NEW YORK- December 14, 2007- The cover story of the December 2007 issue of Rapaport focuses on the Kashmir Sapphire in a story titled "The Kashmir Legend." In the story Amber Michele, Rapaport's Editor-in-Chief speaks with C.R. "Cap" Beesley, President of American Gemological Laboratories, Inc. about his personal journey to the heartland of Kashmir to discover the sources of the famed Kashmir Sapphire. With this landmark expedition, Beesley has become one of only 3 laboratory gemologists to visit these legendary deposits, the last of which was 20 years ago. Political instabilities in the region have significantly curtailed gem exploration and excavation activities however a sparse supply of these coveted gems still find their way to the international gemstone trade.
In addition to Beesley's journal of experiences in this exotic land, the article contains a unique photographic compilation by Christopher P. Smith and C.R. "Cap" Beesley of the macroscopic and specific microscopic characteristics for the major commercial sources of blue sapphires, including Kashmir, Burma, Ceylon and Madagascar.
The cover and the article can be viewed online: Article: The Kashmir Legend | Cover: Rapaport Vol. 30 No. 46
This article is provided with permission from Rapaport Diamond Report. For subscription information: http://www.diamonds.net/Info/AboutRDR.aspx
For reprints, contact schung@aglgemlab.com
About American Gemological Laboratories
Founded in 1977 by C.R. "Cap" Beesley, American Gemological Laboratories (AGL) has been a pioneer as the first gemological laboratory to offer colored stone grading reports and comprehensive gemological origin reports. The organization and its President, C. R. Beesley, are internationally recognized for their expertise in colored stone research and analysis. They have enjoyed a position of leadership in gemstone documentation and have extensive experience in consumer protection programs. AGL is a unit of Collectors Universe, the leading provider of value-added authentication and grading services for high-value collectibles and gemstones, which was founded in 1986 and publicly traded since 1999 (NASDAQ:CLCT).