2.99 Ct. Blue Sapphire from Madagascar

This 2.99 carat cushion shape blue sapphire presents as a finely proportioned gem, measuring 7.99 by 6.37 by 5.93 millimeters, certified by C. Dunaigre and originating from Madagascar. The stone is fashioned with a mixed brilliant faceting schema, a deliberate combination of brilliant-cut crown geometry and more linear pavilion faceting, designed to marry scintillation with color saturation. The cushion outline, defined by gently rounded corners and a slightly rectilinear silhouette, concentrates color toward the table while the mixed brilliant arrangement disperses white light as lively scintillation across the crown. The sapphire is described as vivid in color intensity, a term that indicates a saturated, strongly chromatic blue without veering into overly dark tones, and the material is transparent and eye clean when evaluated at normal viewing distance, confirming the absence of inclusions that would disrupt light transmission or visual purity. With no enhancement reported, the natural chromaticity and clarity are intrinsic attributes, validated by the accompanying certification.

From a lapidary perspective the cutter has employed mixed brilliant faceting to achieve an optimal tradeoff between brightness and depth of hue. The brilliant facets on the crown, including kite and star facet relationships and a carefully sized table, generate high contrast and lively facet play, while the more planar pavilion faceting serves to deepen the optical path, increasing effective saturation of the blue without producing excessive darkness. The overall depth, as expressed by the measured height of 5.93 millimeters relative to the face dimensions, reflects a design intent to enhance perceived color intensity when viewed face up, a strategy often used with vivid material to emphasize chroma. The polish is graded excellent, indicating minimal surface abrasion and razor-sharp facet junctions, which together maximize specular reflection and internal contrast. Symmetry and girdle integrity have been executed to professional standards, ensuring predictable light return and ease of setting. The eye-clean clarity grade, coupled with Madagascar provenance and the C. Dunaigre certification, places this sapphire in a rarified category of untreated, naturally vivid stones that command attention in technical comparisons as well as aesthetic assessments.

Owning this sapphire through The Natural Sapphire Company is an investment in both beauty and craftsmanship, combining material rarity with precision cutting and documented provenance. Untreated, vivid blue sapphires from Madagascar occupy a distinct niche in the market, where collectors and connoisseurs prioritize natural chroma and verifiable origin, and this specimen’s technical attributes support long-term desirability. From a practical standpoint the corundum species rates nine on the Mohs hardness scale, delivering excellent wearability for high-use jewelry such as rings and bracelets, while the cushion shape and mixed brilliant faceting adapt well to protective bezel or low-profile prong settings that preserve table exposure and optimize face-up color. The meticulous polish and facet execution reduce the need for post-purchase reworking, and the certification from a recognized laboratory mitigates provenance and treatment concerns that often complicate secondary-market transactions. For the technically minded buyer, this sapphire represents a calibrated interplay of optical engineering and natural resource quality, a piece whose performance under loupe and daylight, whose provenance documentation, and whose cutting philosophy coalesce into an asset as rewarding for its tangible craftsmanship as it is for its potential to retain and appreciate in value over time.