0.83 Ct. Greyish Blue Sapphire from Thailand

I remember the day this stone first revealed itself in the river gravels of Thailand, a compact sliver of rough material that had survived a long journey through water and time, a tiny archive of heat and pressure written in mineral. From deep in the Thai earth, where metamorphic forces coax corundum into being, this sapphire began as aluminum and oxygen locked into a trigonal crystal lattice, later colored by trace elements and set into the slow patience of geology. Miners working small concessions sifted through alluvial deposits, careful by hand and eye, until the blue hint of this gem caught the light and promised more. When it arrived at our workshop it still carried the memory of its origin, faint surface fractures and inclusions that tell of the pressures and fluids that formed it, a fingerprint of nature that we at The Natural Sapphire Company cherish and respect. The provenance, Thailand, is written into its character, a gem born in the same soils that have produced historic sapphires admired for centuries, a lineage that lends the stone an authentic narrative and a tangible connection to place.

The transformation from rough to gemstone was an exercise in listening to the material, matching human craft to nature s intent. The cutter examined the rough at multiple angles, noting zones of color and the orientation of internal features, and chose an oval shape to maximize the stone s color and preserve weight. The result is one beautiful transparent 0.83 carat oval shape greyish blue sapphire, measuring 6.60 x 5.32 x 2.49 mm, with a mixed brilliant cut that combines step facets on the pavilion with brilliant facets on the crown to weave light through the stone. That choice of cut was deliberate, pulling the deeper, more saturated blue to the center while allowing flashes of lighter steel blue around the edges, a subtle dance of tone that suits the intense color intensity grading. Our lapidaries then refined the facets to an excellent polish, removing the final microscopic abrasions so that each plane sits cleanly against the next, a smooth interface that invites light to enter and then return to the eye as sparkle. The clarity grade is included, evaluated at eye level, a condition that speaks of natural formation, tiny internal features that do not subtract from the gem s beauty but add a sense of authenticity and story.

The way this sapphire sparkles is a product of its internal structure and the skilled geometry imposed upon it, an interplay of chemistry, crystal habit, and human design. Corundum s trigonal lattice gives rise to a high refractive index, and when you cut precise facets, each boundary between facets becomes a mirror that redirects light. The mixed brilliant cut on this stone creates small, angled planes that catch light and break it into subtle scintillation, while the larger facets allow areas of concentrated brilliance to appear, a balance between sparkle and depth. In addition, sapphires display pleochroism, the tendency to show different colors from different angles, and in this greyish blue sapphire that property adds to the visual richness, so that a single glance may reveal a cool steely blue then a warmer bluish grey as you tilt it. The internal inclusions, assessed as included at eye level, sometimes diffuse light in such a way that the stone shimmers with a layered, internal glow rather than a single flat flash, creating a kind of soft fire that pairs well with the intense color intensity. The heat treatment enhancement applied to this gem is a standard and stable process that clarifies and deepens the blue, unlocking chromophores and smoothing color zoning, while the excellent polish ensures every facet interface is optimized for reflection and transmission. Together these factors produce a sparkle and presence that feels both lively and profound, a gem that holds the eye and rewards closer inspection.

When you choose this sapphire from The Natural Sapphire Company you take home more than a measured set of attributes, you invite into your life a story that moves from riverbeds in Thailand through the hands of craftsmen to a jewel ready for setting. At 0.83 carat and with dimensions of 6.60 x 5.32 x 2.49 mm it sits comfortably for a ring center or a meaningful pendant, the oval shape offering flattering proportions for many settings. The mixed brilliant cut and excellent polish promise a surface and facet structure that plays beautifully with both natural and artificial light, while the included clarity grade gives the stone tangible individuality and character. We fully disclose the heat treatment enhancement and the stone s origin, because provenance and transparency are part of our commitment, and we stand behind every sapphire with the care and expertise only a dedicated natural sapphire specialist can provide. If you would like advice on mounting, complementary side stones, or how to showcase the greyish blue tones against different metals, I m here to guide you, to find the setting that lets this stone s journey continue on your hand or close to your heart, a story that began in the earth and culminated in a gem ready to become part of your own story.