Ceylon Sapphires
About Ceylon Sapphires
The beautiful blue sapphire is one of the most famous and recognisable gemstones. The word sapphire comes from the greek word ‘sappheiros’ which means ‘blue stone’. The Ceylon Blue Sapphire is special and along with its vivid colour it can hold its natural shape without treatments.
Over time, Burma, Kashmir and Sri Lanka have all been famous sources of these beautifully coloured gems. Of these three countries, Sri Lanka has always been the most productive.
Sri Lanka is the only place on earth where you can find what seems like an endless supply of high-quality gemstones. The density of gemstones deposits, in Sri Lanka, are like no other compared to the size of the country. 90% of the Sri Lankan landmass is made up of gemstone bearing Precambrian rock.
Ceylon Sapphire History
When the Portuguese Empire arrived in 1505 it named the country Ceilão. This later translated to English as Ceylon which the island became known for as a British crown colony. Ceylon achieved its independence in 1948 as the Dominion of Ceylon. The country became a Republic in 1972 and this is when it became known as Sri Lanka. The sapphires however, are still known industry wide as Ceylon Sapphires today and we will refer to them as that throughout this article.
The history of gem mining in Sri Lanka is over 2,500 years old. Sri Lanka was even at one stage referred to as Rathna-Dweepa, meaning ‘Gem Island’ in Sinhalese. Traders of Persia referred to the country as Serendip which means ‘The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident’.
Nowadays, the market for sapphires is competitive due to quality stones found in Madagascar. Ceylon Sapphires are still important and highly sought for their vivid colours. The Sapphires from Ceylon are brighter and lighter in colour than the blue sapphires of Australia and Thailand.
Although famous for its renowned blue Sapphire, Sri Lanka has an enormous variety of Sapphires mined in the country. Blue sapphires are most commonly mined around Rapnapura (City of Gems) which is Southeast of Columbo. Green, violet, yellow, pink and the rare Padparadscha (a mix of pink and orange) are also found.
We can find Ceylon, Australian and other Sapphires in any size, shape or colour. If you would like assistance gemstone sourcing please contact us so we can help.
Are Ceylon Sapphires Hard?
Ceylon Sapphires, like other sapphires, belong to the corundum family with rubies. Sapphires have a hardness of 9 on the Mohs Hardness Scale. Sapphire is second only to diamond in terms of hardness. Because of its hardness, sapphires are considered suitable for all forms of jewellery and a great choice for use in rings, earrings and pendants. Sapphires have been one of the most popular gemstones we work with at Sara Handmade Jewellery in custom jewellery designs for clients.
Are Ceylon Sapphires Expensive?
A Blue Ceylon Sapphire's price is determined by the colour and quality of the gemstone. It is actually the colour that determines the quality of the gem. Depending on size, Blue Ceylon Sapphires can range from hundreds of dollars into the tens of thousands for high quality stones.
The Highest quality Ceylon Blue Sapphires have a royal blue colour with a hint of violet. Regardless of value, different shades of blue appeal to different individuals and the range of blues has something to suit most buyers tastes.
Ceylon Sapphires as Engagement Rings
Although diamonds remain the most popular choice for an engagement ring, sapphires, including Ceylon Sapphires are also very popular. Sapphire's hardness gives them longevity, resisting scratches from everyday wear.
Sapphires can also be a more cost effective choice with sapphire engagement rings being more affordable to those with diamonds. They are also popular for those who prefer colour with sapphires coming in blue, pink, green, yellow, orange, purple, colourless and black.
There have been many famous pieces of jewellery created through history from the Ceylon Sapphire. Easily the most famous of the modern era was that worn by Diana, Princess of Wales.
Her 12-carat Ceylon Sapphire was surrounded in 14 diamonds and set in 18 carat white gold. An unusual fact about Diana’s ring was that it was neither unique or custom-made. It was available in the catalogue for Garrard’s jewellery collection and available for anyone to purchase.
We make custom engagement rings that feature diamonds, sapphires as well as other gemstones. If you want to learn about the process of designing a custom handmade engagement ring, head to our jewellery stories section where we explain the process.
Sapphire - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the rarest Sapphire?
The rarest of all sapphires is the Padparadscha Sapphire. The padparadscha is from Sri Lanka and its name comes from the sinhalese word meaning lotus blossom. The lotus blossom has an unusual pink to orange colour that is also evident in the gem.
Is Sapphire a hard gemstone?
With a hardness of 9.0 on the Mohs hardness scale Sapphire is considered a very hard gemstone. Because of this, it can resist scratching and is considered a good choice for everyday use.
What birthstone is Sapphire?
Sapphire is the birthstone for the month of September. Available in a variety of shades and colours the sapphire is most sought after in its rich blue colour.
What is the meaning of Sapphire?
Integrity and wisdom are said to be the meaning behind sapphire. Many believe sapphire can help stimulate concentration, enhance creativity and promote depth of thought.
