Gems in Sri Lanka
Gems in Sri Lanka(also known as Ceylon, Serendib, etc..) been found 2500 years ago. Some of the rarest of gem stones of exquisite beauty have taken pride of place, in the Crown jewels of Kings and Queens from time of Great Roman Emperors.
A gemstone is the naturally occurring crystalline form of a mineral which is desirable for its beauty, valuable in its rarity, and durable enough to be enjoyed for generations. There are more than 30 popular gem varieties and many more rare collector gemstones. Some varieties also come in a range of colors.
The Sri Lankan gem industry has come of age and produces gems cut to international standards. From exquisite one-of-a-kind Blue Sapphires, Star Sapphires, Rubies, Pinks, Yellows, Orange Sapphires, Padparadschas, CatsEyes, Alexandrites and Chrysoberyls to Garnets, Spinets, Moonstones, Aquamarines, Topazes specially cut or calibrated all to standards superior to other Asian centres.
Gems in Sri Lanka – Gem Stones of Sri Lanka
Source: Gem Corporation, Sri Lanka
1. BLUE SAPPHIRE: Sri lanka’s Gem supreme, of corn flower blue, is the favorite of fashionable women the world over.
2. CAT’S EYE: The honey yellow and apple green Cat’s Eye of lustrous smoothness is extolled for the protection she yields to the wearer.
3. ALEXANDRITE: If you are a connoisseur of the rarest yields from the mysterious depths of earth you will need to possess an Alexandrite.
4. STAR RUBY: The scarlet perfection and it’s scintillating beauty adopt to the dream come true in gems.
5. YELLOW SAPPHIRE: Pollen of flowers is her lyrical name is Sinhala. Her delicate yellow makes this description apt.
6. STAR SAPPHIRE: With her azure heart a-gleam with radiant snowy streaks, the star sapphires sparkle brings her owner good luck.
7. AMETHYST: Burnished by nature into a high purplish polish, the Amethyst is a beauty among gems.
8. GARNET: All the world’s Garnet’s(pyrope) are ordinary after Sri Lanka’s Elahera Garnet made it’s radiant bow.
Gems in Sri Lanka
From time immemorial Sri Lanka has had a sparkling reputation for highly treasured gems. Nature in her bounty has chosen the bosom of Sri Lanka to enshrine some of her rarest treasures. Blue Sapphires, Cat’s Eyes, Alexandrites, Rubies, Star stones found embedded in layers of gravel and sand, in river beds, marshes, fields or accumulated at the foot of hills have made Sri Lanka the renowned island for gems. These precious stones perfected in the laboratory of nature lay hidden of countless ages, their lustre undimmed, their value unrecognized. And led by Dame Fortune, the rare gem emerges genuine and unequaled by any artifice of man. Perhaps nowhere in the world are so many minerals of the gem variety concentrated in so compact an area in such abundance as in Sri Lanka.
Though Sri Lanka’s gem trade dates back in to hoary historical times our gem supplies are almost inexhaustible for the gem bearing pre-Cambrian Stratum forms 9/10ths of Sri Lanka’s earth Geologists over.
The Blue Sapphire is Sri Lanka’s Gem Supreme. And Sri Lanka’s Blue Sapphires are the finest in the world. Sapphires of the finest quality have what is called the experts ‘a corn flower blue’ or a royal blue tint. The highly priced of all gems, the Blue Sapphire is second only to the diamond in hardness.
The largest known Sapphires in the world weighing 42 pounds was found in the gem gravels of Sri Lanka. The Blue Giant of the Orient weighing nearly 500 carats and the 400 carat Blue Belle of Asia was purchased by a British multi-millionaire was also from Sri Lanka. A perfect corn flower blue 92 carat specimen is now on display at the State Gem Corporation. The world jewelry market demands Blue Sapphires of 5-15 carats.
Sri Lanka can supply these in very large quantities.
Sri Lanka’s Star Sapphires is the star beauty among Earth’s precious stones. The radiant snowy streaks that gleam in her azure heart are perhaps the solidified version of a colourful dream the world has had long ago of the glory of the universe. The 362 carat Star now with the State Gem Corporation is considered the third largest stone of comparable quality and colour in the world. But the most celebrated Sri Lanka’s star Sapphire is on permanent display at the Smithsonian museum of Natural History in New York. However, Sri Lanka has not gotten the recognition it deserves as the stone is named (Probably through an oversight) the Star of Bombay.
