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For Customers outside of USA

Two Antique Genuine Natural Russian Faceted Bright Blue Marquise Cut Sapphires.

ORIGIN: The Ural Mountains, Russia. 19th Century.

SIZE: Length: 5mm. Width: 3mm. Depth (Thickness): 2mm. All measurements approximate.

WEIGHT: 0.50 carats (the pair).

NOTES: Upon request we can set your gemstones as a ring, pendant, or earrings .

DETAIL: Two gorgeous, richly colored natural bright blue sapphire precious gemstones from the Ural Mountains of Russia. These sapphires were hand crafted into these very beautiful faceted marquise cut gemstones in 19th century Russia. The results are two exquisite and incredibly richly colored precious gemstones with lots of fire and sparkle. They are a bright blue with a very light undertone, really just a hint of green, very similar in appearance to the bright medium blue of sapphires from Ceylon and Siam (Sri Lanka and Thailand). Such good quality blue sapphires are in high demand, and can be quite costly. Unfortunately most seemingly flawless, transparent "sapphires" sold even by the largest and most reputable retailers in the United States are synthetic (read the fine print; and the same is true of emeralds and rubies). However the Southern Ural Mountains of Russia have been producing good quality, natural sapphires for centuries.

The trained eye will easily discern from the photo that the gemstones have been hand-faceted. The coarseness of the 19th century faceting is considered appealing to most gemstone collectors, and is not considered a detriment. Unlike today's computer controlled machine processes, the cut and finish of gemstones such as these is the legacy of an artisan who lived two centuries ago. Such antique hand-faceted gemstones possess much greater character and appeal than today's mass-produced machine-faceted gemstones. These gemstones have great lustre, and are essentially transparent, but they are not entirely flawless. True, the blemishes they possess are virtually invisible to the naked eye, and the gemstones can be characterized, to use trade jargon, as "eye clean". However magnified five times over as they are here, you can see slight imperfections (included material) both within the stones, a little color zoning, and occasional irregularities in the cut and finish.

However these imperfections, as well as the color zoning, are very difficult to discern with the naked eye. Consider that these characteristics are not only expected of hand-finished gemstones, but also that two centuries ago the mining techniques prevalent did not allow the ultra deep mining operations which are so common today. Two centuries ago mankind was more or less limited to surface deposits or near surface deposits of semi-precious gemstones. Higher quality gemstones which today are routinely mined from beneath hundreds of meters, even kilometers beneath the earth's surface, were simply inaccessible. So antique gemstone must be appreciated as antiques first, gemstones second. The relatively superlative quality of contemporary gemstones mined from deep beneath the earth's surface were simply not accessible two centuries ago, or at least, only rarely so. But for most, the unique nature and character of these antique gemstones more than makes up for included imperfections which by and large are only visible under magnification.

HISTORY: Mentions of sapphire in ancient references reach well back past 800 B.C. Certainly the ancient Greeks, Persians, and Romans all knew of blue sapphires and employed the precious gemstones in their jewelry. In the world of the ancient Mediterranean, priests and sorcerers honored the sapphire above all other gems. As the centuries passed, European royalty came to highly favor sapphires believing the stone would provide protection from harm. In the medieval world blue sapphires were believed to represent heaven, and thus the precious gemstones were widely used in ecclesiastical jewelry. Sapphires are a member of the corundum family, as are rubies, and as such sapphires are considered one of the most valuable of precious stones. They are also extremely hard, second only to diamonds, and so are very popular as gemstones for rings and pendants. Sapphires are mined in Thailand, Ceylon, Burma, Australia, Madagascar, Russia, South Africa, China, Afghanistan, and in Montana and North Carolina..

SHIPPING OPTIONS: All purchases are backed by an unlimited guarantee of satisfaction and authenticity. If for any reason you are not entirely satisfied with your purchase, you may return it for a complete and immediate refund of your entire purchase price. Most of these antique gemstones were originally part of two collections, one originating in India principally composed of gemstones originally mined in India, Burma, Ceylon, and Siam, and then hand faceted in India. The addition of a second accumulation of antique gemstones originally mined in the Urals in the mid to late 19th century (including alexandrite) completed the collection. These gemstones as well were hand finished. The Urals have been one of the world's major sources of precious and semi-precious gemstones for many centuries. As well, additional specimens are occasionally acquired from other institutions and dealers in Eastern Europe and Asia. These antique gemstones are now in the United States and are available for immediate delivery.

We ship inventory from the USA order fulfillment center near Seattle, Washington. Your purchase will ordinarily be shipping within 48 hours of payment. A certificate of authenticity is available upon request. We prefer your personal check or money order over any other form of payment - and we will ship immediately upon receipt of your check (no "holds"). We will accept PayPal payments. Please see our "ADDITIONAL TERMS OF SALE".