4.23 Ct. Blue Sapphire from Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

A singular expression of refined taste, this transparent cushion shape blue sapphire weighs 4.23 carats and measures 10.34 x 8.23 x 5.09 mm, presenting a presence that is both statuesque and intimate. Cut in a mixed brilliant style, each facet has been calibrated to capture light with theatrical precision, producing flashes of fire that complement the gem's intense blue hue. The clarity is described as very very slightly included when examined at eye level, which for the discerning collector means an essentially eye clean stone with delicate internal character that affirms its natural origin without distracting from its brilliance. The polish has been judged excellent, permitting an unimpeded optical passage through the stone so that its color and scintillation reveal themselves fully. Originating from Ceylon Sri Lanka, and enhanced by traditional heat treatment to refine and stabilize its tone, this sapphire carries the storied legacy of Sri Lankan gemology while offering the contemporary performance expected by modern connoisseurs.

Its color presents with an intense saturation, a luminous medium to medium deep tone that is quintessentially Ceylonese while asserting its own compelling individuality. Compare this stone to the whisper soft cornflower blues of Kashmir, and you will notice that our Ceylon sapphire favors clarity and brilliance over the plush, velvety diffusion that defines top Kashmir examples. Against the backdrop of Burmese sapphires which often offer a royal, deeper blue presence with a slightly more purple leaning, this gem reads as brighter and more buoyant, a morning light rather than midnight. Madagascar has produced many sapphires that rival Ceylon in vibrancy and depth, yet those stones can trend toward a more saturated, sometimes darker posture. This 4.23 carat Ceylon stone, by contrast, revels in a lively, crystalline clarity that projects color with a lively immediacy rather than an opaque intensity. Against Australian stones which can present an inky, nocturnal blue, and Montana sapphires which tend toward the greenish blue and a more subdued palette, this sapphire stands apart as an exemplar of clarity and bright saturation, a gem that speaks with clarity and confidence.

The mixed brilliant cushion cut here plays a central role in how hue and tone are perceived, transforming raw color into wearable light. The cushion silhouette rounds the sapphire’s silhouette with a timeless elegance, while the brilliant pavilion facets inject a modern scintillation that lifts the color from within. Where Kashmir gems may offer a softer diffusion of light that creates a dreamy, painterly surface, and Burmese stones sometimes withhold light to preserve their royal depth, this Ceylon example allows facets to work openly, creating a lively interplay of flash and field that flatters the hand. The clarity grade very very slightly included at eye level denotes that the stone is essentially eye clean, and those small internal nuances serve as a signature of natural formation rather than distraction. The excellent polish ensures every facet edge is smooth, every table plane is mirror sharp, and every return of light is unencumbered. For the collector who values both saturated color and scintillating presence, the balance achieved here is rare and desirable.

To possess this sapphire is to possess a narrative of provenance mastery and tasteful discernment, an acquisition that reflects both rarity and refinement. Heat treatment has been applied in a manner consistent with the highest trade practices to enhance color while preserving the gem’s structural integrity and natural character, and the stone’s Ceylon origin ties it to a lineage of gems celebrated by connoisseurs for their clarity and lively blues. When set, whether as a solitary jewel that commands attention, or embraced within a halo that amplifies its fire, this 4.23 carat cushion blue sapphire will read as an heirloom of immediacy and long term desirability. At The Natural Sapphire Company we present this gem not only as a material treasure but as an emblem of achievement, a way for the wearer to declare an appreciation for genuine rarity and refined taste. For the collector who seeks a sapphire that combines the luminous character of Ceylon color with exceptional cut, clarity and polish, this stone is an invitation to possession and provenance.