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 Post subject: What makes Kashmir sapphire so famous?
PostPosted: Sun Feb 20, 2022 3:01 am 
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What makes Kashmir sapphire so great? Early this month I went to my 1st agta and gjx show ever. I saw several Kashmir sapphires, but I do not think they are that special. all of these sapphires looks like the Burmese royal blue sapphire with silk. I think the the silk makes the already dark tone stone worse. I may call these sapphire sleeping sapphire rather than sleepy stone :D hahaha

The same with Madagascar's Kashmir type sapphire. I went from one dealer to another asking for this, and all they show me are stone that looks like burmese royal blue with silk.

Does the Tino Hammid's photo of Kashmir Sapphire is even real?


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 Post subject: Re: What makes Kashmir sapphire so famous?
PostPosted: Mon Feb 21, 2022 2:29 pm 
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Kashmir, Burma, Paraiba have become buzz words which many interpret as quality confirmations.

These localities have produced some noteworthy gems, but the majority of rough from any locale usually ends up as an abrasive used industrially.


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 Post subject: Re: What makes Kashmir sapphire so famous?
PostPosted: Mon Feb 21, 2022 3:40 pm 
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Although the AGTA and Tucson in general have vendors of high caliber with some very nice gemstones. The world stage of gemstones is vast. Traveling to some of the most prestigious gem shows internationally may change your opinion. Many of the note worthy gems are already the centerpiece of very high-end jewelry, private collections, museums. I have seen some great cut gemstones over the years, the world ruby exposition in Hong Kong some years back displayed some of the finest no heat rubies I have ever seen. Truth be told the gemstone that I can never forget is a Siberian Amethyst faceted shield trillion like shape that was sitting in a plastic display case in the middle of a dirt lot next to a small Rv. It was mesmerizing to me.

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 Post subject: Re: What makes Kashmir sapphire so famous?
PostPosted: Tue Feb 22, 2022 1:53 pm 
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What makes it famous has to do more with its rarity- The top of the line mines in Indian Kashmir that produced these velvety sapphires has been closed since the early 20th century. The supply from the mine is exhausted but the demand for these particular sapphires is still sky-high. This tremendous gap between supply and demand is what creates the price premium of these sapphires.


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 Post subject: Re: What makes Kashmir sapphire so famous?
PostPosted: Tue Feb 22, 2022 3:15 pm 
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As Barbra stated more buzz. Ultimately it has to sell and shown in its best light surrounded by the buzz sells and makes it famous. No one knows diffently wether it is depleted. New finds are always possible, what drives the thrill of the miner of the precious resource is money. Man always needs tools and corundum as with diamond is some of the top abrasive materials.

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 Post subject: Re: What makes Kashmir sapphire so famous?
PostPosted: Tue Feb 22, 2022 5:28 pm 
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It can de difficult separating Kashmir from Madagascar sapphire, as the inclusion scenes are very similar.

I'm certain origin reports could have misinterpreted what was recorded in the stones.



Additional Information:
SSEF TRADE ALERT. Kashmir-like’ sapphires from Madagascar entering the gem trade in large sizes and quantities

Sapphires from the gem rush Bemainty area, Ambatondrazaka (Madagascar)


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 Post subject: Re: What makes Kashmir sapphire so famous?
PostPosted: Wed Feb 23, 2022 7:05 am 
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@glhays Well they've been trying to find Sapphires of equivalent quality in that region for more than a hundred years now, but nothing has turned up. What's being mined over there is low quality. Sapphires with almost same chemical make-up have turned up in Afghanistan (the Hindukush mountain range crisscrosses India Pakistan and Afghanistan), but they are relatively darker. Although, I've seen pieces from there as equally stunning as the one's known as Kashmir Sapphires, but since they are from Afghanistan, they don't fetch much value. As has been rightly observed on this forum, sometimes the name of the place sticks around and connotes the value (Mogok, Kashmir, Paraiba, etc.). Otherwise, beautiful gems of similar or higher quality can be found in other places.


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 Post subject: Re: What makes Kashmir sapphire so famous?
PostPosted: Wed Feb 23, 2022 2:01 pm 
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Mohmand wrote:
@glhays Well they've been trying to find Sapphires of equivalent quality in that region for more than a hundred years now, but nothing has turned up. What's being mined over there is low quality. Sapphires with almost same chemical make-up have turned up in Afghanistan (the Hindukush mountain range crisscrosses India Pakistan and Afghanistan), but they are relatively darker. Although, I've seen pieces from there as equally stunning as the one's known as Kashmir Sapphires, but since they are from Afghanistan, they don't fetch much value. As has been rightly observed on this forum, sometimes the name of the place sticks around and connotes the value (Mogok, Kashmir, Paraiba, etc.). Otherwise, beautiful gems of similar or higher quality can be found in other places.

Sorry, I'm not following your logic entirely or completely. Or maybe I just do not know better.

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 Post subject: Re: What makes Kashmir sapphire so famous?
PostPosted: Wed Feb 23, 2022 2:12 pm 
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I interpret that to mean, a gem's quality has little to do with the location where it was mined. I would agree.

With the exception of opal.


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 Post subject: Re: What makes Kashmir sapphire so famous?
PostPosted: Wed Feb 23, 2022 3:17 pm 
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Okay, here I thought we were talking about what makes them famous. I guess I didn't know better. I believe that mohmand and I have a difference of opinion on his consistent claim of famous and prized when directed at these regions. If it were not for the "money" fetched for specific high-end gems to give a region a status of famous they simply blend in with rest, it does not make all gems of a region famous in any stretch of the "buzz". JMO

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 Post subject: Re: What makes Kashmir sapphire so famous?
PostPosted: Thu Feb 24, 2022 2:38 pm 
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@glhays I just wanted to put forth that sometimes, value comes due to something being attached with a specific place, although the same quality stuff could be found elsewhere! Same is true of gemstones. When I mentioned the Afghan Sapphire, it was in the context that good pieces look very similar to what are known as Kashmir Sapphires (although the chemical composition may differ a bit and they, on average, are relatively darker) and that they are mined from the same mountainous range.


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