FEATURES ARCHIVE

For those who dare, bold colours are a top trend this season. Get into the swing of things with the brightest coloured gemstones nature can offer. For thousands of years, rubies and sapphires have been prized for their natural beauty, durability and rarity. Mined throughout the world, these gemstones are found in a fascinating array of shapes and sizes, brilliancy and textures. The most valuable, however, are those that exhibit the truest and purest colour.

The ruby epitomises the boldest of colours, representing desire and power. Burma, whose pure-red rubies are regarded as precious treasure, has remained the classical source for the finest quality rubies. Designed by Wallace Chan, a world-renowned artist-jeweller recognised for his ingenious creations, this attractive flower ring is set with nine oval-shaped, Burmese unheated rubies weighing a total of 12.24 carats. Combining that coveted ‘Pigeon’s Blood’ red hue along with a high degree of transparency, these stunning rubies – all matching in colour and clarity – will prove irresistable to the passionate collector.

The blue sapphire has a resplendent beauty that is associated with purity and chastity. Located high in the rocky Himalayas, the mines of Kashmir are famous for the world’s most desirable sapphires for they possess a rich and velvety blue hue. These mines, however, were exhausted by the early decades of the 20th century, making their sapphires exceedingly rare. This 7.40-carat Kashmir jewel is a visual sensation – asserting a bold fashion statement. The sapphire exhibits a vivid saturation and boasts a luxurious and natural ‘cornflower’ blue that will undoubtedly cause a frenzy among gem connoisseurs.