State of the Art

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Posts filed in Jewellery and Timepieces

Tourmaline: A Versatile Gemstone

December 9, 2012

Manjari Sihare of Saffronart explores why Tourmalines find a special place in the hearts of gemstones collectors

An Unmounted Rubellite Tourmaline Everything that Glitters, The Story by Saffronart

An Unmounted Rubellite Tourmaline
Everything that Glitters, The Story by Saffronart

New York: Tourmalines seem to have special place in the hearts of gemstone enthusiasts, primarily for two reasons – first, that these gems can be found possibly in every color one can think of, and secondly, that these stones are affordable to most.

The word tourmaline is derived form the Sinhalese word tura mali, which means ‘mixed stone’. Tourmaline is not a single mineral but a group of minerals related by the close similarity of their physical and chemical properties.

Tourmalines are mixed crystals of aluminium boron silicate, and even slight changes in their chemical composition cause completely different colors. There are tourmalines in single colors, while some may exhibit two colors in a single stone. Certain tourmalines may even change color when the light source changes from natural to artificial. Different colored tourmalines are known by different names. Tourmalines that are red in natural and artificial light are known as rubellites; red tourmalines that turn pink when the light changes are called a pink tourmalines; blue tourmalines are known as indicolites; yellowish brown tourmalines are known as dravites; green tourmalines are known as verdelites; and black tourmalines are known as schorl. Tourmalines with two colors are bicolored tourmalines, while those with more are known as multicolored tourmalines. A particularly attractive type of tourmaline is known as the watermelon tourmaline because it has a red center and is surrounded by a layer of green. When cut into, these tourmalines are green on one side and red on the other.

A triangle-shaped rubellite tourmaline, weighing approximately 4.67 carats.Everything that Glitters, The Story by Saffronart

A triangle-shaped rubellite tourmaline, weighing approximately 4.67 carats.
Everything that Glitters, The Story by Saffronart

The proper lighting conditions for tourmaline will depend on the color variety. Reds, oranges and yellows generally look best under incandescent light, while greens, blues and violets appear prettier under daylight. When buying any gem, it is always a good idea to examine it under a variety of light sources.

Tourmalines are found all over the world, with the major mining areas in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, USA, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Although they are so abundantly available, tourmalines of exceptional color and quality are rare. The value of a tourmaline is determined by its color, undertones, and clarity.

242 Carat Tanzanite Tiara: The Michael Scott Collection

December 5, 2012

Manjari Sihare of Saffronart shares details of a beautiful tanzanite tiara from the Collection of Michael Scott, of Apple fame

New York: I recently came across a gem collection which is touted to be the most important private collection of jewels in the United States. It is the collection of Michael Scott, the first president of Apple Computer. While Scott really needs no introduction, his name has come up in many-a-times in the infinite biographies of Steve Jobs that flooded the market after the latter’s untimely demise. With a University Degree in Nuclear Physics, Scott went onto become the President of Apple Computer in 1977, and in the short span of his five year tenure, Apple Computer became one of the most successful companies in the United States. During this time, Scott launched the Apple II personal computer and took the company public in 1980. He left the company in 1981 after  a clash with Jobs, with millions of dollars worth of company stock.

5500 carat Star Rose Quart
The Michael Scott Gem Collection

The Michael Scott Gem Collection is known to have few rivals worldwide outside of royal families. Scott’s interest in gemstones dates to the mid 1980s. Characteristic of most seasoned collectors, he began with reading extensively on gemology to build a knowledge base. He then prepared a list of pieces he desired for his collection. A select group of brokers were entrusted with the job of going after his wish-list. The collection includes spectacular examples of all major as well as rare gemstones, and jewelry, including  antique pieces from the mid-19th to early 20th centuries. One of the highlights is a 5500-carat star rose Brazilian quartz which is known to be the largest  star rose quartz in the world.

Another magnificent piece of jewelry is a tiara accented with 803 brilliant cut tsavorite garnets and 913 cut diamonds encompassing a large tanzanite weighing 242 carats.

Tiara with a 242 carat Tanzanite, 803 tsavorite garnets and 913 cut diamonds
The Michael Scott Gem Collection

Tanzanite is the blue/purple variety of the mineral Zoisite (a calcium aluminium hydroxy silicate). Zoisite is naturally found in a variety of colours ranging from brown to green. Treating the mineral with heat can impart it with a brilliant blue colour, and it is blue Zoisite alone which is known as Tanzanite. The mineral was named by Tiffany & Co. after the country in which it was discovered, Tanzania. Some Tanzanite may include a purplish tinge, and is the most coveted variety of the stone, as the purple and the blue complement each other magnificently.

The geographical origin of the Tanzanite can be easily garnered from the name of the gem – the East African nation of Tanzania is the only place on Earth where this beautiful blue stone is found. How Tanzanite was created and discovered, on the other hand, is anything but simple. It is estimated that the creation of the stone began over 500 million years ago with the eruption of the volcano we now know as Mt. Kilimanjaro, which caused a shift in the physical and chemical properties of the earth around it, allowing the Zoisite crystals there to develop into Tanzanite.

