Description
This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!
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The sapphire is a truly royal stone. Even more often than the ruby, it adorns the crowns in the monarchies of Europe: the English state crown sparkles in the light of 18 beautiful stones, and that of the Bohemian king Wenceslas has just as many. And yet it shares many properties with the ruby, because for the mineralogist both stones belong to the group of corundum.
The most famous sapphires in the world come from Kashmir, where today, however, only a few sapphires are mined. Kashmir sapphires show a powerful cornflower blue and have a so-called "sleepy", slightly milky character. Sapphires from other sites show different shades of blue: Stones from Mianmar, which can also reach the highest qualities, tend more towards an ultramarine. Sapphires from Sri Lanka shine in a rather lighter, sky-blue tone. Sapphires from both locales tend to show stronger inclusions.
It should not be forgotten, however, that sapphires can be more than just blue! Because like the ruby, the sapphire belongs to the group of corundum. Since now in the mineralogy all corundum with exception of the red ruby are called sapphire, yellow, green and orange sapphires meet beside the blue varieties. These stones, if they have an outstanding color quality and are free of inclusions, also fetch high prices in the trade.
The pink to orange variety of sapphire is particularly sought after: these stones come exclusively from Sri Lanka and are known as Padparadscha. Today, however, the color of stones from other regions is often altered by technical treatment and then also sold as padparadscha.
In popular belief, the sapphire is considered the stone of truth, fidelity, prudence and reason. Accordingly, the Doge of Venice wore such a mild, blue stone as a sign of his fidelity and marriage to the sea, set in gold. And Queen Elizabeth I of England also believed that her sapphire could protect her against slander and cunning.
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Size & Details
Our Promise
We want you to be 100% satisfied! For that reason, we examine, describe and photograph all of our jewellery with the utmost care.
You can rely on our years of experience in the trade and our expertise as a professional art historians for reviews of the antique jewellery. As a member of various trade organisations and the British Society of Jewellery Historians, we remain committed to the highest possible degree of accuracy. In our descriptions, we always also indicate any signs of age and defects and never hide them in our photos – this saves you from any unpleasant surprises when your package arrives.
Should you for some reason not be satisfied, please don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can find a solution together. In any case, you can return any article within one month and we will refund the full purchase price.
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