The Star of Asia; A True Beauty
A brief history of this glorious gemstone.
Article by Shiny Bee on July 21, 2022
The Star of Asia sapphire is the largest known star sapphire in the world, weighing in at a whopping 330 carats. It was found in Sri Lanka in 1926 and purchased by famous New York jeweller Charles Lewis Tiffany for $175,000. The stone is cut into an oval cabochon and set into a platinum ring which is currently on display at the Museum of Natural History in New York.
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View DetailsAsterism
This magnificent blue gemstone gets its name from the tiny white asterism that appears when it is viewed under magnification or direct light. Asterism occurs when two sets of parallel mineral fibers are oriented perpendicular to each other within a single crystal, causing reflection of light off these intersecting sets of fibers to appear as a six rayed starburst. Sapphires with strong asterism are extremely rare and highly prized by collectors.
The Star of Asia has been described as "the finest example of exceptional natural color combined with perfect clarity and brightness", and its value today would be nearly impossible to estimate due to its rarity and historical importance.
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