1.48 Ct. Blue Sapphire from Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

This transparent 1.48 carat round blue sapphire measures 6.63 x 6.64 x 4.34 millimeters, it is cut to a mixed brilliant style, it carries a clarity grade of slightly included at eye level, it exhibits intense color intensity, and it is unenhanced, originating from Ceylon Sri Lanka. The mixed brilliant treatment of the round outline combines a brilliant style crown with pavilion faceting that is optimized for color saturation and light return, while the excellent polish ensures facet junctions are crisp and facet planes are smooth. The combination of weight and measured diameter yields a depth of 4.34 millimeters on an average diameter of 6.635 millimeters, translating to a depth ratio of approximately 65.4 percent, a proportion that favors strong color presence and a deep face up appearance without sacrificing the gem quality expected by discerning buyers. The Natural Sapphire Company presents this stone as a natural, untreated example of Ceylon corundum, where the trade marked origin contributes to expectations of lively, bright blue tones that benefit from precise faceting.

The mixed brilliant cut used on this round sapphire emphasizes optical performance in two complementary ways, the brilliant crown with multiple kite and star facets refracts incoming light into numerous small flashes that create lively scintillation, and the pavilion variant uses a modified faceting arrangement to promote internal reflections that enhance the stone face up color. The slightly deeper than average depth ratio increases the apparent saturation when observed face up, an effect controlled by pavilion angle geometry and crown height, the excellent polish minimizes light leakage at facet boundaries and preserves contrast between bright and dark facets, and the result is a balance of flash and color that reads as intense in most lighting conditions. In practical terms the mixed brilliant cut on a round corundum in this size maximizes perceived size by optimizing pavilion angles for internal reflection while maintaining a strong table window for window free transparency, inclusion visibility correlates with the slightly included clarity grade but does not materially interrupt the optical pathways that create scintillation and brilliance.

From an optical and gemological perspective corundum presents a refractive index range approximately 1.762 to 1.770 and a birefringence on the order of 0.008, these parameters produce a refractive behavior that yields a dense, scintillating luster described as adamantine to subadamantine on polished facets, the measured dispersion of corundum is around 0.018 which is modest compared to diamond which is approximately 0.044, this means sapphires will exhibit restrained fire but strong facet contrast and scintillation when well cut. Compared to other sapphires within the same category the Ceylon origin typically exhibits a lighter, brighter, more lively blue when compared to the velvety cornflower blue of classic Kashmir stones or the deep royal blue associated with some Burmese examples, however this particular Ceylon example displays intense color intensity, indicating that its combination of tone and saturation approaches the depth often sought in higher value material while maintaining the clarity and sparkle attributable to Sri Lankan cutting traditions. When placed alongside other blue gem materials such as spinel, which has a lower refractive index leading to softer brilliance, or tanzanite, which shows stronger pleochroism but a softer hardness and a different optical profile, this sapphire offers superior durability and a more enduring polish retention due to corundum hardness.

The absence of heat treatment or other enhancement is technically significant, it preserves natural color zoning characteristics and original inclusion patterns that often inform origin determinations and market value, the slightly included clarity grade suggests the presence of small crystals or healed rutile needles typical of natural sapphires, these features can enhance the stone character and contribute to a lively velvet effect when oriented in certain directions, yet under loupe and eye level observation the transparency remains high and the excellent polish amplifies facet reflections. For setting considerations the approximate depth ratio and mixed brilliant faceting favor settings that present the table plane to light, open gallery styles and four or six prong mounts will allow maximum face up brightness, while bezel settings can intensify apparent color by reducing the influence of directional lighting. The Natural Sapphire Company recommends matched mounting proportions to preserve optical return, and offers consultation on mounting choices that enhance the perceived size and color saturation without compromising the geometric integrity of the cut. This 1.48 carat Ceylon blue sapphire combines technical precision in its cutting proportions, a strong unheated color signature, and top level polish to deliver a gem whose reflective qualities are optimized for both brilliance and saturated color within the broader sapphire category.