Ceylon Sapphire
The Ceylon Sapphire, also the Sri Lanka Sapphire, is one of the most beautiful gemstones and is also the birth stone for the month of September.
These stones are not found everywhere in this world and are limited to a very few locations such as Sri Lanka, India, Burma, Madagascar, Australia and Africa. However, the most beautiful of sapphires are found in the land of Ceylon, erstwhile name of Sri Lanka, and thus these sapphires have come to be known as Ceylon sapphires.
What most of you must be thinking about is that sapphires are blue in color but that’s not at all true. Sapphires are found in variety of colors from sparkling yellow, purple and pink to even colors such as violet and green. It is believed that sapphires provide protection from evil spirits and harm, thus the royal family of Sri Lanka as well as other Asian royalties and European aristocrats are said to have worn sapphire rings since ancient times.
Sri Lanka has long been known for its exotic gems and though blue sapphires are the most important gem found on their land, since 2005 fancy sapphires have also turned into a huge export business. Fancy sapphires are any sapphires which are not blue in color. The most famous of all Ceylon sapphires is the Padparadscha and they are sought worldwide due their beauty and mystical history. It is believed that the Padparadscha is the color of a lotus flower and the tropical sunset, mesmerizing thousands with its melting color equilibrium. It has attained a mystical quality due its ever changing color tones.
At least 95% of the Ceylon sapphires are treated before export. Untreated sapphires are considered a rarity and are extremely difficult to find. Most of the sapphires available are often fakes so you need to be careful while buying sapphires. Buying sapphires after seeing their photo on the internet isn’t a wise idea because it is extremely difficult to capture the true photo of a sapphire. With every different angle and distance a different hue and color of sapphire comes out so you must understand that what you might see in a photo may not be actually visible.
Sri Lanka is famous for another sapphire which is yellow in color. Though these sapphires are not strong in color, they are extremely lustrous and crystalline in structure. A well cut Ceylon yellow sapphire is a beautiful gemstone that can be gifted to friends and family. Other than these there are also purple sapphires which are far undervalued due to their strong color presence. Pink sapphires are quietly growing in popularity because most girls like the pink color and apart from Padparadscha, pink sapphires have become the most expensive variety amongst the fancies.
Due to the huge variety available, the cost of Ceylon sapphires may vary a lot depending on the color, the size and the shape. It would be wise to set a budget before setting out on buying sapphire rings or jewelry. You must get yourself Ceylon sapphires as they are the most beautiful gemstones and last for a very long time.