HPJ CONNOISSEURS PORTFOLIO: WORLD CLASS 5.44 CARAT VVS RARE IN SOUTH AFRICA

    SPECTACULAR 5.44 CARAT VVS TOP FIRE RARE  ‘PEACH’ NATURAL RATANAKIRI CAMBODIAN ZIRCON. GEM TYPE: NATURAL ZIRCON CARAT WEIGHT: 5.44 CARATS DIMENSIONS: 9.80 x 8.20 x 6.30mm CLARITY: VVS  CUT: OVAL ORIGIN: BOR KEO, RATANAKIRI, CAMBODIA TREATMENTS: NONE Zircon is actually the oldest known mineral on Earth - the oldest samples are even older than the Moon, which formed about 4 billion years ago. Zircon was the first crystal to form in molten granite as it cooled to form rock. It formed as the result of a process associated with the presence of Uranium and Thorium. The natural radioactivity disrupts the crystal structure and produces the changes in color and density through a process known as metamictization.   Cambodia's north easternmost province is named after two of its distinctive features: Ratanakiri, a combination of the Khmer words for ‘gem’ (Ratana) and ‘mountain’ (Kiri).   Ratanakiri is one of the wildest and least visited regions in Cambodia. It is located in the north-east side of the country, bordering Laos and Vietnam. There one can find steaming jungles,  breathtaking waterfalls, amazing wildlife, and of course, the mines of the majestic Zircon.   The District of Bor Keo (Borkeo) where this specimen was mined is located about thirty kilometres from the regional capital Banlung. When people are asked about Cambodia, two things come to mind: Angkor Wat and the Khmer Rouge. With awareness and careful management of its resources, hopefully we can add Cambodia’s natural beauty to that list. The fire in Zircon, called dispersion, is caused by light entering the gemstone and separating into a prism of rainbow colors. Possessing dispersion approaching that of Diamond, the brilliance of Zircon is second to none. The Zircon Cut, a variation of the Brilliant Cut that adds eight extra facets to the pavilion, was designed to take advantage of these properties. A very unique characteristic of Zircon is birefringence (doubly refractive), meaning that light splits into two rays as it passes through the gem. As a result, the back facets appear as double images.