Once the true beauty of Kashmir sapphire is appreciated, it cannot be forgotten. Around the year 1881, large quantities of sapphire were discovered in the Kashmir region of the northwestern Himalayas, but the exact location was kept secret for many years. Since then, it has been determined that the mines are located about 13 days’ travel southeast of Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir, in a treacherous area with elevations of over 13,200 feet (4,023 meters) and grades of 20 degrees. Because such large quantities were found at first, it is said that the blue sapphires were thought to be blue quartz or amethyst and were sold at extremely low prices. When the true identity of the crystals was established, the Maharajah of Kashmir took interest and made permits a requirement for mining.

Production of sapphire in Kashmir is extremely limited at this time, with material being polished in Jaipur, India. Kashmir sapphires can be found in some rings and brooches manufactured around 1900. They often exhibit straight color banding, which can be helpful in establishing their origin. Most Kashmir sapphires have a milky cloudiness throughout the stone or in portions of it, and a silky luster is a common characteristic.

The beauty of Kashmir sapphire lies in its exquisite color- a soft, slightly whitish blue that is called “cornflower” blue. In the West, this color is also referred to as “velvety” blue.

Because production of Kashmir sapphire is limited, a quality scale cannot be constructed for it. However, the approach to grading its beauty is the same as that for Sri Lankan sapphire.