Ceylon Blue Sapphire: Neelam Manika
Colour, famous sapphires and Sri Lanka’s long connection to the gem trade.
Colour and tradition
Blue sapphire is corundum with a range of blue tones. September birthstone and prosperity associations belong to tradition.
Sri Lanka’s gem heritage
The article connects the island’s historic gem trade with Ratnapura and Deniyaya, local craftsmanship and the sapphire in Princess Diana’s engagement ring.
Notable stones in the original article
The archive names the Star of Adam, Black Star of Queensland, Star of India, Logan Sapphire and Siren of Serendib. These examples illustrate the prominence of large sapphires; they are not presented here as a current world ranking.
Choosing a sapphire
Colour, cut, clarity, weight and origin all inform selection. The article also discusses the many colour variations recognised by local traders and the role of generational mining and jewellery-making knowledge.
From the story
