Article | Au Naturel Untreated Gemological Wonders
Au Naturel: Untreated Gemological Wonders
Graeme Thompson, Phillips Worldwide Head of Jewelry explains the value of untreated gemstones and highlights three incredible lots from our upcoming Jewels & Jadeite auction in Hong Kong.
Lot 626: An Exceptionally Rare Pair of Burmese Sapphire and Diamond Earrings.
Estimate: HK$9,800,000 - 16,000,000 (US$1,260,000 - 2,000,000).
It is the meticulous and subsequent work of a cutter and polisher that transforms gemstones from their rough crystal forms to a jewel fit for a Queen, with the vast majority being further enhanced by heating or oiling. The work is precise and the risks are high as the experts seek to bring out the best in carat, cut, color and clarity.
On very rare occasions, Mother Nature gifts them a specimen that needs no additional assistance – a gemstone of such superior quality that it can remain untreated. Gemstone treatments date back to the first century A.D., and since then techniques and technology have come a long way. Today, over 80% of gemstones extracted from the Earth undergo some form of cosmetic enhancement to improve their appearance be it by heat or by oil/resin, both of which, though common, are undetectable to the untrained naked eye.
However, on rare occasions, a natural beauty is recovered that holds its own exquisite color and exceptional clarity without the need for any outside processes, making these rarely found crystals exceptionally valuable. It requires billions of years for Mother Nature to form rough gemstones, which then undergo careful inspection by master gem cutters to determine the facets and estimate the fire, brilliance and sparkle before they are transformed by expert craftsmen.
Ahead of this weekend's Jewels and Jadeite fall sale in Hong Kong, Graeme Thompson, Worldwide Head of Jewelry walks us through three of our most esteemed lots – each one representing one of the Big Three precious stones. All proudly boasting an unparalleled natural beauty without trace of treatment, these are truly some of nature’s most remarkable and rarest creations.
An Exceptional and Rare Colombian Emerald and Diamond Bracelet
Lot 582: An Exceptional and Rare Colombian Emerald and Diamond Bracelet.
Estimate: HK$3,400,000 – 4,300,000 (US$$430,000 - 550,000).
One of the most precious and coveted gems from ancient times, emerald is the green to greenish-blue variety of beryl whose color is caused by trace elements of chromium or vanadium. The crystallization process has resulted in almost all emeralds having inclusions which are visible to the naked eye. Due to the optical characteristic of emeralds, treatments to enhance the clarity and improve the quality by oils and resins have been widely accepted. In other words, eye-clean emeralds without any improvements are very rare and thus valuable. Lot 582 is an emerald and diamond bracelet comprised of 13 untreated, lustrous emeralds of the most highly saturated and sought-after color, weighing 19.87 carats in total. A bracelet of such well-matched emeralds of this size, number and quality is rare and exceptional.
An Exceptional Ruby and Diamond Ring
Lot 588: An Exceptional Ruby and Diamond Ring.
Estimate: HK$3,200,000 – 5,800,000 (US$410,000 - 740,000).
In the spring of 2009, with the discovery of exceptionally fine quality ruby deposits in the Montepuez mine in northern Mozambique, the country joined an elite club of ruby producers. Hailed as one of the most significant recent discoveries of ruby deposits, this mine continues to produce the captivating pure red shades that have become synonymous with this area and which are so sought-after by collectors.
Lot 588 is a classic Montepuez ruby, weighing an impressive 8.08 carats and crucially, it is free from any form of heating, which is itself a rarity in the market. A ruby of such saturation is almost unheard of in this size.
An Exceptionally Rare Pair of Sapphire and Diamond Earrings
Lot 626: An Exceptionally Rare Pair of Sapphire and Diamond Earrings.
Estimate: HK$9,800,000 – 16,000,000 (US$1,260,000 - 2,000,000).
Sapphires have long been a favored royal gift throughout the ages. Queen Elizabeth II’s father King George VI and French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte both chose this majestic stone for their beloved, while in modern times, Princess Diana’s famous sapphire ring now adorns the finger of Kate, Duchess of Cambridge.
It is perhaps fitting therefore, that the term reserved for the finest sapphires on earth is “Royal Blue”. To qualify for this revered title, the color has to be an intense, richly saturated and a homogeneous blue, also the sapphires themselves must be free of any eye-visible or dark inclusions.
Weighing an impressive 16.89 and 13.71 carats, these unheated sapphires are a strikingly perfect match in terms of their mesmerizing color and crystal.
Laboratories seldom confer the Royal Blue title on any sapphire, yet in Lot 626, we have not one, but a perfectly matched pair of Royal Blue sapphires, with three laboratories AGL, SSEF and Gübelin all independently synchronized in their affirmation that these stones are deserving of the term and the rare appendix.
Prices for such items have increased greatly in the past ten years and with demand for such exquisite jewels only increasing, while supply remains limited, there is every reason to believe that this upward growth in value will continue.
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