I am actually depressed by this...

[rainbowtrout]

I was by Cartier today and I went in to look at some of their designer objects (Panthere de Cartier and whatnot) and since the FI was with me, decided to have a pop at the engagement rings....

I did love one of them, a D Vs1, 1.23 emerald (23,000 !) but that''s not the point of this post....beneath the diamonds there were two sapphire rings, sort of nondescript looking. The woman insisted they were Kashmir, and they were tagged as such. I asked to look at them and it was just sad.

One of them had been cut to diamond angles (assher) and as a result lost a lost of the color and had not one, but TWO distinct and large windows at the bottom of the stone. The second was cut quite deep and thus the color was somewhat better, but still--this was my first Kashmir, and it was at Cartier. I was expecting to be floored, and was only disappointed. They did have something like the "classic" color (bright blue with less purple than a Ceylon), but no velvetly, sleepy look. Just blah!

Oh well, I love my sapphire, so Cartier can keep their Kashmiris.

 

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That''s interesting...I too would have thought Cartiers or the like would only have top top top stones...

I guess Kasmir stones are like any others...some can be wonderful, while others not.

A year ago I went to antique jewelry show and made a point of finding Kasmirs to look at and try figure out what all the hoopla was about. I saw a few...none of them knocked me out or lived up the the ''mystique'' Kasmirs are famous for...

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[rainbowtrout]

I also asked her if they were new or antique...she said new, but I didn''t know they were still pulling new rocks out of that mine...?

 

[valeria101]

Date: 1/4/2006 10:20:33 PM
Author: rainbowtrout
I also asked her if they were new or antique...she said new, but I didn''t know they were still pulling new rocks out of that mine...?

That''s precisely why I am not fold of ''hunting names'' (''Cartier'' or ''Kashmir'') - you never know... You may want to track the posts of ''Kashmirblue'' on this forum for some useful hints about what is happening with sapphires in Kashmir. And his website has some interesting mine reports to read and gems to look at.

There is some truth about the ''old'' and ''new'' production, but I doubt any given period would guarantee legendary quality - every mine produces all sorts of goods. Nature doesn''t do ''branding'' as far as I know.

Auctions are great - (random link - past tense)