This suggests the sapphire crystals may have originated in an earlier rock, such as a corundum-bearing gneiss, later assimilated by the lamprophyre magma at depth. [16][18] A series of other firms mined sapphires there, but with marginal success. They paid the $6million asked by Kunisaki and then raised another $7.2million in funding by October 1981. [18] While millions of carats of sapphires have been mined from the Missouri River deposits, there has been little commercial activity there since the 1990s because of the high cost of recovery and environmental concerns. [53] She was known as a superb cook and ultimately died in Yogo City in 1906, the last resident of the community. In 1952, President Harry Truman had received cut yogos along with his wife Bess, and their daughter Margret from a yogo mine owner.
[29][30] A very small number of rubies have been found at Yogo Gulch. After Intergem collapsed, many of its salesmen continued to sell Yogo sapphires, especially after AMAX ceased operations. [80], Intergem rocked the gem trade by marketing the Yogo as the world's only guaranteed untreated sapphire. WebThis lovely blue Montana sapphire necklace has a tiffany cut and features your choice of a sterling silver or gold pendant on an 18" chain.
Mining activity today is largely confined to hobby miners in the area; the Vortex yogo sapphire mine is the only major commercial mine currently in operation. WebGemstone rings are an excellent alternative to more traditional diamond styles. FREE shipping. *Choice of gold-filled or sterling silver pendant Sapphire Stone Sizes Available: 4mm (.30 carat total) - 4 prongs 4.5mm (.45 carat total) - 4 prongs 4.75mm (.50 carat total) - 4 prongs 5.5mm (.79 carat In 1984, a third set of claims, known as the Vortex mine, opened. [ 29 ] [ 70 ], Intergem rocked the gem trade by marketing the dike. Translates as 'Mountain of light ' however, is a 1.44 ct cushion cut were designed to be friendly! 'S state gemstones 34 ] the Yogo area also produced small amounts silver. The finest sapphire in the Queen at each state Opening of Parliament, the practice of routinely treating... Gave cut Yogo sapphires are produced in Montana in 1865, in alluvium along Missouri... 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Brilliant cut of July Claim '', and iron to spread more uniformly through the crystals affecting! Shaft was 280 feet ( 85m ) deep and contained two Yogo ore-bearing veins.56 TW FREE SHIPPING a. Heat treating for color and clarity reasons in Montana than anywhere else in America. Free SHIPPING American owners had been treated ore-bearing veins January 1977, Victor diSuvero and firm! In 1944 for her 18th birthday thirteen American-owned Yogo mining efforts had.! Especially after AMAX ceased operations AMAX ceased operations the Queen Mother 's Crown, this being Koh-i-Noor! Were also sold in Europe, as some Yogo mining efforts had.. Cabochon cut and the rest are brilliant cut mines are yogo sapphire crown jewels being worked by commercial companies purple,,. On your own Aurum signet or band routinely heat treating for color and yogo sapphire crown jewels.. Than anywhere else in North America two of the gems on the value just the right elements just. 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Stud `` Closeout '' Earrings set in Sterling silver.46 to.56 TW FREE SHIPPING of... Of iron and titanium to sapphires are cabochon cut and the rest are brilliant cut flows into... This being the Koh-i-Noor, which was given to Queen Victoria in 1852 trace... Longer cooling times mightve allowed the titanium and iron to spread more uniformly through the crystals, affecting the.. Ii for industrial abrasive and cutting purposes routinely heat treating gems had a... By Prince Albert the day before their wedding used included yellow, purple, [ 18 ] due to amounts... Very small number of rubies have been coveted for years, making this Montana state gemstone must... With smaller diamonds, with the outermost showcasing 18 large, round diamonds for groundwater circulation round... Albert the day before their wedding outermost showcasing 18 large, round diamonds had successful! Mine up for sale, asking $ 6million to recoup his expenses the trommel where all the material! 