Project 02 - Southern Meridian - 12.34ct
Gem Type: Natural Sapphire Corundum
Collection: The Uncut Reserve
Colour: Green / Teal
Rough Weight: 12.34ct
Shape: Natural Rough
Treatment: Unheated
Origin: Australia
Measurements:
Lab Certification: GIA after cutting
Potential Cutting Options: single Oval, Cushion, Emerald, Pear / Double round brilliants
Estimated Finished Weight: 4ct target (+1/-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 12.34ct Australian sapphire rough was selected by The Sapphire Merchant from the lots we acquired at a major rough sapphire auction featuring more than one million carats of material.
At first glance, the stone carries the quiet, frosted surface of natural Australian sapphire rough. Under light, however, its character changes completely. A bright green to teal colour appears from within the crystal — a colour that feels almost locked inside the rough, waiting to be revealed through cutting.
This is why the stone was chosen for The Uncut Reserve.
Unlike a finished sapphire, this piece has not yet had its final identity decided. Its colour, shape, brilliance, and presence will be created through the cutting process. The rough shows areas of glowing green, yellow-green, and teal, with darker natural skin and internal features that will need to be carefully considered before cutting. The goal is to orient the stone in a way that captures the strongest colour while balancing beauty, clarity, weight retention, and durability.
Potential cutting options include a round, cushion, or emerald cut. A round may bring out the most brilliance and life, a cushion may preserve more weight while giving the stone a softer presence, while an emerald cut could create a more refined and architectural sapphire if the internal structure allows.
The finished sapphire is expected to sit in a medium to medium-dark green / teal range, with an estimated finished weight target around 6ct. The final result will depend on how the stone responds during preforming and faceting, and may vary depending on the chosen cutting direction.
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 simply choosing a finished gem, the client is invited into the transformation — reviewing the cutting possibilities, understanding the trade-offs, and helping guide the final direction of the sapphire.
As with all natural sapphire rough, the final outcome cannot be guaranteed before cutting. Finished weight, clarity, tone, colour distribution, and inclusion visibility will depend on the internal structure of the crystal. The Sapphire Merchant will guide the process with the aim of revealing the best possible finished gem from the rough.
This is not simply a rough sapphire. It is a private sapphire commission — a natural Australian crystal with teal colour locked inside, selected for its potential, shaped through expert cutting, and documented from rough to finished gem.
Reserve Project 02 and begin the journey from rough to finished sapphire with The Sapphire Merchant.
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Project 02 - Southern Meridian - 12.34ct
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- Select your Gemstone. Purchase through our website and begin your custom jewellery experience.
- Share your design idea. We will work through the details with you to better visualise your concept, including the ring style, gold colour, and diamond detailing. We can also make earrings and pendants. Our talented designer creates a life-like computer-rendered drawing of your jewellery concept from this information. Edits can be made to perfect the design and a quote is given upon the finalised design.
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“The sapphire is the most beautiful of all blue stones, and the most sovereign for the eyes.” - Anselmus de Boodt, 1609 (Royal gem physician to Rudolph II)
Australian Sapphires
Australian sapphires are prized across Australia and New Zealand because they are unearthed from the red soil beneath us. Mined from the historic sapphire fields of New South Wales and Queensland, including Inverell, Glen Innes, and Anakie, these natural sapphires display a rich spectrum of deep blue, teal, green, yellow, and the highly sought-after Australian parti sapphire. Formed in basalt lava flows millions of years ago, Australian sapphires are renowned for their inky colour saturation, making them an ideal choice for engagement rings and custom sapphire designs.
Commercial sapphire mining in Australia began in the late 1800s, with the country becoming one of the world’s leading sapphire producers throughout the 20th century. Today, Australian sapphire mining is heavily regulated, with strict environmental management and land rehabilitation standards in place, a key consideration for ethically minded jewellery buyers in Australia and New Zealand. Valued for their ethical sourcing, durability, and bold natural colour, Australian sapphires remain a favourite among custom jewellery clients across Australasia seeking gemstones of integrity and enduring beauty.