National Museum of Underwater Archaeology in the Mediterranean city of Cartagena. Displays are expected to start next year, with some items put on rotating temporary displays at museums across the country.

Though previous estimates have put the value of the treasure at $500 million, Spanish officials said they weren’t trying to determine an amount because the haul is part of the nation’s cultural heritage and can never be sold under Spanish law.

“It’s invaluable,” said Elisa de Cabo, the Culture Ministry’s deputy director of national heritage. “How would you put a price on the Mona Lisa?”

Spain took possession of the treasure after courts rejected arguments that Florida-based Odyssey Marine Exploration was entitled to all or most of the treasure. De Cabo said Spanish authorities are still trying to convince a judge in Tampa that the American company should also be forced to pay Spain’s legal costs.

Officials said Friday that the weight of the treasure was not the 17 tons reported during the legal fight because that included a ton of sea water used to help preserve many of the silver coins in storage containers.

The inventory counted 574,553 silver coins and 212 gold coins.

Odyssey had argued that the wreck was never positively identified as the Mercedes. And if it was that vessel, the company contended, then the ship was on a commercial trade trip — not a sovereign mission — at the time it sank, meaning Spain would have no firm claim to the cargo. International treaties generally hold that warships sunk in battle are protected from treasure seekers.

Odyssey lost every round in federal courts as the Spanish government painted the company as modern-day pirates. The company has said in earnings statements that it has spent $2.6 million salvaging, transporting, storing and conserving the treasure.

The metals were mined and the coins minted in the Andes, from places that are now in Bolivia, Chile and Peru.

Spain overcame a last-minute effort by the Peruvian government to block the transfer of the treasure back to Spain. Peru did not gain its independence until 1824, but the country’s lawyers argued it was more than a simple colony at the time because it was the local seat of the Spanish crown when the ship sank.

Spain’s Queen Sofia promised in a visit to Bolivia several months ago that some of the treasure would be loaned to the country for display in museums.

By ALAN CLENDENNING