0.96 Ct. Blue Sapphire from Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

This 0.96 carat cushion shaped blue sapphire from Ceylon, Sri Lanka, measures 6.09 x 5.57 x 3.14 mm, with a calculated depth of approximately 54 percent, and presents a transparent body with intense color intensity. The stone is cut in a mixed brilliant style, combining a faceted brilliant crown with a pavilion whose facets are arranged to balance return of light and contrast pattern. The crown facets are proportioned to capture and refract incident light into the pavilion, while the carefully faceted pavilion planes act to redirect that light back through the crown, producing a lively scintillation and a broad, uniform blue flash. The cushion outline softens the geometry of the brilliant faceting, creating larger facet surfaces that enhance the perception of saturation, while the mixed pavilion architecture introduces crisp internal reflections that create depth and a three dimensional appearance. With an excellent polish across all facet junctions, surface light return is maximized and light leakage is minimized, allowing the intense Ceylon blue to read consistently in both direct and diffused viewing conditions.

Evaluated at the eye level, the sapphire is eye clean, which means internal features do not interrupt the optical performance and the faceting pattern can operate without obstruction. The excellent polish and precise pavilion angles are particularly important on a sub one carat stone, because small deviations would otherwise dissipate light into leakage rather than visible return. This specimen has been heat treated, a stable and traditional enhancement for Ceylon sapphires that deepens hue and improves tone uniformity while preserving natural transparency. For design considerations, the stone responds exceptionally well to a center setting that allows light to enter the pavilion and exit through the crown, such as a low profile bezel with open pavilion, or a claw mounted solitaire that exposes the girdle and maximizes light throughput. The Natural Sapphire Company presents this gem as a technically refined example of classic Sri Lankan material, combining expert cutting, consistent polish, and documented treatment to deliver maximum optical performance for a collector or bespoke commission.