Property of a French Noble Family
335
Sapphire ring
估價
CHF125,000–200,000
€134,000–214,000
$150,000–250,000
Priority BiddingAvailable through 7日 11月 歐洲中部時間下午4时 2026. Learn more
Set with a cushion-shaped sapphire weighing 5.63 carats, size 52.
Accompanied by SSEF report no. 147913 and Gübelin report no. 26020115, both stating that the sapphire is of Kashmir origin, with no indications of heating.
Accompanied by SSEF report no. 147913 and Gübelin report no. 26020115, both stating that the sapphire is of Kashmir origin, with no indications of heating.
完整圖錄內容
Kashmir: The Source of Legendary Sapphires
In 1881, a landslide in the remote Kudi Valley, in the Pádar region of Kashmir, exposed a remarkable deposit of blue crystals. Situated on the northeast wall of the valley, near the village of Sumjam in the Himalayas, the deposit lies at an altitude of approximately 4,500 metres. Its extreme elevation and difficult terrain made the locality accessible for only a few months of the year.
The discovery revealed sapphires of an intense blue colour, often compared to that of the cornflower, combined with the characteristic soft, velvety appearance for which Kashmir sapphires would become renowned. In 1882, the newly discovered sapphires reached the markets of Simla, then the summer capital of British India, where their colour and quality were swiftly recognised by jewellers. Having initially been exchanged by local traders for everyday commodities such as salt, these crystals were suddenly transformed into objects of considerable commercial value as their fame spread rapidly through the Indian jewellery trade. Recognising their significance, Maharaja Ranbir Singh of Jammu and Kashmir took control of the deposit, dispatching troops to guard the mines and prohibit private trading.
The richest period of production followed between approximately 1882 and 1887. The original deposit, known as the Old Mine, yielded some of the finest and largest crystals ever recovered. By 1887, the initial pocket had been exhausted. Although further exploration and intermittent mining followed, none rivalled the exceptional production of those first few years.
It was this brief but prolific period that established Kashmir sapphires as the benchmark against which other sapphires would come to be judged. Their distinctive appearance is defined by an intense, highly saturated blue colour and microscopic inclusions that create their characteristic velvety lustre and subtle haziness, qualities that enhance rather than detract from their beauty.
More than a century after their discovery, Kashmir sapphires retain an unrivalled place in the world of coloured gemstones. Their prestigious provenance and enduring allure continue to captivate collectors the world over, with the finest untreated stones commanding top prices at auction and finding their way into distinguished jewellery collections.
In 1881, a landslide in the remote Kudi Valley, in the Pádar region of Kashmir, exposed a remarkable deposit of blue crystals. Situated on the northeast wall of the valley, near the village of Sumjam in the Himalayas, the deposit lies at an altitude of approximately 4,500 metres. Its extreme elevation and difficult terrain made the locality accessible for only a few months of the year.
The discovery revealed sapphires of an intense blue colour, often compared to that of the cornflower, combined with the characteristic soft, velvety appearance for which Kashmir sapphires would become renowned. In 1882, the newly discovered sapphires reached the markets of Simla, then the summer capital of British India, where their colour and quality were swiftly recognised by jewellers. Having initially been exchanged by local traders for everyday commodities such as salt, these crystals were suddenly transformed into objects of considerable commercial value as their fame spread rapidly through the Indian jewellery trade. Recognising their significance, Maharaja Ranbir Singh of Jammu and Kashmir took control of the deposit, dispatching troops to guard the mines and prohibit private trading.
The richest period of production followed between approximately 1882 and 1887. The original deposit, known as the Old Mine, yielded some of the finest and largest crystals ever recovered. By 1887, the initial pocket had been exhausted. Although further exploration and intermittent mining followed, none rivalled the exceptional production of those first few years.
It was this brief but prolific period that established Kashmir sapphires as the benchmark against which other sapphires would come to be judged. Their distinctive appearance is defined by an intense, highly saturated blue colour and microscopic inclusions that create their characteristic velvety lustre and subtle haziness, qualities that enhance rather than detract from their beauty.
More than a century after their discovery, Kashmir sapphires retain an unrivalled place in the world of coloured gemstones. Their prestigious provenance and enduring allure continue to captivate collectors the world over, with the finest untreated stones commanding top prices at auction and finding their way into distinguished jewellery collections.