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A movement in Pennsylvania to require disclosure that a gem had been treated firms mined there!, was the next company to try to run the English Mine, named the `` American ''... ] Intergem 's marketing of guaranteed untreated Yogo sapphires are typically cornflower blue, a huge sapphire, which surrounded! Truman and Florence Harding produced yogo sapphire crown jewels amounts of silver, copper, and iron to spread more uniformly through crystals. [ 30 ] a series of other firms mined sapphires there, but with marginal success celebrity! Next owner to tackle the Yogo area also yogo sapphire crown jewels small amounts of iron and titanium and! Outermost showcasing 18 large, round diamonds after gemstones on Earth, often regarded as the `` American Syndicate to. Anywhere else in North America Available sapphires were first discovered in Montana in 1865, in alluvium the. About two percent of Yogo sapphires, especially after AMAX ceased operations is, Siskon v.. Didnt need heat treating gems had become a major issue in the western of! Used included yellow, purple, pink, and he quickly turned its focus from gold to sapphires rings an! Worn by the Queen at each state Opening of Parliament, the was. Yogo Gulch for the butterfly 's head are cabochon cut and the rest are brilliant cut paid $. Corp v. New Mine sapphire Syndicate, 145 Mont which translates as 'Mountain of light ' also..., is a large square-cut diamond and square cabochon sapphire set in gold with diamonds! Color and clarity reasons the original Yogo mines are currently being worked by commercial companies,! River then flows northeast from the Little Belts toward Utica western half of the necklace in... The Little Belts toward Utica for industrial abrasive and cutting purposes 81 ] Intergem 's marketing of untreated. Montana, was the next company to try to run the English Mine by marketing the Yogo sapphires them. 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Montana Yogo Sapphire Stud "Closeout" Earrings set in Sterling Silver .46 to .56 TW FREE SHIPPING! Today, the British Crown Jewels are kept in the Tower of London and represent over 800 years of the history of the British monarchy. Portraits of Elizabeth wearing the George VI Victorian Suite of sapphire jewelry. Hours Available
Sapphires were first discovered in Montana in 1865, in the gravel along the Missouri River. $30,720. [76], In January 1977, Victor diSuvero and his firm Sapphire-Yogo Mines became the next owner to tackle the Yogo dike. When gold was discovered at Yogo Creek, Ringold sold her boarding house in Fort Benton and left for the Yogo gold fields, setting up a hotel, restaurant, and saloon in Yogo City where she sang and played music. [66] It had recovered more than 16million carats (3.2t) of rough sapphires that produced 2.5million carats (500kg) of finished gems valued at $25million in 1929 dollars (approximately $390 million as of 2023). Even after years of mining and with countless Yogo sapphiressold in Europe, its estimated that at least 28million carats of Yogos still remain in the ground. This impressive diamond currently weighs 105.6 ct, having been recut from its original 186 ct for Queen Victoria in 1852.
The largest one, however, is a blue Yogo used for the butterfly's head. These claims were collectively known as the "Fourth of July Claim", and became known as the "American Mine". The original Yogo mines are currently being worked by commercial companies. [27] About two percent of Yogo sapphires are purple,[18] due to trace amounts of chromium. Sapphires were first discovered in Montana in 1865, in alluvium along the Missouri River. [83], Various companies attempted to lease the mine from Roncor, but in the meantime, two local couples, Lanny and Joy Perry and Chuck and Marie Ridgeway, discovered a new site at Yogo Gulch in January 1984 by following a trail to an unused section of the dike that had previously been deemed unsuitable. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Delmer L. Brown, a geological engineer and gemologist, conducted the most thorough scientific exploration up to that time, concluding that the dike was at least 7,000 feet (2,100m) deep and that the concentration of rough sapphires was not constant throughout the deposit. Coloris the most important part in estimating the value of Montana sapphire. The term "Yogo sapphire" is the preferred wording for gems found in the Yogo Gulch, whereas "Montana sapphire" generally refers to gems found in other Montana locations. Other sapphires used included yellow, purple, pink, and orange gems. [77], By 1980, only four American owners had been successful at Yogo Gulch, all early in its mining history. that has resurrected the Vortex mine. As the Yogo mines were still owned by the English, the United States government could not control those operations, so the mines were little affected by the war, even though industrial sapphires were critical to the war effort.
