1.49 Ct. Violet Spinel from Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

One transparent cushion shape violet spinel weighing 1.49 carat, measuring 7.32 x 5.14 x 4.31 mm, displays a mixed brilliant faceted cutting style, an excellent polish, and a clarity grade of very slightly included when evaluated at eye level, no enhancement, and confirmed origin Ceylon, Sri Lanka. The gem presents a true violet hue with dark color intensity, a depth that enhances saturation without becoming opaque, and facet geometry that promotes lively light return and scintillation. The cushion silhouette with mixed brilliant pavilion balances table size and crown facets to emphasize both color and sparkle, while the very slightly included clarity offers a clean appearance to the unaided eye and minimal distraction under close inspection. The provenance and the absence of treatments are documented, and The Natural Gemstone Company provides these specifications to support informed evaluation and comparison.

Compared to spinels from Mahenge Tanzania, which are often celebrated for vivid purplish pinks with extremely high saturation and a slightly lighter to medium tone, this Ceylon violet carries a darker, more amethystine depth that reads as richer and more brooding in low light. Against classic Mogok, Myanmar spinels that trend toward intense ruby and pigeon blood red hues, this violet spinel remains distinctly cooler and more violet leaning, closer in temperament to the cooler spectrum of gem corundums than to those warm red spinels. When juxtaposed with renowned sapphires from Kashmir and from Ceylon, which typically show velvety medium blue to cornflower blue tones, the spinel’s violet hue bridges the blue and red ends of the color spectrum, offering a rare intermediary character, darker and more saturated than many Sri Lankan pastel spinels, yet more transparent and lively than some heavily saturated specimens from other localities. These comparisons highlight the gem’s unique position among notable sources, combining Ceylon clarity and crystalline polish with a saturated dark violet tone that reads as both elegant and substantial.