Moonstone the only gem that is found in situ in Sri Lanka displays a milky bluish sheen similar to that of the moon beams, and hence the name moonstone. Through some quirk of nature, moonstones are found only in a solitary quarter acre block of land in the village of Meetiyagoda to the South of Sri Lanka. The world’s moonstone market is dominated by Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka, the island known as the pearl of the Indian Ocean lives up to its nickname as a hotbed for a variety of gems. Sri Lanka is home to 40 varieties of Gems out of 85 varieties available in the whole world. Gems of Sri Lanka have found there way to many a court all over the world since time immemorial.
Solomon, the Biblical king, epitome of human wisdom had gems brought from Sri Lanka to woo the heart and win the hand of queen Sheba. There exists many a story of jewels from serandib (as Sri Lanka was known in the past) traveling into kingdoms of Cathay and Arabian Gulf. Various types of exquisite gems are found on this paradise isle. Precious stones from Sri Lanka are of high class; in them we find the maximum refraction and dispersion of light. Some of the gems found there have become famous under special names like ‘Sinhalite’, ‘Ceylonite” etc.
Gems are most commonly found in the following areas of Sri Lanka such as Rathnapura (this town is about 100 km from Colombo), Ehaliyagoda, Balangoda, Kahawatte and etc.
Gems are cut and polished to improve luster, which is an industry highly localized in above areas. Many a gem is exported to meet the demand for precious stones, and the rest are supplied to institutions that deal in making jewelry. Many a Gem of Ceylon is blessed with far superior attributes
than other gems found elsewhere, throughout the world. The radiance, luminosity and other qualities that define the price of a precious stone, are found to be of the highest order. “Variety of gem material” that one can find in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) are listed below.
List of Best Gems in Sri Lanka
Corundum – Blue Sapphires, Star Sapphires, Rubies, Star Rubies, Yellow Sapphires, Pink Sapphires, Padmadradcha, Orange Sapphires, White sapphires.
Chrysoberyl – Cat’s Eye, Alexandrite, Alexandrite Cat’s Eye, Chrysoberyl.
Spinel Blue Spinel, Red Spinel, Purple Spinel.
Topaz White Topaz (When Treated Makes London Blue)
Zircon Green Zircon, Yellow Zircon, Brown Zircon, Colourless Zircon.
Garnet Rhodolite Garnet, Hessonite Garnet, Pyrope Garnet, Almandine Garnet.
Beryl Aquamarine, Heliodor.
Quartz Smoky Quartz, White Quartz, Amethyst Quartz Cat’s Eye
Tourmaline Brown Tourmaline, Yellow Tourmaline (Green & Blue Rare)
Feldspar Moonstones Also Andalusite, Kornerupine And A Variety Of Agates.
Rare Gemstones Sinhalite, Lolite, Indicolite, Fibrolite, Taaffeite, Ekanite and Star Spinel.
A warm welcome awaits you at ‘Facets 2003′, the annual gem and jewellery show organized by the Sri Lanka Gem Traders Association. Sri Lanka’s 13th international exhibition will display an imposing array of precious gemstones and exquisitely crafted gold and silver jewellery for the discerning buyer. This exhibition will be held on September 8,9, and 10 at the Colombo Hilton.
Buyers from all over the world repeatedly attend this annual exhibition to select their requirements. ‘Facets 2003′ provides the visitor an opportunity to select from the source a fascinating display of Sri Lanka’s best colours of Sapphires from calibrated to fine single stones.
Your entire needs of high quality, precision cut gems is available at “Facets 2003″. If you like them expertly mounted high quality manufacturing facilities will be easy to find.
At “Facets 2003″ a display of the finest array of precious Gems in qualities that only Sri Lanka can produce awaits you. Select from a vast range of the finest that makes Sri Lanka still the best source when one looks for the EXCEPTIONAL gem. After a successful buying tour enjoy the other first-class tourist attractions that only this Paradise isle can offer. Sunny beaches, ancient breathtaking culture and the hospitality of a genuinely friendly people.