•
This Kashmir sapphire started as a 30ct 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. This
kaolin clay is exclusive to the Kashmir origin. The specimen
is a 'one of kind' 12ct Kashmir sapphire.
