01 / 05
The wash
Rough is won from gravel beds (the illam) by traditional, low-impact methods. No heavy machinery, no river diversion. The gravel is rinsed and sorted by eye in shallow baskets, exactly as it has been for centuries.
Source to Certificate
The journey of a Ceylon sapphire
Every Rohan sapphire passes through a known set of hands. This is the journey of a stone, from the gem fields of Sri Lanka to an independent report.
Our Philosophy
Provenancehereisachainofpeoplewecanname,fromthemineratthegravelbedtothegemmologistwhosignsthereport.
The journey of a stone
Five hands, fully traceable
Each stage is a person we can name. Nothing about the chain is anonymous.
02 / 05
The sort
Promising rough is studied for colour, clarity and crystal form. A single good stone can be the result of weeks of digging, so each piece is weighed on its own merits before it travels onward.
03 / 05
The cut
Master cutters in Beruwala mount each stone on a dop stick and facet it by hand, prioritising colour and life over raw weight. The cut is decided stone by stone, never to a generic calibration.
04 / 05
The grade
At the grading table we record carat, measurements, colour and clarity, and test for any indication of heat treatment. Stones that show no heating are set aside; they are rare, and we specialise in them.
05 / 05
The certificate
Significant stones are sent to independent laboratories, GIA, GRS or SSEF, for grading and origin determination. The certificate is not paperwork; it is provenance you can hold.
The wash
The wash
Rough is won from gravel beds (the illam) by traditional, low-impact methods. No heavy machinery, no river diversion. The gravel is rinsed and sorted by eye in shallow baskets, exactly as it has been for centuries.
The sort
The sort
Promising rough is studied for colour, clarity and crystal form. A single good stone can be the result of weeks of digging, so each piece is weighed on its own merits before it travels onward.
The cut
The cut
Master cutters in Beruwala mount each stone on a dop stick and facet it by hand, prioritising colour and life over raw weight. The cut is decided stone by stone, never to a generic calibration.
The grade
The grade
At the grading table we record carat, measurements, colour and clarity, and test for any indication of heat treatment. Stones that show no heating are set aside; they are rare, and we specialise in them.
The certificate
The certificate
Significant stones are sent to independent laboratories, GIA, GRS or SSEF, for grading and origin determination. The certificate is not paperwork; it is provenance you can hold.
Treatment & testing
Unheated, and independently confirmed
Most sapphires on the market are heated to deepen or clarify their colour. A stone confirmed with no indications of heating is rare, and its colour is the work of the earth alone. We test every significant stone, and the most respected laboratories confirm what we find.
GIAGRSSSEF
“We know every hand a stone passes through on its way to you. That is the whole point.”
The Rohan family
Go deeper
From the Knowledge Hub
Plain-spoken, expert guides on treatment, certification, colour and value.
6 min read
Heated vs Unheated Ceylon Sapphire: A Buyer's Guide
6 min read
Ceylon Teal & Parti Sapphires: The Collector's Guide
5 min read
What Is a Ceylon Sapphire? Origin, Colour and Value
5 min read
Ceylon Padparadscha: The Lotus-Coloured Sapphire
6 min read
Reading a Sapphire Certificate: GIA, GRS, SSEF & Gübelin
6 min read
Ceylon Sapphire Price Guide: Colour, Treatment & Carat
- 01Heated vs Unheated Ceylon Sapphire: A Buyer's Guide
- 02Ceylon Teal & Parti Sapphires: The Collector's Guide
- 03What Is a Ceylon Sapphire? Origin, Colour and Value
- 04Ceylon Padparadscha: The Lotus-Coloured Sapphire
- 05Reading a Sapphire Certificate: GIA, GRS, SSEF & Gübelin
- 06Ceylon Sapphire Price Guide: Colour, Treatment & Carat
Questions
The process, explained
How a Ceylon sapphire is sourced, tested and certified before it reaches you.
An unheated sapphire has never been baked to alter its colour or clarity. What you see is the work of the earth alone. Most sapphires on the market are heated; an independently confirmed unheated stone is rare, and it is what we specialise in.
Begin
Find your Ceylon sapphire
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