Corundum var. Sapphire

📍Ratnapura, Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka 🇱🇰
Dimensions: 14 / 13 / 9 mm

This 1.4 cm blue-zoned sapphire comes from the famous alluvial gem deposits of Ratnapura, in Sri Lanka’s Sabaragamuwa Province—aptly known as the “City of Gems.” Ratnapura has been one of the world’s most celebrated sapphire localities for over two millennia, renowned for producing the legendary “Ceylon blue” sapphires.

The crystal originates from secondary alluvial gravels locally called *illam*, formed by the transport and deposition of gem-bearing material from primary metamorphic rocks. The natural blue color zoning within the sapphire reflects subtle variations in trace elements—mainly iron and titanium—during its crystallization under high-temperature and high-pressure metamorphic conditions. These elemental variations are the key to the sapphire’s distinctive hue.

With the tightening of environmental regulations and the gradual decline of artisanal mining, many traditional pits in the Ratnapura region have closed since the early 2000s. As a result, sapphires such as this one not only embody Sri Lanka’s rich geological and cultural heritage but also represent an increasingly scarce natural treasure.