Burmese Royals
Burmese sapphires of the finest quality are known for its royal blue colour and enticing luster. The best Burmese sapphires display a rich, intense, slightly violetish blue colour, with a strong saturation. Prized possessions of royalty and discerning collectors, untreated Burmese sapphires have been esteemed and passed down from generation to generation for centuries.
Untreated Sapphires of fine quality are very rare. Initially mined heavily in gem producing countries, for sapphires even with heavy mining - the rate of return on fine sapphires proved exponentially less than the production and availability of most other gemstones. For this reason, specifically natural untreated sapphires combined with their rarity presents good opportunity and investment.
Burmese sapphires of notable sizes are extremely rare. A legendary natural Burmese sapphire, better known as the Rockefeller Sapphire, is a 62.02 carat rectangular step cut stone. Acquired in 1934 by financier and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, Jr (1874 – 1960) from an Indian Maharaja. The gem was subsequently recut and remounted over the years finding its journey through auction. Initially sold at Sotheby’s in Zurich, the gemstone achieved around US$170,000, less than a decade later, the sapphire sold for nearly US$1.5 million. Two years later, the sapphire achieved a record price at the time of US$2.85 million, finally commanding an impressive return of over US$3 million in 2001.
Nearly a decade later, we are proud to present an exceedingly exceptional 118.88 carat Burmese ‘Royal Blue’ sapphire, almost double the size of the Rockefeller Sapphire and the largest sapphire of its kind ever to be offered at Sotheby’s. Of comparable gem quality, Lot 1755 will grace the market with highly collectable potential, fit for the most sophisticated collectors and royals.
皇家緬甸
最優質的緬甸藍寶石以其皇家藍色澤和迷人的光彩而著稱。頂級的緬甸藍寶石呈現濃郁、強烈，略帶紫的藍色，並具高飽和度的色調。幾世紀以來，未經處理的緬甸藍寶石備受推崇，受到皇室貴族和眼光敏銳的收藏家青睞珍藏並世代相傳。
未經處理的優質藍寶石非常罕見。最初在寶石生產國大規模採礦，但藍寶石即使經過大量開採，事實證明，挖掘到優質藍寶石的機率，遠低於大多數其他寶石的生產率和可獲得率。 因此，特別是未經處理的天然藍寶石，其稀有性提供了良好的機會和投資價值。
大顆的緬甸藍寶石非常罕見。 傳奇的天然緬甸藍寶石—即廣為人知的洛克菲勒藍寶石，是一枚重62.02克拉的方形切割寶石。1934年由金融家兼慈善家小約翰·洛克菲勒（John D. Rockefeller，Jr，1874-1960年），從印度王公手中收購。隨後多年，這枚藍寶石經過重新切割和鑲嵌，並多次現身於拍賣場上。最初在蘇黎世的蘇富比拍賣售出，當時成交價約為17萬美元；不到十年，又以近150萬美元的價格售出；兩年後，這枚藍寶石締造了當時的拍賣紀錄285萬美元；最後在2001年獲得了超過300萬美元的可觀回報。
十多年後至今，蘇富比很榮幸地推出這枚極為出色的118.88克拉緬甸“皇家藍”藍寶石，重量幾乎是洛克菲勒藍寶石的兩倍，是蘇富比有史以來拍賣同類型中最大的藍寶石。 同樣是頂級品質，編號1755拍品將為市場提供絕佳的收藏良機，符合最頂尖的收藏和皇室典藏的等級。