Tanzanite was discovered only as recently as 1967 by Masai tribesmen tending to their cattle in the Merelani Hills of Tanzania. According to legend, heat from a grass fire near Kilimanjaro turned the naturally brown Zoisite crystals into a fantastic shade of blue, and the Masai tribesmen, enthralled by the sea of blue stones they had never laid eyes on before, became the first human gatherers of Tanzanite. Even today, the areas where significant deposits of Tanzanite can be found and commercially mined comprise a mere four square kilometers near the towns of Arusha and Moshi in the Merelani Hills.

A Set of Unmounted Tanzanites (25.11 carats approx.)
Everything that Glitters, The Story by Saffronart

Tanzanite is one of the few gemstones that can only be found in a concentrated region of the world, and this unique factor makes it highly sought after. The ever changing political, social and economic conditions of Tanzania also ensure that the stone is coveted, since collectors and suppliers cannot turn to another source to acquire it. Saffronart is pleased to offer a range of unmounted and strung tanzanites in our collection, Everything that Glitters featured on The Story. A spectacular acquisition is a set of six unmounted tanzanites – two pear-shaped, two oval-shaped and two trillions, with a total weight of almost 25.11 carats. Tanzanite is believed to have calming and balancing properties and was added to the American Gem Trade Association’s list of birthstones, as the birthstone for the month of December.

Read more about the Tanzanites in this interesting article published by the Time Magazine.

What Women Want

December 3, 2012

Curious about what women want? Anu Nanavati Chaddha of Saffronart shares what a woman who has everything could possibly want in this  special blog section

De Grisogono’s 45-Carat Yellow Diamond Cocktail Ring
Image credit: http://www.elitetraveler.com/news_detail.html?nid=4674

New York: My pick of the week is a spectacular yellow diamond cocktail ring by Swiss luxury jeweler, De Grisogono. Elite Traveler magazine lists the piece as the only one of its kind – a 45 carat Natural Fancy Intense Yellow diamond, set in yellow gold with yellow diamonds and emeralds. The value is of course listed as “price on request.” Judging by the number of times one sees these words with luxury collectibles, one wonders what they mean. Either the piece is really expensive or they’re going to try to guess how much you can afford. Makes the perfect buy for the woman who needs nothing but wants the extraordinary!

De Grisogono was established by Fawaz Gruosi in 1993. Gruosi is best known as a black diamond specialist and specifically for the Spirit of de Grisogon, the world’s largest cut black diamond  and the world’s fifth largest diamond overall. With an original uncut weight of 587 carats (117 g), the gem was taken from its origin in West-Central Africa and cut by the Swiss jeweler. The resulting Moghul-cut diamond weighs 312.24 carats (62.45 g) and is set in a white gold mounting with 702 smaller white diamonds totaling 36.69 carats.

Read more on other famous diamonds.

 

The ABC of Peridots

December 2, 2012

A Suite of Unmounted Peridots
Everything that Glitters, The Story by Saffronart

In conjunction with the dazzling collection of unmounted and strung gemstones on The Story, Everything that Glitters, Manjari Sihare of Saffronart traces the origins of the Peridot

New York: This week, Saffronart launched a collection of fine quality gemstones on The Story. On sale over the next three weeks is a beautiful selection of unmounted and strung stones including peridots, emeralds, tanzanites, rubies, amber, yellow beryls, sapphires  in different colors and tourmalines. My personal favorite of these are the peridots, vivid green stones, with a slight tinge of gold, which I find to be the ideal gemstone hue to go with a light summer wardrobe.

Peridot or the ‘golden stone’, originally known as topazion, is a variety of the mineral olivine and is transparent.  The earliest reference to the gem is in the Historia Naturalis written by the Roman historian Pliny in the 1st century. Pliny gives a detailed account of a gem named ‘topazion’ and dates its discovery to approximately 300 BCE. He writes: “Juba says that there is an island in the Red Sea called ‘Topazion,’ at a distance of three hundred stadia from the main land; that it is surrounded by fogs, and is often sought by navigators in consequence; and that, owing to this, it received its present name, the word ‘Topazion’ meaning ‘to seek’.”

Pliny’s island of ‘Topazion’ later known as Zabargad, was the largest of a group of islands off the south-eastern coast of Egypt in the Red Sea. Zabargad was once an oceanic volcano, which became visible above sea level after Africa and Asia’s tectonic plates collided. As a result of its unique mineral forming conditions, the island of Zabargad once possessed large deposits of the gem forsterite-olivine or Peridot. The ancient Egyptians treasured this beautiful green-gold gem and some of Cleopatra’s famed emeralds are now believed to have actually been peridots.

A Peridot Bead Necklace
Everything that Glitters, The Story by Saffronart

The origin of the word peridot itself is unclear. In fact, fascinated by its radiant green color, the Romans nicknamed it ‘the evening emerald’. The gem assumed the name peridot sometime in the 13th century, a term perhaps derived from the Arabic word ‘faridat’ meaning ‘gem’ or the French word ‘peritot’ meaning ‘unclear’. From the 18th century onward, the name peridot alone was used.

