Adam's Fine Jewellery & Watches Tuesday May 15th 2018

40 Tuesday 15 th May 2018 This Sri Lankan Blue Sapphire and Diamond Bracelet is of notable interest to gemologists and jewellery historians alike. Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, is home to an abundance of gemstones of superior quality and thus is sometimes referred to as “the island of jewels”. Sri Lanka has been mining precious gemstones since approximately 500BC, a trade that has been remarked upon throughout history. In the second century, the astronomer Ptolemy recorded sapphire and beryl to be the principal stones of Sri Lanka’s gem industry. Later, Marco Polo (1254-1324), the Italian explorer, wrote that Sri Lanka was home to the finest sapphires, topazes and amethysts in the world. Today, Sri Lanka remains one of the principal countries in the world for gemstone mining and trading. Using a combination of centuries-old traditional methods, modern technologies and new business strategies, Sri Lanka competes within the global market and much of its industry still centres on sapphires. Sapphires form part of the corundum family of gemstones, which also includes rubies, and are found in every colour from yellow and pink to black and grey.They are durable, vivid and saturated.The blue sapphires from Sri Lanka are generally heavier and more vibrant than those found elsewhere, making them especially sought after. The world’s most renowned Sri Lankan blue sapphire is the Logan Sapphire, a cushion-cut stone currently held in the National Museum of Natural History,Washington, D.C. It is the second largest blue sapphire ever found, about the size of an egg, weighing 422.99 carats. The Sri Lankan blue sapphire and diamond bracelet, designed in the 1950s, epitomizes the style of its era. Following a period of austerity which accompanied the war, the 1950s heralded a decade of welcome prosperity and its fashion industry flourished.This was the era of the Dior silhouette: of nipped-in waists and full mid-length skirts; of enhanced femininity and impeccable presen- tation. Outfits were perfectly coordinated and jewellery was so often worn to compliment clothing that by the mid-1950s many couture fashion labels had hired their own in-house jewellery designers. Sharp, geometric shapes and patterns are most characteristic of the jewellery of this period. Classic styles and square lines were adorned with large, striking “cocktail” jewels. Bold colours grew in popularity, while diamonds were generally reserved for eve- ningwear only.