The highlight of Dorotheum’s exqusite jewels auction on 30 November 2023, a Kashmir sapphire with a rare size of nearly 14 ct, was sold for an outstanding 455,000 euros.
The gemstone set in a gold bracelet comes from old European higher nobility. The report of the Swiss Gemological Institute qualifies the colour of the stone as “blue of strong saturation”, thus certifying the highest colour saturation. Its transparency is particularly enhanced by the simplicity of its cabochon cut.
Sapphires from the Kashmir region of the Himalayas very rarely come onto the market and are among the most valuable stones in the world. These velvety blue shimmering gemstones were extracted from mines at altitudes of over 4,000 meters only in the 1880s. Their exceptional colour and lustre were not merely coveted by the Maharajas: they were also valued by European royal houses, who saw them as exclusive natural rarities.
Coloured stones were particularly in demand this time, especially sapphires, emeralds, and rubies, as well as jewellery creations from well-known brands such as Cartier, Bulgari, Buccellati, and Van Cleef & Arpels.
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