HPJ CONNOISSEURS PORTFOLIO: VERY RARE 1.25 CT VS SUITE OF 3 IN SOUTH AFRICA

  ULTRA RARE 1.25 CARAT (COMBINED) VS/VS2 SUITE OF THREE DRY COTTONWOOD CREEK (MONTANA) NATURAL UNTREATED SAPPHIRES Another first from HPJ -  a Suite of three Dry Cottonwood Creek Sapphires cut exclusively for HPJ by our Consulting Master Cutter, Sam, in the USA. These stunning Sapphires are totally untreated and have lots of fire and brilliance, and the approx. sizes are 5 x 4mm.   Sapphires were first found in Montana in 1865 by early gold prospectors mining the Missouri river near Helena. These Sapphires were the first Sapphires found in the United States that were of gem-quality. Several gravel bars along the Missouri river held not only a fortune in gold, but a vast array of Sapphires that became known as Fancy Montana Sapphires, due to their large variety of fancy colors.   Another site of Sapphires in Montana is the Dry Cottonwood Creek area. Sapphires were first found here in 1889, and they have been mined on and off commercially since then. The Dry Cottonwood area near Butte produces a Sapphire that has very similar characteristics to the Sapphires found at Gem Mountain. This Sapphire area is not open to the public; but if you know what to look for, Sapphires have been found in many creeks in the region, although not in abundance.   Montana Sapphires are found in four widely-separated areas in the state. Each locality produces material with unique characteristics, indicating somewhat different geological origins. The first Montana Sapphires were extracted from the Missouri River (near the state capital, Helena) as early as 1865, and stones are still being found along the river in dry areas called "bars". Missouri River stones are fairly large, but the colors are seldom pure and heat-treatment does not give much improvement.  High quality Sapphire is also found in Dry Cottonwood Creek southwest of Helena, but production has been sporadic over the years and there is very little material available – except of course to HPJ !