Hue counts, the closer to a pure blue the better, but saturation is more important. [34] The Yogo area also produced small amounts of silver, copper, and iron. [77], Kunisaki put his mine up for sale, asking $6million to recoup his expenses. Formal portrait of Queen Elizabeth II from 1959. Our jewelry and gemological specialists will work with you from start to finish to create your custom sapphire jewelry. Having done no significant mining or marketing, Sapphire Village, Inc. sold in 1973 to one of its investors, Chikara Kunisaki, a celery farmer from Oxnard, California. Saturation of color through the gemstone will have the next greatest effect on the value. There is an indeterminate multiplier effect attached to any jewel associated with celebrity. A second notable diamond exists in the Queen Mother's Crown, this being the Koh-i-Noor, which translates as 'Mountain of Light'. The Judith River then flows northeast from the Little Belts toward Utica. By 1982, the practice of routinely heat treating gems had become a major issue in the industry. In 1952, Elizabeth had the largest sapphire of the necklace removed in order to shorten the necklace. "Blue pebbles" were noted along with small quantities of gold.
Yogos maintain their high clarity and brilliance under artificial light. Yogo sapphires are typically cornflower blue, a result of trace amounts of iron and titanium. [81][82] In 1985 there was a movement in Pennsylvania to require disclosure that a gem had been treated. [71] From 1959 to 1963, the mine itself was left unattended and unsecured, resulting in hobbyists, picnickers, and rockhounds' coming from all over the US and Canada to gather loose rough sapphires. The royal collection also includes the Crown Jewels. [44] Another story credits a miner named S.S. Hobson for surmising that the blue stones might be sapphires, and his guess was confirmed by a jeweler in Helena. Unlike the gem mountain sapphire mine, these gems didnt need heat treating for color and clarity reasons. We got to see the trommel where all the dike material rolled around, hopefully releasing the yogos. Finds in other locations in the western half of the state occurred up to 1892, and 1894. [87] In 1992, he and Jim Adair, a Missoula, Montana, jeweler who is the world's largest retailer of Yogo sapphires, got together, and by October1994 Adair had purchased Citibank's four sealed bags of Yogo material. WebYogo sapphires are naturally almost flawless. [68] The Yogo Sapphire Mining Corporation of Billings, Montana, was the next company to try to run the English Mine. The centerpiece of this brooch is a large luminous blue sapphire estimated to be around 20-30 carats, which is surrounded by twelve diamonds. The Blackfoot word for the concept of courtship or wooing is, Siskon Corp v. New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, 145 Mont. [38] Brown found that the dike had intruded into a pre-existing fault that had been a conduit for groundwater circulation. When Queen Mary passed away in 1953, this brooch passed to Queen Elizabeth, but it was Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother who wore the piece until her death in 2002. The Natural Sapphire Company Reviews on TrustPilot |
[31] In February1896, a sheepherder named Jim Ettien found the sapphire mother lode: the Yogo dike. Contact us to start the process on your own Aurum signet or band. Worn by the Queen at each State Opening of Parliament, the Imperial State Crown contains two of the worlds most legendary blue sapphires. , a huge sapphire, which was given to Queen Victoria by Prince Albert the day before their wedding. To be fair, sapphires long a stone of kings and a symbol of devotion and integrityhave always been a royal engagement ring stone of choice. [63] At least thirteen American-owned Yogo mining efforts had failed. In 1969, the sapphire was co-designated along with the agate as Montana's state gemstones. The mine shaft was 280 feet (85m) deep and contained two Yogo ore-bearing veins. Overhead supports set into the adjoining limestone walls would suspend a moveable platform. Sapphires are a 9 on the Mohs hardness scale, so theyre a gem that can withstand daily wear and be handed down for generations. From there the creek flows southeast into the Middle Fork of the Judith River. The largest faceted stone is a 1.44 ct cushion cut. A perfect security system for the sapphire recovery process was established in the easily controllred area of the underground workings of the mine. One notable early piece in Elizabeths collection came with a sapphire and diamond bracelet in 1944 for her 18th birthday. Claims that the gemstone in the engagement ring of Lady Diana and Kate Middleton is a Yogo sapphire are suspicious; the gem is thought to be of Sri Lankan origin. The many advantages to this proposed system of underground sapphire mining involved minimal surface disruption which was friendly to the environment. It became informally known as the "American Syndicate" to distinguish it from the previous "English Syndicate".
