101m 500 Thousand Dollars Peacock Necklace of 109ct Kashmir Sapphires Setting New Records in Nov, 2018
This is very astonishing and wonderful news about Kashmir sapphire winning the auction at Christie's Hong Kong Autumn Auction of Magnificent Jewels.
'To find one stone of such quality is very difficult,' says Vickie Sek, jewellery specialist of Christie's. 'The 109 carats in this one necklace took more than 100 years to assemble.'
The final sale of the parcel was estimated between HK$95m – 120m. Later on, it reached at HK$101.5m. It was sold for HK$116m after premium by Vickie Shek, a telephonic bidder who is Chairman of Jewellery, Asia.
The peacock necklace has 24 cushion-shaped sapphires having weight from 3.02 to 10.56 each. Total weight of the sapphires is 109 carats. The necklace has 50 carats diamonds set in cushion shape having weight from 1.03 to 4.05 each. Gublin and GIA both reported it 100% natural with no indication of heat treatment. As per GIA, it is a flawless, VVS1 clarity, Type IIa having a royal blue colour.
The necklace with royal blue sapphires along with diamond settings is giving its amazing look. It attracted the buyer immediately thus setting the world record at the end of year 2018.
The history of peacock necklaces starts from 1881 when a landslide revealed sapphire-bearing rocks in the Zanskar range of the Himalayas. By 1887, Kashmir sapphire production was ceased. Resultantly, gem quality Kashmir sapphire is extremely rare now with its signature royal blue colour.
Kashmir Sapphire from Batakundi
However, bicolour blue/purple, purple, and some royal blue Kashmir sapphire mining is still going on in the Pakistan side of the Kashmir area — a region locally known as Batakundi. These are referred to as Batakudi Kashmir Sapphires in the trade.
Batakundi Kashmir Sapphires
Today, mining on the Indian Occupied Kashmir side has ceased as Kashmir remains a disputed territory. Mining continues on the Pakistan side — Azad Kashmir — which is part of the broader Kashmir region. As per the United Nations, the people of Kashmir have the right to determine their own governance. Pakistan-side Kashmir is called "Azad Kashmir", meaning "Free Kashmir". Kashmir sapphires from this region, as well as from Batakundi — the valley adjacent to Kashmir — are traded under the Kashmir sapphire name.
Sources:
Christie's
thevalue.com
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