The Black Star Sapphire of Queensland
New ROM exhibit will display the enormous six-point star sapphire for the first time in nearly three decades
Discover the science and fascinating story surrounding the stunning Black Star of Queensland with the Royal Ontario Museum’s (ROM) new exhibit, The Black Star Sapphire of Queensland. This brilliant six-point star sapphire, among the largest known black sapphires in the world, will be on display from June 2 to December 2, 2007 in the Samuel European Galleries’ new south link to the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal on Level 3...
A brilliant six-point black star sapphire is coming to Canada! Catch a rare glimpse of the The Black Star of Queensland, which is among the largest-known star sapphires in the world, on display for the first time anywhere in the world since 1969...
Любопытно, что лучи в камне реально выглядели примерно вот так:
"Звезда" перемещалась в камне при движении вокруг него - будто "живая"! Фотографировать 'Stone of Destiny' было категорически нельзя.
... "The striking Black Star of Queensland exhibits an optical property known as asterism,” says Kimberly Tait, the ROM’s Associate Curator of Mineralogy. “This visual ‘star effect’ in the sapphire is captivating; it follows you as you move around the stone. It takes the talent of an experienced jeweller to cut a stone in such a way as to reveal the star."
... Star sapphires have been referred to by many cultures as a “stone of Destiny”, as the three bands of the star were believed to represent faith, hope and destiny. The English explorer Sir Richard Francis Burton carried with him a large star sapphire, referring to it as his talisman, for it brought him influence and good luck in his travels. Star sapphires were also believed to help ward off ill omens and the Evil Eye.
About Sapphires and Rubies
Только чтобы Вас не обманули, желательно прихватить с собой специальную ювелирную лупу, чтобы отличить подлинный сапфир от более дешевых камней того же цвета (сапфир через лупу должен показывать два оттенка цвета - синий и зеленоватый, а более дешевые камни - только один). Кстати star sapphires там тоже полно, но imho классические прозрачные красивее.
