3.09 Ct. Pinkish Purple Sapphire from Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

This pinkish purple sapphire began its journey deep within the ancient metamorphic gravels of Ceylon Sri Lanka, a landscape that has been whispering the language of gems for millennia. Centuries of weathering and the patient work of rivers concentrated pockets of corundum along river beds where gem seekers have long hand sorted rich finds. This particular crystal started as aluminium oxide organized into a trigonal lattice, absorbing tiny, unexpected traces of chromophore elements that tuned its light into a vivid pinkish purple hue. The history of Sri Lankan sapphires carries a cultural weight, from local lore to royal collections, and this stone arrives to you as an heirloom in the making, untouched by heat or chemical enhancement, a natural statement that bears the fingerprint of its island origin. At The Natural Sapphire Company we honor that story by bringing the raw geology and the human tradition of gem cutting together into a single exquisite gem.

We have cut this transparent gem into a graceful cushion shape, a harmonious silhouette that measures 10.08 x 7.42 x 4.27 mm and weighs 3.09 carats, with a mixed brilliant facet scheme chosen to celebrate both color and sparkle. The mixed brilliant cut blends the scintillating upper facets of a brilliant with the elegant step and pavilion planning of a modified cushion, creating a lively play of light while preserving depth of tone. Clarity is evaluated at eye level as very slightly included, which means the stone reads beautifully clean to the hand held gaze and keeps its visual purity when set. Color intensity is vivid, a saturated balance that makes the gem unmistakable without overpowering, and the polish is excellent, each facet meeting with crispness and finish that allows light to pass and return without distraction. No enhancement has been applied, so the color you see is the color the earth and geological time gave it.

The brilliance you witness in this sapphire is the result of both atomic structure and artisanal geometry, a duet between nature and cutter. Corundum has a relatively high refractive index near 1.76 which bends and slows light more than many other gem minerals, and when that refracted light encounters carefully angled pavilion facets it is redirected back through the crown as scintillation and brilliance. The crystal structure of corundum, layered and orderly, scatters light in ways that reward precise facet junctions with lively flashes and internal reflection. The mixed brilliant cut capitalizes on this physics by using a generous table and a series of crown facets to create dynamic flash, paired with deeper pavilion facets to trap and reflect light internally. Because the stone is transparent and very slightly included, there are no large internal interruptions to diffuse or dull the beams, so every facet junction works to amplify sparkle. The excellent polish is the final, crucial element, smoothing microfacet imperfections so that each ray of light emerges clean and sharp, giving a sparkle that feels both deep and immediate.

When you hold this sapphire in your hand you hold a narrative that began in ancient rock and found completion in thoughtful craftsmanship, a gem that will sit at the center of new family stories. Imagine this 3.09 carat cushion set in a simple bezel to showcase its color, or surrounded by a halo to make its vivid pinkish purple sing with contrast. At The Natural Sapphire Company we stand behind the provenance and natural state of this gem, and we can advise on settings that allow the mixed brilliant cut to do what it does best, return light with exuberance. For those seeking a single stone that embodies geological time, human skill, and a sparkle that is the product of structure, cut, and uncompromised finish, this Ceylon sapphire offers a rare combination. Contact us to see this gem in hand, and let us help you preserve its story in a piece you will love to pass on.