15.22 Ct. Bluish Green Cabochon Sapphire from Madagascar

From the riverbeds of Madagascar to the careful hands of our cutters, this sapphire carries a quiet story of time and place. Born in ancient alluvial gravels where seasonal rains reveal buried treasures, the rough stone was discovered by miners who know the land, and who recognize the subtle glow that separates a special crystal from the common. Madagascar produces sapphires with a singular character, often carrying oceanic depths and unexpected hints of green, and this stone is no exception. It started as a raw, bluish green nugget, its colours hidden beneath a weathered skin, the promise of translucence waiting to be uncovered. The journey from that riverbank to a certified gem was guided by respect for the material, a focus on preserving natural color and clarity, and a refusal to alter what nature intended. Each imperfection in the rough tells a chapter of geological history, and when I hold this piece I think about the slow movements of heat, pressure, and water that created it, and the hands that coaxed its inner life into view.

As the gem entered the studio it was evaluated and shaped, revealing the qualities that make it remarkable. This is a GIA certified, translucent, 15.22 carat sapphire, cut into a cushion shape that measures 12.49 x 12.24 x 9.40 mm. The cutter chose a sugar loaf style, a softened domed approach that honors the stone by preserving weight and depth while allowing the bluish green hues to breathe. The color is described as intense, a buoyant saturation that reads differently under varied light, sometimes tilting more blue, sometimes more green, but always rich and engaging. Clarity is graded included, evaluated at eye level, which means the internal features are natural signatures rather than faults, and they contribute to the gem’s personality. The polish is excellent, giving the surface a smooth, luminous finish that contrasts with the inner textures and highlights the depth of tone. Importantly, this sapphire has no enhancement, a quality increasingly rare and highly valued, because it presents the stone exactly as it was formed in Madagascar. The GIA certification adds an independent voice to this narrative, confirming weight, measurements, origin, and the natural, untreated state, which gives you confidence in both provenance and quality.

When I imagine this sapphire set for wear, I see it becoming part of new stories, worn in moments of promise and celebration. The cushion sugar loaf profile is especially generous for a ring or pendant, offering a soft, tactile presence that sits comfortably against skin and catches light with a gentle, inner glow. The stone’s translucence means it will interact with different settings, metal colors, and light environments, sometimes glowing like a quiet sea, sometimes showing deeper forest notes. The included clarity and internal features are not flaws to be hidden, they are markers of authenticity, and they make each viewing intimate and unique. At The Natural Sapphire Company we believe that such gems deserve settings that respect their origin and their character, so we recommend designs that showcase the stone’s surface and depth, protect the sugar loaf dome, and allow the intense color to be seen from the top and through the sides. Whether set in a classic bezel that honors the cushion silhouette, or in a halo that adds a contrasting frame, the gem will remain unmistakably natural because no heat treatment or enhancement has altered its story.

Owning this sapphire means carrying a piece of Madagascar’s geology, a fragment of a miner’s careful eye, and the expertise of cutters who balanced preservation with beauty. The GIA certificate accompanies the gem as a record of its true attributes, and at The Natural Sapphire Company we stand behind the journey from mine to market, offering detailed knowledge and thoughtful design options so that the final jewel reflects both origin and intention. If you seek a stone that speaks softly of wild places, yet performs with clarity and polish befitting a lifetime of wear, this 15.22 carat, cushion shape, sugar loaf sapphire is a rare opportunity. It is intense in color, honest in clarity, excellent in polish, and free from enhancement, carrying a provenance that begins in Madagascar and arrives to you as a certified, wearable treasure.