Ceylon Sapphire

Ceylon sapphires are probably the worlds most famous and sought after sapphires due to the color in the blues only second to the extremely rare Kashmir sapphire. The Ceylon blue sapphire has been treasured by royal families for many centuries and was named the national gemstone of Sri Lanka in 2003. Healing fissures are very common and almost an indication of Ceylon origin on their own.

Sapphires in colors other than blue are called "fancy" sapphires.Fancy sapphires are often found in yellow, orange, green, brown, purple and violet hues

All natural blue sapphire will show a black bar in the violet/blue end of the spectrum, at 450 (4500). It may be difficult to see, especially in very pale blue Ceylon stone.

The best color of sapphire is described as a cornflower blue. Cornflowers come in varying shades of blue and violet as well as pink, purple, white and yellow,so "cornflower blue" evokes a wide array of color images even to people that have seen the flower.

There are different opinions as to what is the best sapphire hue. Some say blue; other say violetish blue. Most dealers agree, however, that greenish blues are less valuable. The GIA in its colored-stone grading course describes the most expensive sapphire color as either medium dark, vivid blue or medium dark , vivid violetish blue.