1.80 Ct. Padparadscha Sapphire from Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

If you are searching for a truly singular center stone for an engagement ring, or a rare, natural addition for a collector who values provenance and purity, this padparadscha sapphire answers that quest with confidence. This transparent oval sapphire weighs 1.80 carats, measures 8.74 x 6.65 x 3.46 mm, and is cut in a mixed brilliant style that balances table size with pavillion faceting to maximize scintillation. At an evaluated clarity of very very slightly included at eye level, the stone reads as eye clean, allowing light to move freely through the gem without obvious interruptions. The color intensity is light, offering the delicate pastel interplay of pink and warm apricot tones that padparadscha sapphires are celebrated for. The polish is excellent, and importantly this stone is untreated, showing no enhancement, with a documented origin of Ceylon Sri Lanka. At The Natural Sapphire Company we curate stones with this degree of natural character because customers seeking authenticity want both beauty and integrity, and this gem supplies both.

When it comes to reflective qualities, this padparadscha sapphire offers a luminous, soft brilliance that differs in character from both traditional blue sapphires and other pink gemstones. Corundum, the mineral family that includes sapphires, has a refractive index in the range of about 1.762 to 1.770, which produces a bright, controlled light return and a vitreous luster that reads as a warm sheen rather than a mirror flash. Compared to diamond, which has a much higher refractive index and a striking adamantine brilliance, this sapphire displays a gentler, more diffuse fire. Against other pink stones often considered for similar settings, such as morganite, which has a lower refractive index around 1.57 and a softer, less lively return of light, this padparadscha appears more lively and optical in motion. Compared with spinel, which can be visually similar in tone but carries a slightly lower refractive index around 1.712 and often different saturation, this Ceylon padparadscha maintains a distinctive depth and internal glow that feels more gemlike and refined.

Among sapphires themselves, padparadscha varieties are prized for their unique blend of pink and orange, a color combination that interacts with light in a way other sapphires do not. A blue Ceylon sapphire presents crisp flashes and a cooler luster, while this padparadscha returns light in warmer flashes across the mixed brilliant facets, producing a soft scintillation that is both lively and delicate. The mixed brilliant cut plays a crucial role, the faceting pattern enhancing table brilliance and edge scintillation so movement produces a pleasing play of light rather than a single, hard flash. The excellent polish ensures that those facets present clean, uninterrupted mirror planes, optimizing light return and making the stone appear larger and more animated than its dimensions might suggest. The eye clean clarity grade keeps the surface and interior free of distracting inclusions, which allows the pastel hues to breathe and the light to travel within the stone unimpeded, a quality collectors and brides alike find especially attractive in an untreated Ceylon piece.

If your need is to find a stone that will sit at the heart of a lifelong piece, one that reads as both rare and wearable, this padparadscha from The Natural Sapphire Company is an elegant conclusion to that search. Its light color intensity and natural, unaltered state mean the reflective behavior will remain true over time, without the visual shifts that can accompany surface or clarity enhancements. In a ring setting the stone will lend a soft, luminous presence on the hand, catching light in a manner that flatters every skin tone without demanding the high contrast of diamond brilliance. For collectors seeking comparative performance, this sapphire offers a middle ground between the sparkling, high dispersion appeal of gems like diamond, and the muted, romantic glow of stones such as morganite, all while retaining the durability and prestige that corundum provides. We invite you to view the gem under your preferred lighting, and our team at The Natural Sapphire Company will provide detailed photos and videos to illustrate how the mixed brilliant cut, excellent polish, and eye clean clarity come together to produce the distinctive reflective signature of this padparadscha. Your search for a natural, characterful, and visually harmonious sapphire can end here, with a gem that promises both everyday elegance and the rare satisfaction of owning an untouched Ceylon padparadscha.