•
This Kashmir sapphire started as a 40ct rough crystal.
See photographs below before and after heating with scale.
Below left is preheat. Below right 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 furnaceThe 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. Small
pockets of white kaolin can be seen. This kaolin clay
is exclusive to the Kashmir origin. The specimen is a
'one of kind' 16ct Kashmir sapphire.
