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Seylan Gems & Jewelry

Sapphire buyer’s guide

Sapphire is corundum in every color except red (that is ruby). Ceylon remains one of the world’s most celebrated sources for fine blue and fancy-color sapphire.

Specifications

Sapphire At a glance

Typical published ranges used in gemology. Specific gravity below matches our carat calculator default where applicable. (SG 4.00)

Sapphire Gemological specifications
Hardness (Mohs) 9
Refractive index 1.762–1.770
Specific gravity (SG) ~4.00 (typical range 3.95–4.03)
Chemistry Al₂O₃ — corundum; color from iron, titanium, chromium, and other trace elements
Lustre Vitreous to subadamantine
Common origins Ceylon, Madagascar, Kashmir (historic), Myanmar, Australia

Color and “Ceylon” character

Classic Ceylon blues often lean lighter and brighter, with lively brilliance. Velvet Kashmir material is historic and scarce. Fancy sapphires — yellow, pink, orange, green, teal, white, lavender, and peach — follow the same durability rules with different rarity curves. Padparadscha and star sapphire are common enough in our catalog that they have their own guides. Judge color in natural and indoor light. A color word in the title should match the face-up stone, not a filter.

Heat treatment

Routine heat treatment is accepted across the industry and improves color or clarity for most commercial stones. Unheated fine sapphire commands a premium and should be backed by a reputable laboratory report. Always ask for treatment status in writing.

Buying tips from Seylan

Hardness 9 makes sapphire excellent for daily-wear rings. Check proportions: deep pavilions add weight without face-up size. Prefill the carat calculator with type=sapphire (SG ~4.00) when you have millimetre measurements. Use Size & Fit on product pages to compare against a coin or finger.

Ethics and Ceylon sourcing

Seylan Gems & Jewelry focuses on certified natural stones with clear documentation. Ceylon sapphire heritage matters to us — origin claims should match invoices and lab notes. We are happy to walk through reports and sourcing questions on a consult.

Educational / market education only. This page is not a certified laboratory report insurance appraisal or formal valuation for legal or customs purposes. Always confirm treatment and origin with documentation.

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Browse certified stones estimate carat from millimetres or ask us to help interpret a report.