2.23 Ct. Zircon from Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

This transparent 2.23 carat oval zircon measures 8.73 x 6.84 x 3.64 mm, and presents an orangish brown hue with a medium intense tone and eye clean clarity when evaluated at eye level. The stone is cut in a mixed brilliant configuration, combining a brilliant style crown with a carefully proportioned step style pavilion to balance high light return and strong dispersion. The mixed brilliant faceting preserves scintillation across the oval outline while controlling the visual effects of zircon birefringence, producing crisp facet junctions and limited apparent doubling through judicious pavilion angling. Excellent polish enhances surface reflection and maximizes the stone spectral fire, leveraging zircon refractive indices that typically fall in the 1.93 to 1.98 range and dispersion near 0.039 to deliver lively flashes without appearing overly aggressive. No enhancement is present, and the cut symmetry and table proportioning have been executed to optimize face up brightness and retention of the medium intense saturation characteristic of fine Ceylon zircons.

When comparing hue and tone to similar gemstones from other renowned localities, this Ceylon piece maintains a distinctive balance of orange and brown that differs from the often more red leaning orangey zircons from Ratanakiri in Cambodia which typically show stronger red undertones and a slightly higher apparent saturation. Tanzanian material, particularly from Mavuco, frequently exhibits a deeper brown component and a darker tone, making this Ceylon specimen perceptibly lighter and more orange in relation. Madagascan zircons can be variable, with some stones achieving vivid orange saturation while others lean toward paler honey tones, placing this stone intermediate in intensity and closer to traditional Sri Lankan warmth than to the bright tropical oranges of some Madagascar parcels. Compared to Sri Lankan hessonite garnet, the zircon offers markedly greater dispersion and a cooler brown component, resulting in a crisper fire and a more crystalline translucency, while hessonite tends toward a softer, oilier cinnamon appearance. The Natural Gemstone Company presents this finely cut Ceylon zircon for buyers who prioritize precise optical performance and natural provenance, offering a transparent, eye clean, untreated oval that is calibrated for balanced brilliance, measured color intensity, and enduring collector appeal.