'Kashmir - like’ sapphires from Madagascar

[GlamMosher]

I thought some of you may be interested in this article on sapphires from Madagascar.
http://www.ssef.ch/fileadmin/Docume..._entering_the_gemtrade_in_large_sizes_and.pdf

Also:
https://www.gia.edu/gia-news-research/sapphires-gem-rush-bemainty-ambatondrazaka-madagascar

 

[VapidLapid]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/02/sapphire-rush-threatens-rainforests-of-madagascar

 

[arkieb1]

Wow that's sad it's destroying the environment. They are magnificent colours having said that. And have large price tags so I'm told.

 

[chatoyancy]

I love sapphires, but I love animals more. I'd rather have the lemurs around. I can't even bring myself to read the second article. : (

 

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

I've seen lemurs live, so helplessly cut. That really is a pity. Must everything have a downside?

 

[kenny]

Beautiful stones but tragic for Madagascar.

BTW, I'm into guitars.
Madagascar is currently the victim of rampant illegal logging of precious and rare Madagascar Rosewood trees.
99+% of it is used to make furniture for China but a tiny bit also is used to make the back and sides of guitars.

Brazilian Rosewood is considered the best but Brazil banned exports back in the 1960s.
The second best type of rosewood is widely considered to be Madagascar Rosewood.
You can buy a new Martin guitar with Indian Rosewood (still relatively abundant) for under $3,000.
The only guitar Martin offers on its website with Brazilian (certified as legally harvested & pre-ban) is $60,000.
Such is the insanity when something rare is cherished.

With so much money at stake, so much poverty, corruption and political instability in Madagascar, I'm afraid there's no hope of stopping this illegal mining and logging.
People just want these nice things.

 

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

It looked hopeless for a while, but recently some very promising 'supply-chain-control' projects have been taking hold, there is a special name for that, you can even study it but I forgot the name, like the control they have long implemented for food or medicine, where each end-product can be traced back to its origin. With cheap DNA testing it is even enforceable. Anybody know what it is called?