4.61 Ct. Blue Sapphire from Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

One transparent cushion shape blue sapphire, 4.61 carat, dimensions 10.91 by 8.20 by 5.65 mm, mixed brilliant cut, clarity graded very very slightly included at eye level, intense color intensity, excellent polish. The pavilion and crown proportions yield a depth of 5.65 mm, which corresponds to a depth ratio of about 59 percent when measured against the average of length and width, a proportion that supports balanced light performance and optimal face up presence. The mixed brilliant faceting combines a brilliant crown with a step or modified pavilion, creating a controlled interplay between broad flashes and smaller scintillation. The material is transparent, the color is evenly distributed, and the point of origin is Ceylon Sri Lanka, with enhancement by standard heat treatment to optimize hue and saturation. Presented by The Natural Sapphire Company, this stone has been cut and finished to emphasize both color and light return, with polish quality assessed as excellent to maximize reflective clarity.

Optical behavior and reflective qualities are defined by the gem species and by the cut. Corundum has a refractive index in the range of approximately 1.76 to 1.77, and dispersion that is modest compared with gems such as diamond, therefore sapphires do not exhibit fire in the way that higher dispersion gems do, however they can display impressive internal brilliance and contrast when faceted effectively. This mixed brilliant cushion leverages that property to produce crisp facet definition and a lively pattern of light and dark areas, translating intense blue body color into vivid blue flashes and clean white reflections. Compared with other sapphires, Ceylon material typically presents a brighter, more lively reflection profile than the silky, soft glow associated with classic Kashmir stones, which tend to diffuse light for a velvety appearance, and differs from the often deeper, more saturated reflectivity of some Burmese sapphires, which can present stronger contrast and richer blue tones. Compared with other blue gemstones in the same marketplace, such as spinel and tanzanite, this sapphire offers greater hardness and durability, with spinel showing comparable brilliance but generally lower pleochroism, and tanzanite demonstrating strong trichroic color shifts that alter its reflective behavior depending on orientation and lighting. Ruby, being the red variety of corundum, shares similar refractive and reflective characteristics, yet its red absorption produces a different sense of contrast and depth when light interacts with the facets.

Practical considerations for use and setting flow from these measured properties. The cushion outline and mixed brilliant faceting are versatile for a central ring mount, pendant, or bespoke jewelry piece, where the polished facet junctions will return light cleanly to the viewer and the depth proportion will preserve visual size while maintaining stability in the setting. Heat treatment is a widely accepted enhancement that stabilizes color without materially affecting the gem's physical integrity, and the clarity grading of very very slightly included at eye level indicates that inclusions are minimal and typically not visible to the unaided eye, supporting a clean, legible face up appearance. When evaluating reflective performance against other options in the same category, consider that cut quality and polish are often the dominant factors in perceived brilliance, even within stones of similar origin and color, and this example has been consciously cut and finished to accentuate both the intense Ceylon blue hue and the brilliance imparted by the mixed brilliant faceting. The Natural Sapphire Company documents the gem attributes and provides condition and origin information to support informed selection, and this specimen represents a technically proportioned, well finished example of Ceylon blue sapphire suitable for a range of fine jewelry applications.