How to Buy a Ceylon Sapphire

Start with what you know and what you don't. A useful first message covers: species (sapphire, ruby, alexandrite, etc.), preferred colour, carat weight range, budget range, cut preference, and — critically — whether you need the stone unheated or are open to heated material. If you're buying for jewellery, mention the setting; if for investment, mention the holding horizon.

You do not need to have all the answers. If you're not sure whether you want unheated or heated, or whether Ceylon origin is essential, we'll walk you through the trade-offs before we source. The most useful thing you can send is a photo of a stone whose colour you like — it removes ambiguity faster than any description.

We work directly with cutters and dealers in Ratnapura, Elahera, and Beruwala — the three major gem centres in Sri Lanka. Depending on what you need, sourcing can take anywhere from 24 hours (for common commercial grades) to several weeks (for a specific unheated Padparadscha in a specific size, for example).

We only show you stones that meet your brief. If we can't find something worth showing, we'll tell you honestly — including what compromises would open up more options and roughly what the price impact would be.

For each candidate stone we send: high-resolution photographs in daylight and indoor lighting, a video showing the stone rotated under both light sources, exact carat weight and dimensions in millimetres, the laboratory report (or a note if certification is still being arranged), and any relevant provenance information.

For unheated Ceylon sapphires, the laboratory report is the whole game. Independent origin determination from GIA, GRS, Gübelin, or SSEF is what turns "we think this is Ceylon" into "the laboratory confirmed Sri Lankan origin." Without it, you are trusting the dealer — including us. We recommend you don't.

Every significant stone ships with a certificate from GIA, GRS, Gübelin, or SSEF. If a stone doesn't have a current report, we arrange one before shipping — you pay the certification fee only for the stone you commit to. For stones under roughly 1 carat where certification cost exceeds a reasonable percentage of the stone's value, an in-house or Colombo (GIC) report is a proportionate alternative.

The certificate you receive will state: species (natural corundum), variety, detectable treatment status (unheated / heated / heated with residues), carat weight, dimensions, and — for the top international labs, where requested and possible — an opinion on geographic origin. Keep the certificate. It is one of the most important pieces of documentation supporting a gemstone's identity, treatment status and (where available) origin, and is central to any future resale.

Once you're happy with the stone, the paperwork, and the price, we confirm the order. Payment is typically bank transfer for larger stones; smaller stones can go via credit card or PayPal. We provide a full pro-forma invoice with the certificate number, treatment status, and origin explicitly stated — this is what your customs authority will want to see on arrival.

For jewellers and trade buyers, we can hold stones on approval for a short window while you close with your end customer. For collectors and investors, we can arrange escrow through a mutually agreed third party for stones over a defined threshold. Ask.

Shipping is fully insured door-to-door via FedEx Priority or DHL Express (typically 3–5 business days to major destinations). We handle Sri Lankan customs and export documentation; you handle the receiving side, but we send you the exact HS codes, declared values, and paperwork your customs broker will need.

Full disclosure of one thing that trips up first-time buyers: import duties, VAT/GST and any sales taxes at destination are yours, not ours — and they vary by country, by the classification of the item, and by declared value. We provide the commercial documentation your customs broker will need. Buyers should confirm applicable import charges with their local customs authority before committing, since rules change and we cannot give tax advice.