0.60 Ct. Blue Sapphire from Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

This transparent blue sapphire weighs 0.60 carat and measures 5.05 by 5.04 by 2.82 millimetres, a compact cushion shape that presents exceptional optical balance for its size. The gem exhibits intense color intensity with a rich cornflower to royal blue hue that is characteristic of fine Ceylon Sri Lanka material. Clarity has been evaluated as very very slightly included when viewed at eye level, indicating inclusions that are minimal and do not interfere with the gem’s overall transparency or light performance. The stone has undergone a standard heat treatment to optimise hue and saturation, a stable enhancement that improves color uniformity without compromising structural integrity. Our cutters at The Natural Sapphire Company have finished the stone to an excellent polish, ensuring mirror smooth facet junctions and crisp facet planes that maximise surface reflection and contribute to lively eye appeal.

The faceting is a mixed brilliant style, a deliberate synthesis of brilliant type crown geometry and a modified pavilion faceting plan, which together enhance both light return and colour presentation. The crown has been proportioned to maintain a moderately sized table, which allows sufficient skylight to enter for dispersion while preserving strong contrast between larger crown facets and smaller star and kite facets to generate scintillation. The pavilion depth relative to the girdle provides a depth ratio of approximately fifty six percent, a dimension that supports internal light retention for saturated blue tone without creating excessive windowing. The mixed brilliant pavilion uses angular facets that redirect light back through the crown in controlled flashes, so that each crown facet acts as a lens, refracting and reflecting different portions of the visible spectrum. This arrangement mitigates undesirable leakage from the girdle plane and encourages multiple internal reflections, which deepen the observed colour and produce dynamic flashes of lighter blue and near white highlights when the stone is tilted, demonstrating an interplay between brilliance and body colour that is prized in high quality sapphires.

From a craftsmanship perspective, the cutter has balanced the pavilion facet angles and crown height to take advantage of the sapphire’s refractive index and strong dispersion characteristics, ensuring optimal light performance across common lighting conditions. The excellent polish reduces surface scattering, increasing specular reflection and enhancing apparent clarity, while precise facet symmetry focuses return light into coherent faces rather than diffuse shimmer. The very very slightly included clarity grade, coupled with the mixed brilliant design, means that minor inclusions are effectively masked by strategic facet placement, often positioning larger inclusions near facet junctions or in areas of controlled contrast so they remain visually unobtrusive. Heat treatment has been applied with controlled thermal parameters to homogenise colour zones and release subtle pleochroic shifts, resulting in a uniform intense blue when viewed face up, while still allowing the stone to display richness and depth from oblique angles. For setting considerations, the cushion outline and symmetrical faceting make the stone exceptionally versatile, performing well in both low profile bezel settings that emphasise colour, and open prong mounts that maximise light intake and scintillation.

Presented by The Natural Sapphire Company, this 0.60 carat Ceylon blue sapphire is an example of technical cutting harmonised with responsible enhancement and meticulous finishing. Its mixed brilliant faceting scheme amplifies the sapphire’s innate optical properties, yielding concentrated body colour, lively scintillation, and efficient light return that make the gem visually larger than its carat weight might suggest. The combination of measured proportions, excellent polish, and careful heat treatment produces a durable jewel ready for bespoke designs, where the cutter’s intention to balance saturation with brilliance will translate into a striking centre stone. For clients who prioritise precision in cutting and clarity of optical performance, this sapphire offers a refined palette of engineering choices, demonstrating how facet architecture and finishing craft can elevate natural material into an object of enduring light and colour.