Considered to be a sacred gem, the peridot was often treated as a symbol of purity and virtue. The stone was believed to have magical properties, and was worn as protection against evil. Peridot is said to protect the body’s aura and bring its wearer success, peace and good luck.

Other ancient sources of the stone include Burma, South Africa and Brazil. In recent times, the United States, Pakistan and Kashmir are the largest producers of peridot. Most American peridots are 3 carats or less. Larger stones are mostly from Pakistan or China. A gem associated with success, power and good luck, peridots featured prominently in the collection of the Nizams of Hyderabad. Mahboob Ali Pasha, the sixth Nizam, was particularly fond of the gem, and had them set into belt buckles, rings and coat buttons.

The largest peridot in the world (310 carats)
From the Gem and Mineral collection of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/publicresourceorg/493866936/

The largest cut peridot weighs around 310 carats, and is on display in Washington D.C. at the Smithsonian Institution. Similarly, in Moscow’s Diamond Treasury there is a 192.75 carat peridot that belonged to the Czars. A 146 carat peridot is on display in the Geological Museum, London. Smaller peridots are relatively less expensive, but their value considerably increases if they are over 5 carats, like one of those featured on The Story.  Peridots with a weight of 10-15 carats or more are rare, making them quite valuable.

Dazzling World Diamonds

November 27, 2012

Amy Lin of Saffronart shares a note on some significant and interesting diamonds

New York: The saying “diamonds are a girl’s best friend” may not be literally true, but speaks about the ethos of these gems, and the charm and persuasion they continue to carry in our modern society. Diamonds are the most valuable gems in the world in terms of their rarity, clarity and heritage of prestige. Our jewelry guide has more information on understanding the properties of diamonds and their important ‘four Cs’ – cut, clarity, color and carat weight.

Here is a compilation of some of the most highly regarded and storied diamonds to have been sold at public auction, for your viewing pleasure:

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Archduke Joseph Diamond

This phenomenal 76.02 carat diamond was recently sold for nearly $21.5 million. This was a new record price for colorless diamonds, averaging $282,485 per carat. The Archduke Joseph diamond originated from India’s Golconda mines, where historically the best diamonds have been discovered. The Golconda diamonds are admired for their internal flawlessness and their soft, watery clarity. It is not clear how the diamond reached Austria but Archduke Joseph visited Hyderabad in 1893 as a guest of the sixth Nizam, Mahbub Ali Khan. The diamond passed down the royal family until it was sold to an anonymous buyer during World War II.

The Graff Pink Diamond

This exceptionally rare diamond is the most expensive gem ever sold at auction for $46 million. Weighing at 24.78 carats, its fancy pink hue makes it part of the top two percent of diamonds worldwide. The origin of the diamond is not clear. It was owned by celebrity jeweler Harry Winston in the 1950s before it was recently purchased by diamond dealer Laurence Graff who named it the “Graff Pink.”

Wittelsbach Diamond

The Wittlesbach is not only known for its brilliant blue color, but its provenance as well. It once belonged to the Infanta Margarita Teresa of Spain, who was famously painted in Velasquez’s Las Meninas. The gem is one of the finest examples of colored diamonds and fetched an astonishing price of $25.52 million at a 2008 auction. It weighs 35.56 carats with origins stretching back to India. It is even rumored that it was once part of the legendary Hope diamond.

The Blue Hope

Although the Blue Hope has never been sold publicly, its estimated worth is $350 million. The fine blue gem originated in India and weighs 45.52 carats. Ironically named the “Hope,” it has been associated with a series of misfortunes over the years. English banker Henry Thomas Hope bought the gem after it was stolen from French royalty during the Revolution. Soon after inheriting the stone, his son lost his fortunes and the gem was sold to an American widow, Mrs. Edward McLean. Catastrophes fell upon the family as Mrs. McLean’s only child died in an accident and her fortunes were lost. When Harry Winston acquired the diamond in 1949, many of his clients refused to touch it. Currently the Hope diamond is part of the US National Collection and is displayed at the Smithsonian Institute.

The Taylor-Burton Diamond

Richard Burton bought the spectacular 69.42 carat pear-shaped diamond for Elizabeth Taylor in 1969. Burton paid a hefty sum of $1.1 million to Cartier after losing out on the stone at an auction. The stone was promptly renamed Taylor-Burton and was displayed at Cartier’s New York store before Burton could claim it for his beloved Liz. Every day, more than 6,000 people flocked to see the jewel, which the New York Times dubbed ostentatious and vulgar. Elizabeth Taylor wore the diamond to Princess Grace’s 40th birthday party in Monaco before selling it to help build a hospital in Botswana.

The Martian Pink Diamond

This rare 12 carat  pink diamond fetched $17.4 million in an auction earlier this year. Its previous owner Harry Winston named the gem “Martian Pink” in 1974 for the color of the planet, when Americans sent a satellite to Mars.

Yellow Sun-Drop Diamond

This 110.2 carat diamond is one of the largest diamonds to ever be offered at auction. With its intense yellow color that comes from traces of nitrogen trapped in carbon molecules for millions of years, the gem sold for an astounding $10.9 million earlier this year. It was only discovered last year in a South Africa mine and represented the most desirable shade of yellow.