This page gathers the gemstones in our collection whose origin is Sri Lanka, the island historically known as Ceylon and one of the oldest continuously worked gem sources in the world. Its alluvial gravels have long been associated with corundum and chrysoberyl, and the material found here is prized for its brightness and clarity of colour.
You will find Blue Sapphire and Yellow Sapphire, both varieties of corundum coloured by trace elements — iron and titanium giving blue, iron alone contributing to yellow. Alongside them sit Star Sapphire and Blue Star Sapphire, corundum containing fine oriented rutile inclusions that reflect light as a six-rayed star when cut en cabochon. Chrysoberyl, a separate mineral species, is also represented; it is notably hard and known for its lively, golden tones.
When choosing between them, weigh the character of the stone rather than the category alone. Faceted sapphires are judged on colour saturation, evenness of hue and light return through the cut, while star stones are judged on the sharpness and centring of the star and the translucency of the dome. Consider too how the stone will be set, and the light it will most often be seen in.
