0.85 Ct. Yellow Sapphire from Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

This round yellow sapphire weighs 0.85 carat, and its calibrated dimensions are 5.63 by 5.59 by 3.90 millimeters. The gem is faceted in a mixed brilliant style, combining a brilliant crown with a modified pavilion to balance scintillation and color saturation. The average table and facet proportions have been adjusted to accommodate the stone size and material response, resulting in a measured depth of 69.5 percent, a proportion chosen to retain weight and enhance color rather than to maximize thinness. The cut yields an even, circular outline with symmetry that falls within strict lapidary tolerances for round stones of this category, and the polish is graded excellent, producing crisp facet junctions and uninterrupted light return across the crown facets. The stone is transparent, and its overall presentation is compact and lively for the sub one carat size range.

Optical and material parameters important to advanced buyers are consistent with gem quality corundum. Corundum typically exhibits a refractive index in the range 1.762 to 1.770, and a birefringence near 0.008 to 0.010, values that contribute to the gem s brilliance and face up behavior. Specific gravity for corundum is approximately 4.00, which informs how the gem sits and balances in a mounting. The mixed brilliant cutting approach used here is purposeful, with a brilliant crown to maximize return of white light and scintillation, and a modified pavilion to create controlled light leakage that emphasizes the yellow hue. In practice, the pavilion facet plan is tuned to the slightly deeper depth percent, which allows the stone to present a stable, light yellow tone without appearing washed out under varied lighting. The excellent polish completes the optical package, ensuring that facet windows and flashes remain sharp when viewed with magnification and at leisure.

Color and clarity considerations are central to assessing value, and this sapphire is evaluated with a light color intensity in the yellow range. The hue is a pure to slightly warm yellow, with saturation that reads as gentle and elegant rather than highly saturated. This light intensity is consistent with classic Ceylon yellow sapphires, and it makes the gem versatile for settings where a soft, sunlit tone is desired. Clarity is graded slightly included at eye level, meaning that inclusions are present but do not materially detract from the gem s overall transparency or face up appeal at normal viewing distances. In the majority of cases the inclusions are small crystal inclusions or faint reflective needles, and they do not affect the durability of the corundum. The stone has been heat treated, which is a standard and widely accepted enhancement in the trade, performed to stabilize and at times lighten or even out the color distribution, and to improve clarity by altering inclusion visibility. Heat treatment of corundum is a permanent, stable enhancement when properly executed, and it has been fully disclosed.

The origin of this sapphire is Ceylon, Sri Lanka, an origin that carries both historical and market significance. Ceylon sapphires are well known for producing elegant, lighter tones in the blue and yellow ranges, with a clarity and crystalline quality that reflects the gem s alluvial and secondary deposit history. From a gemological perspective, provenance from Sri Lanka is associated with trace element signatures and growth zoning patterns that experienced laboratories recognize, and collectors often prize this fingerprinting as additional assurance of character. Historically, Sri Lanka has been a continuous source for high quality sapphires for centuries, and this legacy supports strong demand from buyers who appreciate classic island provenance. The Ceylon origin also influences cutting decisions, as lapidaries familiar with Sri Lankan material will proportion the stone to preserve its characteristic tone rather than force an area of higher saturation that could reduce transparency. At The Natural Sapphire Company we emphasize transparent disclosure of origin and treatment, and we maintain provenance records and photographic documentation for each stone we source, ensuring that the market value reflects both gem quality and traceable origin.

For the technically minded buyer considering this 0.85 carat round yellow sapphire, practical considerations include wearability, setting recommendations, and optical presentation. Corundum s hardness of nine on the Mohs scale makes this sapphire suitable for daily wear in rings, pendants, and earrings, and the stone s dimensions and mixed brilliant faceting lend themselves to a range of mounting styles. A white metal mounting will enhance perceived brightness and contrast, while a yellow gold mount will harmonize and slightly deepen the warmth of the yellow tone. Given the light intensity, open prong or gallery designs that allow light to enter the pavilion will maximize face up color, while closed back bezels will mute some of the lively return. For buyers who value documentation, The Natural Sapphire Company provides gemological grading information, magnified imaging, and origin disclosure to support appraisal and insurance documentation. In summary, this Ceylon yellow sapphire offers a carefully considered combination of accurate cutting, stable treatment, transparent clarity grading, and island provenance, attributes that will be immediately appreciated by connoisseurs and setters looking for a refined, technically sound gemstone.