Project 04 - The Inner Garden - 18.53 cts

Project 04 - The Inner Garden - 18.53 ctsGem Type: Natural Sapphire Corundum Collection: The Uncut Reserve Colour: Green Teal Rough Weight: 18. 53ct Shape: Natural Rough Treatment: Unheated Origin: Australia Measurements: Lab Certification: GIA after cutting Potential Cutting Options: Oval, Cushion, Emerald Cut, or Pair of Rounds Estimated Finished Weight: 6ct target (+2 1ct) Cut dependent Estimated Finished Clarity: Eye clean to slightly included, depending on final cutting direction

Gem Type: Natural Sapphire Corundum

Collection: The Uncut Reserve

Colour: Green / Teal

Rough Weight: 18.53ct

Shape: Natural Rough

Treatment: Unheated

Origin: Australia

Measurements: 

Lab Certification: GIA after cutting

Potential Cutting Options: Oval, Cushion, Emerald Cut, or Pair of Rounds

Estimated Finished Weight: 6ct target (+2/-1ct) / Cut dependent

Estimated Finished Clarity: Eye clean to slightly included, depending on final cutting direction

Estimated Finished Tone: Medium dark

Expected Inclusions After Cut: Natural inclusions may remain visible under close inspection

This 18.53ct Australian sapphire rough was selected by The Sapphire Merchant for the colour concealed beneath its natural outer skin.

In its rough form, the stone appears dark and understated from some angles, with the quiet surface character often seen in Australian sapphire rough. Under light, however, the crystal opens to reveal a bright green to yellow-green body colour, with subtle teal undertones visible through parts of the stone. This contrast between the darker exterior and the colour held within is what gives Project 04 its story.

Offered as part of The Uncut Reserve, this sapphire gives the buyer the opportunity to enter the process before the stone is cut. Rather than choosing a finished gem from inventory, the client is invited into the transformation — reviewing the cutting possibilities, understanding the trade-offs, and helping guide the final direction of the sapphire.

This piece has been selected with two preferred cutting directions in mind: an emerald cut or a cushion. An emerald cut could create a refined, architectural sapphire with clean lines and a more elegant presence, provided the internal structure allows. A cushion may offer a softer and more romantic finished shape, with greater flexibility to preserve weight, manage tone, and work around the natural features of the rough.

The final cutting direction will be chosen after careful assessment of the crystal. The goal will be to reveal the strongest colour possible while balancing beauty, clarity, durability, and weight retention. Because this sapphire shows both darker natural skin and brighter colour beneath the surface, orientation will be especially important in determining the final tone and appearance of the finished gem.

As with all natural sapphire rough, the final result cannot be guaranteed before cutting. Finished weight, shape, colour, tone, clarity, and inclusion visibility will depend on the internal structure of the crystal and how it responds during preforming and faceting. The Sapphire Merchant will guide the process with the aim of creating the most beautiful and considered finished sapphire possible.

This is not simply a rough sapphire. It is a private sapphire commission — a natural Australian crystal with green light held beneath the surface, selected for its potential and shaped through expert cutting.

Reserve Project 04  and begin the journey from rough to finished sapphire with The Sapphire Merchant.