For reference, moissanite, another type of diamond simulant, is a 9.5. On the Mohs Hardness Scale, a sapphire is a 9, while a diamond is a perfect 10. With both diamonds and sapphires, only a trained gemologist with special tools would be able to tell the difference between a natural stone and a lab-grown stone. Remember how lab-grown diamonds are chemically identical to natural diamonds? The same goes for sapphires lab-grown sapphires and natural sapphires share optical and physical properties. Sapphires and diamonds share a number of similar characteristics: primarily, they can both be made in a lab or occur naturally. Gem-quality corundum that is red is called ruby, while all non-red corundum is considered sapphire.
What is corundum, you ask? Corundum is a family of gemstones that includes rubies and sapphires. White sapphire is any gem-quality corundum that is colorless or white. “This jewel is a holy grail for any collector, with a classic and elegant design typical of Bulgari that emphasizes the beauty and extraordinariness of the gem.Is white sapphire a diamond? Nope. “Unique in its size, color and origin, the stone embodies the transparency and luminosity pursued by Bulgari for its high-jewelry creations,” he explained.
The combination of the exceptional qualities of the sapphire, its Sri Lankan origins and the design by Bulgari make this a particularly important jewel, said Benoît Repellin, worldwide head of jewelry at Phillips. The necklace was featured in Bulgari’s “125 Years of Italian Magnificence” retrospective in China from 2011 to 2012. In addition, Gübelin awarded it the royal-blue color grade, meaning it has an even saturation not often seen in unheated blue sapphires of this size.
The sapphire is accompanied by SSEF and Gübelin gemological reports and appendix letters “expressing the rarity and exceptionality of the sapphire,” the auction house said. The piece, from “an esteemed private collection,” will lead the May 23 Jewels & Jadeite sale at the new Phillips Asia headquarters in the West Kowloon Cultural District, the company added. The necklace was created in 2004 by the Italian high-jewelry house, and it is the first time it is available at auction, Phillips said. A diamond necklace by Bulgari featuring a cushion-shaped, 118.35-carat, royal-blue sapphire from Sri Lanka is set to realize up to $4.5 million at an upcoming Phillips sale in Hong Kong.
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