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Did you know? The world’s 1st, 2nd and 3rd largest faceted blue sapphires are in fact, Ceylon Sapphires. And, aside from adorning the likes of Princess Diana’s engagement ring and sitting on various royal heirlooms - Ceylon Sapphires are sought after by collectors and lovers alike.
Ceylon Sapphires are magnificent-looking jewels. But, what’s really so special about these gems in particular? And, if you’re looking to purchase one for yourself - what do you need to pay attention to?
If you’re looking for an in-depth, digestible guide to understanding or buying a Ceylon Sapphire, this article has been designed to help you make your decisions.
Ceylon sapphires, as the name suggests, are sapphires mined from Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon). The deep, rich colors and resilence of these stones make them idea candidates for engagement rings and other fine jewelry. And, they’ve certainly done a grand job of associating the country’s former name ‘Ceylon’ with elegance and regency.
Ceylon Sapphires are renowned as some of the best in the world. But, what exactly makes a Ceylon Sapphire - well, a true Ceylon Sapphire?
Technicalities aside, these gems are also renowned for their metaphysical properties.
For ages, people have associated gemstones with mystery and power. Sapphires in particular are considered to bring their owner wisdom, better concentration, enhance creativity, purity of mind and enable deep thought.
Ceylon Sapphires are currently some of the only good-quality sapphires available in the market. Additionally, Sri Lanka is also one of the only countries in the world that currently mine, refine and sell Sapphires. We’ll take a look at the how’s and the why’s in this section.
Blue Sapphires in general are one of the most sought-after gemstones in the world. Collectors and enthusiasts commend them to be some of the most beautiful and natural. Ceylon Sapphires in particular are known for being lighter, brighter, and more vivid than the dark blue sapphires that come from other countries - which really helps them stand out.
This incredibly unique property is not however by accident. 90% of Sri Lanka’s landmass is claimed to be formed of gem-bearing Precambrian rock. This results in the country possessing the most excellent density of gem deposits in proportion to its size.
Thanks to its composition, Sri Lanka’s always had an abundance of precious rocks. And, it didn’t take the natives too long to figure this out either. The Sri Lankan gem mining and trading industry dates back at least 2500 years. The locals even called their homeland ‘Rathnadeepa’ at one point, which translates to ‘Gem Island’.
So far, we’ve established that Ceylon Sapphires achieve their unique hue thanks to Sri Lanka’s organic land formation pattern. But, what else makes Ceylon Sapphires worthy of its glory?
Interestingly enough, despite containing some of the oldest gem mines in the world (with some dating back to at least the second century), Sri Lanka is still the most productive source of Sapphires in the world today. The country seems to have a seemingly endless stock of high-quality gemstones. In fact, some of the largest Sapphires in the world have been found in none other than Sri Lankan soil.
So, aside from its unique gemological properties, as we mentioned earlier, Ceylon Sapphires are currently some of the only good-quality sapphires available in the market. This is in contrast to other country-endemic sapphires like Kashmir Sapphires and those from Burma. Despite producing beautiful sapphires back in the day, Kashmir Sapphires are almost non-existent in the present day as no new stones of any significant gemological value have been found in the region in the last century. And, despite Burmese soil still producing high-quality sapphires in the current day, the country has shifted its focus towards the mining of Rubies instead, resulting in an unreliable flow of Sapphires from both countries.
Its also important to address one last unique property of Ceylon Sapphires: its color. Or, colors to be precise. All color variations of Sapphires can be found in Ceylon’s Sapphires, with the ‘Padmaraga’ color (translated to ‘lotus color’, alluding to its deep coral blue tones) being the most significant and sought after. While a Sapphire from say, Kashmir can be sought after for its corn-flower medium blue color - you can only find a beautiful coral blue Sapphire from Sri Lanka.
