September Jewel of the Month

This stunning sapphire and diamond ring by Hancocks is set with a beautiful cushion shaped sapphire weighing 2.53cts from the coveted Kashmir mines. The ring is handmade in 18ct yellow gold and the sapphire sits between two old mine brilliant cut diamonds whilst the shoulders are diamond-set in a millegrain channel setting. The ring comes with an additional diamond ring jacket that can be fitted over it to create a showier piece, it is set with a surround of additional old cut diamonds and the three stone ring sits perfectly flush into it so that when worn together they look like one ring.

Sapphires are the birthstone for September and what better way to celebrate than with a gorgeous Kashmir sapphire. Historically, sapphires were associated with the virtues of truth, sincerity and faithfulness and were credited with the ability to protect wearers from fraud, treachery, poison and plague. Kashmir sapphires are a truly exceptional colour, a rich, deep velvety blue that often seems to be lit from within. Importantly they also maintain this colour whatever lighting conditions they are viewed in, a fact which separates them from most other sapphires. Their intense beauty, coupled with their rarity and the fact that only a handful of new stones appear on the market each year, means these wonderful gems are hugely desirable and command some of the highest prices for coloured gemstones in the world. They were discovered in 1881 after a landslide in the Himalayan Mountains of Kashmir revealed the beautiful crystals embedded in the soft, clay-rich earth. They were mined extensively over the next few years, under the control of the Maharaja, during which time many fine and large sapphires were discovered. However, by the end of 1888 operations had ceased and since then, despite various attempts, very little of importance has been recovered.

Guy Burton, Director, Hancocks London, comments: “This Kashmir sapphire is a really lovely example and perfectly demonstrates that desirable tone, hue and saturation of blue that makes these gems so sought after.”