Reborn As Super Heiress

Chapter 263: Chapter 260: Starlight Sapphire Chapter 263: Chapter 260: Starlight Sapphire After unraveling the inner lining, a paper-wrapped package embedded within revealed itself.

The hollow space and the paper package fit together perfectly, leaving no extra gaps; therefore, even if someone moved the large vat, they wouldn’t hear anything shaking against the vat’s inner wall, creating an unusual sound.

Huo Sining had expected something valuable, so she was momentarily taken aback to find just a paper package.

But after a brief two seconds, she snapped back to reality and picked up the paper package; indeed, it felt weighted, clearly concealing something inside.

She carefully unwrapped the paper package to find a silver box lying peacefully inside.

This silver box appeared to be merely four centimeters square and was devoid of any superfluous patterns, bearing only the ancient characters “respectfully crafted.”

Not versed in antiques, Huo Sining didn’t comprehend the significance of these words. Once she had the box in hand, she lacked the curiosity to closely inspect the characters engraved on it, her attention overwhelmingly drawn to the item inside the box.

With a mix of nervousness and anticipation, she slowly opened the silver box.

The moment she opened the box, Huo Sining felt her heart was about to stop beating.

In the very center of the box lay a sapphire, radiating six-rayed starlight under the lamp.

This sapphire was set upon a hollowed-out silver base, cut into a smoothly polished cabochon shape.

A silky texture, reminiscent of satin, surfaced on the stone, with six-pointed star rays shimmering on top. As Huo Sining rotated the stone with her fingers, the star’s rays seemed to move with them.

She had never seen a real sapphire, but this one was crystal clear, uniformly colored, and had a smooth and fine texture; it was obviously extraordinary at first glance.

No woman could resist the allure of gemstones, and sapphires were more enticing than jadeite. Holding this gemstone, Huo Sining for the first time felt a strong desire to possess a piece of jewelry.

Holding the box with the gemstone inside, she stealthily retreated to her bedroom and quickly turned on her computer to search for information about sapphires.

Soon, one search result after another appeared, and upon clicking the encyclopedia entry, Huo Sining couldn’t contain her excitement.

Suppressing the urge to scream with delight, her face flushed with excitement, and her hands holding the silver box began to tremble uncontrollably.

A sapphire is a general term for any corundum gemstone that isn’t red. In fact, sapphire colors can range from pink, yellow, green, white, to even multiple colors within the same stone; blue sapphire is just one variation.

The reason sapphires are different colors is due to the trace elements of colored metals within them.

Reports from the Asian Gemstone Association indicate that corundum containing iron and titanium can present various shades including blue, sky blue, and light blue, with vibrant sky blue being the most prized.

The most notable characteristic of sapphires is the unevenness of their color, as their arrangement of parallel hexagonal prismatic faces causes variations in color depth and often comes with streaks and flaws, and might even result in twin crystal fractures.

Therefore, large sapphires that are pure in color and crystal clear without any flaws are extremely rare. Sapphires with no cleavage and developed fissures can produce a beautiful six-ray star effect after dome cutting and polishing when they contain three sets of inclusions aligned parallel to the base. Such gems are known as Starlight Sapphires and are considered the creme de la creme of sapphires.

Huo Sining followed the methods she found online and used the strong flashlight she employed for jadeite gambling to perform a basic evaluation of the gemstone.

According to online information, the starlight effect of sapphires under strong light can be very intense. Huo Sining directed the light along the star’s rays onto the gemstone, finding that these star lines were perfectly intact, with their intersection at the very center of the gemstone, and that the sapphire was completely transparent internally, without any flaws or fractures.

Seeing such results, Huo Sining could now be completely certain that the piece of sapphire in her hands was the legendary Starlight Sapphire, and a rare one at that.

Sapphires are hailed as the second most precious colored gemstone in the world, ranking only behind rubies. Like diamonds, sapphires are calculated by the carat.

The largest sapphire known to the world, discovered in 1905, is a blue-white gem weighing about 3106 carats. It was later presented to King Edward VII of England to be used as a jewel on crowns and scepters.

But Starlight Sapphires are even rarer. Starlight Sapphires of just a few carats are already quite expensive. The most famous Starlight Sapphire is the Hope Diamond.

This gem is also known as the Heart of the Ocean, weighs approximately 45.52 carats, and is named for its extremely rare deep blue color. It was once worn around the neck of Rose, the protagonist of the movie Titanic and was ultimately thrown by her into the ocean.

Of course, the scene of it being thrown into the ocean was just fiction. In reality, this gemstone is not only vividly blue but also shrouded in mystique like a fog.

Throughout its history, it has often brought irresistible misfortunes to its owners. It is said that one owner was bitten to death by a vicious dog, another was beheaded, and another went bankrupt. Thus, this “Hope” diamond was traded several times before being given to the national museum as a gift.

Of course, these are merely superstitious myths. Huo Sining is not concerned with the truth behind these stories; she only knows that she truly hit the jackpot this time.

Who could have imagined that a large pot placed at the entrance of a street shop, overgrown with moss and unattended, could conceal such an exquisite sapphire?

This piece of sapphire is semi-circular, with a diameter of three centimeters and a dome height of about two centimeters. It is initially estimated to be at least a hundred carats.

A sapphire of this size could hold its own even in the annals of world gemstone history, not to mention that this gem also displays a perfect starlight effect, appearing indigo blue without a single flaw within. If this sapphire truly carries a curse, Huo Sining was willing to accept that fate.

Even though Huo Sining had already held several pieces of superior jadeite, the sight of such a world-class treasure made it impossible for her to remain calm.

If she were to take this out into the market, it would undoubtedly cause a sensation but would also bring her enormous trouble.

Huo Sining could only swallow her excitement and joy, thinking to herself that she wasn’t short of money to spend anyway. Keeping this sapphire as a family heirloom wasn’t a bad idea, but she absolutely couldn’t let others know about it now, or the consequences would be unimaginable.

However, now that the gem had been unearthed, where to keep it became an issue. Although her house’s cellar was equipped with a safe, Huo Sining always felt uneasy. A gemstone of such immense value seemed unsafe no matter where it was placed.