Rare and Rarest

Something you won't see until---probably never. Nine, count 'em, stunning untreated purple Kashmir sapphires totaling 54.89 dazzling carats are placed in a diamond bracelet.One of the scarcest and most sought after sapphires in the world, Kashmir stones are celebrated for their exquisite cornflower hue and velvety appearance. But unheated purple Kashmir sapphire? Unheard of--unless you're gazing at the wondrous bracelet offered at M. S. Rau Antiques. 

Kashmir of all Places
Kashmir sapphires, we are told, behave beautifully under all types of light contrasted to other-sourced sapphires which can go 'meh' in dark lighting. The enigmatic Kashmir corundum (that's sapphire, folks) retains its heart stopping vibrant blue in all lighting, which adds to its magnetism.

Sapphires by Color
Sapphire means blue corundum. But corundum can be produced in a wide range of natural colors like pink, green, white, black, yellow, orange and purple. Those are collectively called fancy color sapphires. Some sapphires are heat treated to arrive at their attractive coloration. So when a colored corundum is tested to be natural--with no heat or treatment of any kind, it achieves a kind of mythical status.

Paddles up Please
M.S. Rau Antiques, who is offering this spectacular piece of jewelry explains more, "Kashmir sapphire is ranked as one of the world’s most desirable jewels alongside the rarest of colored diamonds and Burma rubies. Unearthed in the early 1880s after a landslide in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent, Kashmir sapphires are revered not only for their general scarcity, but also the softness of their pink, purple and blue hues."

Now you know. Drool.