HOW TO CHOOSE

Along with diamond, emerald, and ruby, sapphire is referred to as one of the “Big Four” gemstones. Of the Big Four, Sri Lankan sapphire can be obtained at a relatively reasonable price. In gem quality, it is probably best to purchase a basic design with a stone of about 3 carats. In jewelry quality, a lighter stone that is sufficiently blue under weak lighting is recommended over darker stones. Sri Lankan material is commonly color-zoned, so it is important to confirm the fineness of the color seen face-up, avoiding stones that lose beauty in this position. One can find Australian material priced in the $100 range for 3-to 5-carat stones, but these have an almost-black blue color that is totally lacking in beauty. Some darker stones such as this may even resemble black onyx, and are nowhere near beautiful. Even though these may be considered accessory quality, they should be avoided altogether.

The value of a three-carat-size Sri Lankan sapphire of jewelry quality is approximately US $3,500 for the stone alone (2004).