I love this story.
When is a door stop, not a door stop? When it's the largest black star sapphire in existence, that's when.
In 1938 a young boy called Roy spencer was playing in Queensland, Australia around the Anakie Sapphire Fields where his father, Harry Spencer worked as a miner. It was here the 12 year old found a palm size gem, black in colour. He ran home to show his father the find.
Upon examining it Harry Spencer didn't think it could be a sapphire just a worthless black gem. Unfortunately he didn't know at the time that sapphires could be black, so the sapphire was used as a door stop for the next decade.
Over time Harry Spencer learnt more about sapphires and decided to take another look at his door stop. He had learnt that sapphires can in fact come in all colours, except red which is a Ruby. Sure enough he discovered the worthless black gem was actually a sapphire and weighed 1156 carats which made it very expensive. Suddenly realising its value it was now taken care of, it was washed and stored safely until a buyer could be found for it.
Then in 1947, Harry Kazanjian flew from Los Angeles to view it. After examination Harry Kazanijan decided he wanted the black sapphire of Queensland. Harry Spencer sold the gem for $18,000 and used the money to build his family a new home.
Harry Kazanjian carried the black star sapphire back to Los Angeles where he studied it for two months. His years of experience told him that this black sapphire was special it had a star effect locked within it.
The star is caused by an abundant microscopic inclusions aligned in a three fold pattern inside the stone that reflects the light entering the dome shaped face, into a six rayed star pattern.
Kazanjian cut the stone into a cabochon, sacrificing 423 carats to make the gem come to life in 733 carats and worth $1 million.
The Kazanjian family fortune and business blossomed after the purchase and they credited their good luck to black star sapphire of Queensland. In 1969 the family leant the stone out to the Natural History museum to be displayed with the Hope Diamond.
It would be many years before Harry Kazanjian would sell the gem, but eventually a buyer brought it. The buyer was anonymous but his story is wonderful. The buyer first saw the gem on display in the window of the Kazanjian's jewellers as a young man and told his mother, one day he'll buy her it. Then fast forward a few years and the man did just what he said and brought the black star sapphire of Queensland for his mother. No one knows how much for but that was one very happy mother, I'm sure.
The gem wouldn't be up for sale again until 2002, when the fourth buyer brought it for an estimated $100 million. In 2007 the gem was again loaned out, this time to the Royal Ontario Museum of Canada for exhibition.
The cabochon gem was now mounted in white gold with 35 pear shaped small white diamonds.
The gem is now up for sale again for an estimated $88 million.
In 2008 the black star sapphire hit the headlines when after loaning it out to Harry Winston, the Beverly Hill jeweller took it hostage forcing the owner to sue the jeweller asking for $5 million in damages and a whopping $20 million for punitive damages.
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