Millennium Sapphire

[1] Rather than cut it into smaller pieces, Daniel Mckinney, one of the owners of the gem, sought to use the whole stone and kept it as one crystal to pay tribute to humanity.

The Gubelin Lab of Switzerland recently certified the sapphire in its finished, carved form at 61,500 carats (almost 28 pounds, or 12.3 kilograms).

[7] Award-winning Italian artist and jewelry designer, Alessio Boschi, was chosen and the Millennium Sapphire project was born.

Alessio Boschi rigorously researched subjects for the project and selected 134 representations of important individuals and milestones in human history.

Nearly two years in the making, the finished Millennium Sapphire is a design masterpiece executed in a very precious and rare medium, making it by far the most valuable and largest carved sapphire in the world.