The reputation and allure of the Ceylon Sapphire have taveled far and wide, often extending beyond it’s South-Asian border. Rare Sapphires from Sri Lanka have appeared all over the world, often in the possession of royalty.
1. Princess Diana and Kate Middleton’s Diamond Engagement Ring
Princess Diana’s famous engagement ring was a 12 carat Ceylon Sapphire.
Princess Diana’s ring was later passed down to Kate Middleton, her daughter-in-law.
2. The Blue Belle of Asia
This Ceylon Sapphire was sold for $17.20 million in 2014, making it the highest-paid for Sapphire in the world weight an astounding 392.52 carats.
3. The Giant of the Orient
The heavy 486.52 carat stone is currently owned by a private American collector. Its last known appearance was in Christie's Magnificent Jewels action catalogue in May 2004.
4. The Logan Blue Sapphire
It is rumoured that this is the second-largest blue Sapphire in the world, weighing 423-carats. Interestingly enough, the stone is at present displayed at the Smithsonian Institution's Natural Museum of Natural History.
Sapphire, and even Ceylon Sapphires have four main qualities you can use as benchmarks:
Let’s take a look at how each quality affects the selling price of the Sapphire:
1. Colour
Now, colour is the quality that most heavily influences the final price of your Sapphire. Blue Sapphires that command cornflower, vivid or royal blue hues traditionally tend to attract higher prince ranges.
Ceylon Sapphires come in a multitude of colours. While many believe Ceylon Sapphires to be blue, there are also less common variants such as Yellow Ceylon Sapphires, Pink Ceylon Sapphires, and White Ceylon Sapphires. Check out our Ceylon Sapphire Color chart below to discover all the colors they come in:
| WHITES |  White Blueish (A1) |
 White Pinkish (A2) |
 White Yellowish (A3) |
 White Yellowish (A4) |
| PINKS |  Light Pink (B1) |
 Medium Pink (B2) |
 Vivid Pink (B3) |
 Hot Pink (B4) |
| BLUE |  Light Blue (C1) |
 Medium Blue (C2) |
 Vivid Blue (C3) |
 Royal Blue (C4) |
| YELLOW |  Light Yellow (D1) |
 Medium Yellow (D2) |
 Vivid Yellow (D3) |
 Orange Yellow (D4) |
| PURPLES |  Light Purple (E1) |
 Medium Purple (E2) |
 Vivid Purple (E3) |
 Dark Purple (E4) |
Take a look at our blog about Ceylon Sapphire colours for a more comprehensive breakdown.
2. Carat weight
The price per carat of a gem really depends on the stone’s total carat weight. If the price of the total carat of the stone increases, so does the price per carat.
3. Cut
Fun fact: Sri Lanka’s Sapphire cannot legally be shipped out of the country without being cut and polished (unless it is within Gewda category) thanks to Sri Lanka’s efforts in combating Sapphire trafficking.
As a result, almost all of Sri Lankan Sapphires need to be cut and polished in the country before it’s ever even shipped out.
How a Sapphire is cut really affects its price - which is why a lot of thought and effort is exerted on the cut of the stone. This is also the only man-made aspect of sapphires. The beauty of the final product is very much dependent on how well it’s cut. The more precise and thoughtful the cut is, the more desirable and expensive the Sapphire is.
4. Clarity
By clarity, we mean purity. The purer your Sapphire is, the higher in price it will be. You can determine the purity of your gem by looking at how devoid it is of impurities, cleavage, internal separation planes a gem us, and fractures.
Before we move on to the next section, make sure you take a look at our comprehensive guide to the qualities of Ceylon Sapphires.
The prices of Ceylon Sapphires, like in all Sapphire markets, unfortunately, aren't standardized.
Your Ceylon Sapphire’s price could range anywhere from $200 to $9,000. However, different stones could be priced either much higher or lower based on its individual qualities.
The factors that will mainly affect the price of a Sapphire are its cut, weight color and clarity. Additionally, the heat treatment the stone has endured will also be taken into account.
