•
This Kashmir sapphire was almost a 100ct rough crystal.
See photographs below before and after heating with scale.
Below left is preheat. Below center is postheat.
• The finished product is thermally enhanced (heated)
to increase the depth of blue. I heated the stone in my
high temperature gas combustion furnace. The treatment
is permanent and common to 99% of sapphire in the world
today. Heated Kashmir sapphire is rarely available in
todays market because there is no mining in Kashmir and
little remaining rough. We purchased rough from the J&K
past auction.
• This hand carving shows excellent detail from head
to tail. Small pockets of white kaolin can be seen in
several portions. This kaolin clay is exclusive to the
Kashmir origin. The specimen is a one of kind 44ct Kashmir
sapphire.
