A sapphire turtle made by the DOJI Gold and Gems Group was presented to the Hanoi People's Committee as a gift for the city's 1,000th anniversary on Oct. 3.
The Giant Precious Sapphire Turtle has spiritual meaning as a symbol of longevity and peace, said DOJI general director Do Minh Phu.
Its natural blue and reddish brown colours give it a unique beauty, he said.
The two-tonne turtle is made from a monolithic sapphire, and took artisans 200 days to complete.
Legend says a turtle helped King An Duong Vuong build Co Loa Citadel in the 3rd century BC while King Le Thai To (1385-1433) returned a precious sword to a tortoise in Hoan Kiem or "Returned Sword" Lake after using it to defeat invaders./.
The Giant Precious Sapphire Turtle has spiritual meaning as a symbol of longevity and peace, said DOJI general director Do Minh Phu.
Its natural blue and reddish brown colours give it a unique beauty, he said.
The two-tonne turtle is made from a monolithic sapphire, and took artisans 200 days to complete.
Legend says a turtle helped King An Duong Vuong build Co Loa Citadel in the 3rd century BC while King Le Thai To (1385-1433) returned a precious sword to a tortoise in Hoan Kiem or "Returned Sword" Lake after using it to defeat invaders./.
