1.56 Ct. Yellow Sapphire from Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

This specimen is a transparent 1.56 carat cushion shape yellow sapphire, with precise dimensions of 7.53 x 5.30 x 3.74 mm, cut in a mixed brilliant configuration and finished to an excellent polish, origin Ceylon Sri Lanka. The mixed brilliant cut on this cushion marries a brilliant facet schema with selective step influenced elements to reconcile maximum light return with optimal color depth, the result is a gem that presents both scintillation and broad flash, while retaining a measured table and crown profile to avoid windowing. The weight to dimension ratio sits well within the expected range for a well cut sapphire at this size, a balance that indicates careful preform planning during the cutting process to preserve rough yield while achieving the targeted visual performance. Heat treated enhancement has been applied to stabilize and intensify the yellow hue, a standard and widely accepted practice in sapphire treatment, and the stone presents as stable and uniformly saturated under standard viewing conditions. The Natural Sapphire Company has graded this piece as very slightly included at eye level, and the clarity and polish together underscore the cutter s attention to facet junction sharpness and reflective symmetry.

The faceting architecture is engineered to exploit sapphire optics, with pavilion facet angles and crown geometry optimized to the refractive index and dispersion characteristics of corundum, thereby maximizing return of yellow wavelengths while maintaining balanced white light reflection. The mixed brilliant approach typically places a modified brilliant pavilion beneath a crown that incorporates smaller step influenced facets to create larger color windows that deepen perception of saturation, and in this example the cutter maintained tight facet junctions and consistent facet girdle thickness to preserve light performance across the table. Facet alignment and facet plane polishing are both executed to deliver crisp facet edges, strong facet contrast and minimal light leakage. The table percentage was chosen to mediate between brilliance and color, avoiding an overly large table that could reduce face up color intensity, and the pavilion was cut with angles that favor internal multiple reflections to enhance perceived depth. The cushion outline was carefully retained as the cutter rounded the corners to create pleasing symmetry, this shape responding well to mixed faceting by producing a lively scintillation pattern that complements the stone s intense yellow.

Color evaluation indicates an intense color intensity, with primary hue of yellow and negligible bias toward secondary tones, the saturation is strong and the tone is within the range that reads vivid to the eye without appearing dark or brownish. Color distribution is uniform across the table when viewed face up, and the cutting strategy preserves the gem s chroma by orienting the pavilion pattern to reduce light leakage and concentrate transmitted yellow wavelengths. Pleochroic behavior in yellow sapphire is modest compared with some other sapphire hues, nevertheless the cutter oriented the stone to display the most desirable face up hue during planning, an essential step in maximizing value for yellow varieties. Heat treatment was applied under controlled conditions to remove growth related color centers and to augment the yellow saturation, the treatment is stable under normal wear conditions and conforms with market expectations for enhanced gemstones. The provenance of Ceylon Sri Lanka contributes to the gem s profile, as Sri Lankan sapphires often exhibit bright, clear hues and lively saturation when well cut, and this piece exemplifies that regional character with an intense, clean yellow that reads consistently under daylight and standard incandescent viewing.

Inclusions in this sapphire serve as distinctive internal signatures, they are present at very slight levels when assessed at eye level, and they contribute to the stone s natural identity rather than detract from its aesthetic. Observed inclusions include fine pinpoint crystals and minute needlelike features which are common in natural corundum, along with occasional faint growth zoning and minor feathered growth lines, these elements appear as internal landmarks that gemmologists use to confirm natural origin and to differentiate heated natural sapphires from synthetic material. The inclusions are well distributed and do not form large cavities or cleavage planes, therefore they do not compromise the stone s robustness for everyday jewelry settings, and the cutter left sufficient girdle and pavilion integrity to ensure durability in a ring or pendant mounting. Under magnification these inclusions provide a fingerprint that is unique to this sapphire, offering provenance and individuality that many informed buyers prize, and they interact with facet reflections to produce subtle internal textures that can enhance the stone s visual depth. For buyers seeking a yellow sapphire that combines technical excellence in cutting with verifiable natural inclusions and Ceylon provenance, this 1.56 carat cushion is an exemplary selection, and The Natural Sapphire Company stands ready to provide detailed imagery, certificate documentation and recommended setting options to preserve the gem s optical performance and to showcase its distinctive character.