Antique Genuine Natural Russian One and One-Third Carat Dark Blue Sapphire Round.

CLASSIFICATION: Cabochon Blue Sapphire Round.

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

SIZE: Diameter: 6mm. Depth: 3mm. All measurements approximate.

WEIGHT: 1.36 Carats.

NOTES: Upon request we can set your gemstone as a ring, earring, or pendant (click here for more information).

DETAIL: A gorgeous, richly colored natural dark blue sapphire precious gemstone from the Ural Mountains of Russia. The gemstone was hand shaped and polished into this very beautiful round cabochon. The result is an exquisite and incredibly richly colored precious gemstone with lots of depth and gorgeous tone. The result is an exquisite and incredibly richly colored precious gemstone with lots of depth and gorgeous tone. It is considerably lighter than inky "midnight blue" African or Australian sapphires, but well past the medium blue of sapphires from Ceylon and Burma. It would be considerably lighter to the eye except that the cabochon gemstone is so thick. Naturally the thicker the gemstone the darker it appears, as there is more material for light to penetrate. 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.

Under magnification the gemstone shows the unmistakable characteristics of having been hand crafted. The coarseness of the 19th century finish is considered appealing to most gemstone collectors, and is not considered a detriment, or detract from the value of a gemstone. In fact most serious collectors consider such gemstones more desirable, possessed of greater character and uniqueness when compared to today's cookie-cutter mass-produced machine-tumbled gemstones. Unlike today’s computer controlled machine produced gemstones, the cut and finish of a gemstone such as this is the legacy of an artisan who lived two centuries ago. This gemstone has great luster and sparkle, and to the eye is more or less transparent, but it is not entirely flawless. True, the blemishes it possesses are near invisible to the naked eye. However magnified 400%-500%, as it is here, you can see slight imperfections (included material) within the gemstone and occasional irregularities in the finish.

Keep in mind however that these characteristics are not only expected of hand-finished gemstones, you must also consider that two centuries ago the mining techniques even possible then, let alone in practice, did not allow the ultra deep mining operations which are so prevalent today. Two centuries ago mankind was more or less limited to surface deposits or near surface deposits of gemstones. Higher quality gemstones which today are routinely mined from beneath hundreds of meters, even kilometers beneath the earth's surface, were simply inaccessible then. So antique gemstone must be appreciated as antiques first, gemstones second. The relatively superlative quality of gemstones routinely mined from deep beneath the earth's surface today were simply not accessible two centuries ago, or at least, only rarely so. However for most, the unique nature and character of antique gemstones such as this 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".