Ceylon Sapphires

When we buy sapphires, the first qualities that we look at are the four C's: Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat.  There are various permutations of these, which value a sapphire more than another, or less.  However, the industry is also dominated by another feature when buying sapphires.  The fifth and very significant determinant in this becomes the place of origin.  That is, where the Sapphire has been mined from.  This applies only to natural sapphires, not to lab created.

Sapphires are mined from a number of sources, some of these recently discovered.  Some of such sources of sapphires are Madagascar, US(Gem Mountain and Montana), Brazil, Tanzania and Cambodia.

Depending on where they are mined from, the color, intensity and hues of the cut sapphires vary.  This leaves plenty of choice for the wearer, as in is the sapphire a lighter blue like summer skies, or a deeper cornflower blue that is more popular.  General agreement of connoisseurs is that the deep blue of Ceylon Sapphires remains unmatched by sapphires elsewhere.

Ceylon is the place where sapphires have been mined for ages.  The recognition of Ceylon Sapphire is made by the luminosity of their light to mid-blue colors.  Having said that, if other characteristics are taken at a hypothetic constant, the deeper the blue hue in a Ceylon Sapphire, the higher its value.

After Ceylon sapphires, Kanchanaburi sapphires from Thailand are the next best choice.  This is so because it is only in Ceylon Sapphires that larger gemstones (two carats and more) exhibit the characteristic cornflower blue.  So, any customer who is slightly aware will go for Ceylon Sapphires, not only for the value they carry, but also because the returns are really good in the long run.  The tag of a Ceylon Sapphire is always the certification of the best that money can buy.

Kashmir sapphires from India were prized for their velvety blue sheen, but the mines exhausted themselves and now there are only old Kashmir sapphires available that are sourced at a premium if requested.

Some of the largest blue Ceylon Sapphires are listed below.

Barring The Lone Star, owned by Harold Roper, the top five in largest blue sapphires are all Ceylon Sapphires.

*Queen Marie of Romania is actually larger than a hen's egg and mounted by Cartier, was sold at auction in 2003 for 1,916,000 Swiss francs (US$1,494,000).  It went to a telephone bidder.