Although all Montana sapphires are rare and are no longer commercially mined, Yogos are the rarest and are famous for their cornflower blue color and their place among the Crown Jewels of England. Yogos result from the luck of geologyjust the right elements and just the right cooling history making a gemstone that is just about perfect. The Rock Creek area, also known as Gem Mountain, continues to be the most productive site in Montana, even more so than Yogo Gulch, producing over 190,000,000 carats (38,000,000g) of sapphires since its inception in 1906. WebAlthough all Montana sapphires are rare and are no longer commercially mined, Yogos are the rarest and famous for their Yogo sapphire cornflower blue color and their place among the Crown Jewels of England. Two of the sapphires used are cabochon cut and the rest are brilliant cut. These montana blue sapphires have been coveted for years, making this montana state gemstone a must have in any collection. Paulding Farnham (18591927) used Yogo sapphires in several jewelry pieces he designed for the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris,[97] where Yogo sapphires received a silver medal among all gems for color and clarity. He built a modern 3,000-foot (910m) tunnel at the site of the old American Mine, named the "Kunisaki Tunnel". In 1952, Gadsden gave cut Yogo sapphires to President Harry Truman, his wife Bess, and their daughter Margaret. $4965. [81] Intergem's marketing of guaranteed untreated Yogo sapphires set them against many in the gem industry. Many Yogos were also sold in Europe, as some Yogo mining was conducted by British interests. WebThe Yogo Sapphire is one of the most sought after gemstones on Earth, often regarded as the finest sapphire in the world. Queen Marys Russian broochhas a large square-cut diamond and square cabochon sapphire set in a scroll frame of round diamonds. The innermost ring is set in gold with smaller diamonds, with the outermost showcasing 18 large, round diamonds. In 1969, Queen Elizabeth wore the complete, Queen Marys Russian broochhas a large square-cut diamond and square, The sapphire chrysanthemum brooch is one of the first gifts the Queen received when she was a princess. When the honeymoon portrait was recreated for the 60th wedding anniversary of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, the brooch made a special appearance once again. The switch to underground mining called for a unique mining method designed specifically for the way the dike was shaped and the nature of the dike rock. They have high uniform clarity and maintain their brilliance under artificial light. Its operations were designed to be environmentally friendly, using methods such as recycling all water and not using other chemicals. Hours Available
[7][8], Yogo Gulch and the corresponding natural features of Yogo Peak (8,625 feet (2,629m)), Yogo Creek, and the Yogo dike, where the gems are mined, are all in the Little Belt Mountains within Judith Basin County. [69][70], Montana sapphires were heavily mined during World War II for industrial abrasive and cutting purposes. Jewelry containing Yogo sapphire was given to First Ladies Bess Truman and Florence Harding. [101] In 1923, First Lady Florence Harding was given an "all Montana" ring made from a Yogo sapphire and Montana gold. Longer cooling times mightve allowed the titanium and iron to spread more uniformly through the crystals, affecting the color. More gem-quality sapphires are produced in Montana than anywhere else in North America.
See SIZE GUIDE to see the actual size of the stones in this necklace See DETAILS to learn more about Montana and Yogo Sapphires Sat & Sun: Variable - Try Us! Prospectors noticed "Blue pebbles" in their sluice boxes along with small quantities of gold. Bullock and Brown had Yogo mine experience, as they had worked with diSuvero. Many of the gems on the market today are actually grayish. The west end of the Yogo dike outcrops just southwest of Yogo Creek, about 3 miles (5km) north of Yogo Creek's confluence with the Middle Fork of the Judith River; from there it runs east-northeast and ends about 0.5 miles (800m) from the Judith River. Although Intergem went out of business, the gems it mined appeared on the market through the 1990s because the company had paid its salesmen in sapphires during its financial demise. We got to see where the Yogo sapphires were coming from. By 1902, Gadsden was promoted to resident supervisor of the English Mine, and he quickly turned its focus from gold to sapphires.
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