The following chart should help you gauge an understanding of the prices:
Before you go, we do need to run a quick disclaimer by you: the values on the table above are only rough values. The market value for these gems really differs from stone to stone. Since Sapphires are natural, scarce resources, they usually tend to increase in value over time.
How can you tell if a Ceylon Sapphire is real? Well, if you’re looking at purchasing a Ceylon Sapphire, we highly recommend purchasing your gemstone from an authorised seller.
However, if you ever find yourself curious about the authenticity of your gem - the only way to really verify its legitimacy is through lab testing.
A gem testing lab would look for three main criteria to determine the authenticity of your Sapphire:
1. Inclusion features
The lab will look through a few factors such as cavity fillings, growth features, and other characteristics within gems that are large enough to be seen with a microscope to determine authenticity.
2. Chemical fingerprinting
The lab technicians will look at a breakdown of the major, minor, and trace elements that make up the gem to help determine its authenticity.
3. Spectral fingerprinting
For this test, the lab technicians look at the way different types of light (particularly ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared range light) interact with the gem. The readings help them determine the type of gem, its origin, and any treatments it has undergone.
For these tests, labs would use specialised equipment like a fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), energy dispersive X-Ray fluorescence spectrometer (EDXRF), ultraviolet-visible-near infrared spectrometer (UV-Vis-NIR), laser-induced breakdown spectrometer (LIBS).
Adorning your body with precious Sapphires is made better when you know they’ve been sourced from ethical means.
Here at Ceylons Munich, we strive to find you the best of Ceylon’s Sapphire ethically. We work in collaboration with the locality to help source the best of the best, for you.
If you’re looking to own one of these stunning gems, you’ve come to the right place. You can always speak to one of our consultants to kick off your purchase.
Send us an Inquiry for your Sapphire or Set up a FREE consultation today!
In the meantime, take a look at our blog on Ceylon Munich’s ethical mining and sustainability practises.
Was Diana's engagement ring a Ceylon sapphire?
Yes, it was. Diana’s engagement ring was indeed a Ceylon Sapphire.
Where are Ceylon sapphires mined?
Ceylon Sapphires are mined in Ceylon, or Sri Lanka. The country is one of the top producers of naturally sourced Sapphires - and is the home to 70 of the world's 200 varieties of coloured stones, including its best-known export, the Ceylon or Blue sapphire.
Are Ceylon sapphires ethical?
As with all other types of gem-mining, Ceylon Sapphires too can sometimes be sourced unethically. Its imperative to chose a seller that abides by ethical practises. Take a look at Ceylon Munich’s ethical and sustainable mining practices.
What is special about Ceylon sapphires?
Ceylon Sapphires are famous for their vibrant medium blue hues. It also has the highest density of gem deposits in relation to its landmass with 90% of the landmass said to be composed of gem bearing Pre-Cambrian rock.
How much are Ceylon sapphires worth?
Ceylon Sapphires range from $200 - $9,000. The Sapphire price is determined by the Color, Clarity, Cut, Carat Weight of the gemstone. However, individual Sapphires may have higher prices depending on its qualities.
Why are Ceylon sapphires so expensive?
Ceylon, or Sri Lanka is currently one of the only countries in the world that produces Sapphires. Because of this, Ceylon Sapphires, or Sapphires in general are quite rare.
What colour is a Ceylon sapphire?
Ceylon Sapphires come in a variety of colors like Blue, Yellow, Pink, White and Purple. However, Ceylon sapphires are celebrated for their bright mid blue colour.
How do I identify a Ceylon sapphire?
Ceylon or Sri Lankan Sapphires have lighter blue color like true cobalt blue. These stones are very distinguishable from the likes or Austrailian or Thai Sapphires - which have more of a blackish blue
How do you clean a Ceylon sapphire ring?
You can follow a simple three step process to clean a Ceylon Sapphire:
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