8 Most Famous Sapphires of the World

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8 Most Famous Sapphiresof the World
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Introduction

• The September birthstone is one of the most
  stunning gemstones known to mankind. Sapphires
  have been feared and reviled, celebrated and
  revered and even used as a gateway to the spirit
  world. But not once in their entire history have
  sapphires stepped out of the spotlight.
• Lets take a look at some of the most famous
  sapphires in the world.

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1. Rockefeller Sapphire

• The 62.02-carat, rectangular-cut natural unheated
  untreated cornflower blue sapphire is one of
  the most famous sapphires in the world. American
  Tycoon John D. Rockefeller Jr. purchased it
  directly from the Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman
  Ali Khan.
• The deal was brokered by the Rockefeller familys
  private jeweler, Raymond Yard. Both of
  Rockefellers wives wore it till the day they
  died. In 1971 the Rockefeller Sapphire was
  auctioned in Zurich. It was resold a few more
  times before its last appearance at Christies
  New York in April 2001, where it sold for 3
  million.

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2. Stuart Sapphire

• The British Royals have had a longstanding
  association with blue sapphires but the Stuart
  Sapphire, is one of the most important as it is
  set in the Imperial State Crown of Britain.
• The cabochon-cut sapphire weighing 104 carats was
  acquired by the Queens ancestors in the 14th
  century. While the history of its acquisition is
  quite muddled, it was probably unearthed in Asia.

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3. The Blue Belle of Asia

• The Blue belle of Asia was auctioned for 17
  million at Christies in 2004. It set the record
  for the most expensive sapphire ever sold at
  public auction. It was originally bought in 1937
  and intended as a coronation gift to Queen
  Elizabeth II. However, it never ended up in the
  Queens possession.
• The stone has changed ownership many times in the
  past century. It is the centerpiece of a majestic
  diamond necklace featuring nine tassels adorned
  with a string of small white diamonds. Each
  tassel terminates in a larger oval-cut white
  diamond.

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4. The George IV sapphires

• While the Stuart sapphire represents the
  monarchy, the George IV sapphires are from
  Lilibets own past and therefore they are one of
  her favourite jewelry items. The sapphire and
  diamond encrusted necklace and earrings were
  gifted to the queen by her father on the occasion
  of her wedding to Prince Phillip in 1947.
• It is also referred to as the Victorian Suite
  because the piece is believed to have been made
  somewhere in the middle of the 19th century. The
  queen added her own touch to this relic of the
  past by having the necklace shortened in 1952.
  She had the largest stone removed and set in a
  separate pendant.

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5. Blue Giant of the Orient

• Great mystery surrounds the worlds largest
  faceted blue sapphire. After the gem was
  discovered in Sri Lanka in 1907, the ring was
  bought by an American collector and vanished
  completely from the public eye. It took nearly a
  century for it to resurface, at a 2004 Christies
  Magnificent Jewels auction, where it became the
  largest faceted sapphire ever to be auctioned,
  only to be quickly claimed and hidden away once
  again.

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6. The Star of Bombay (India)

• The Star of India is one of the largest star
  sapphires in the world. It weighs 563.35 carats
  and is considered unusual because it has
  naturally occurring stars on both sides of the
  stone.
• It was discovered in Sri Lanka and is currently
  housed in the American Museum of Natural History
  in New York City.
• The Star of India was stolen in 1964.
  Fortunately, it was located months later in Miami
  and promptly returned to the Museum. The milky
  quality of the stone is caused by the traces of
  the mineral rutile, which is also responsible for
  the star effect known as asterism.

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7. Queen of Asia

• The Queen of Asia is the world's largest natural
  corundum blue sapphire and the newest member of
  the Most Famous Sapphires club. It was recently
  discovered in Sri-Lankas famous gem city,
  Ratnapura, by some oblivious men trying to dig a
  well.
• It weighs an astonishing 310 kgs and you might
  want to sit down for the next one While the
  experts are still figuring the details out, The
  Queen of Asia is believed to be worth over 100
  million.

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8. Princess Dianas Engagement Ring

• Princess Dianas engagement ring has been in the
  public eye since the 19 year old Spencer slipped
  it onto her tender finger in 1981. The 12-carat
  oval Ceylon sapphire and diamond ring became the
  most famous piece of jewelry that year as its
  owner became the most famous woman in the world.
  Diana had picked it herself from a selection of
  twelve rings presented to her by the Crown
  jeweler.
• Thirty years later, the ring came back into the
  limelight when Dianas son, Prince William
  presented it to his fiancée Kate Middleton. Diana
  had a very close relationship with her two sons
  and her loss was a big blow to the young princes.
  In an interview, William said it was his way of
  including his mother in the happy occasion.

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Information Sources

• Blog Most Famous Sapphires
• Website www.gemsny.com