Gems of Sri Lanka

An island of gems where you find the best sapphires, rubies beryl, topazes, and amethyst among others does exist. There are 200 types of minerals found the world over and of these Sri Lanka produces 75 varieties of colored and colorless gemstones that belong to the ten main species. The island of Sri Lanka is found in the Indian Ocean 60km south of India. Ancient mariners, explorers, and traders who sailed along the trade routes like the Silk Route from China and other far eastern countries knew about the island well. Greeks, Arabs, Romans, Persians, and Europeans also knew this island well. Sailors and traders in the 4^th and 5^th Century BC were known to bring home the best sapphires from the isle of Serendib as Sri Lanka was known then. Ptolemy, the 2^nd Century astronomer, and Marco Polo, the renowned explorer have recorded that this island of Sri Lanka was famed for its sapphires, beryl, topazes, and amethysts among others. The island was called “Ratna Dweepa” by the Sinhalese meaning the island of gems. Legend has it that King Solomon bought the most exquisite ruby for the Queen of Sheba from this island.

Geological factors that created the island of gems

Sri Lanka is one of the countries with the highest density of gem deposits in comparison to its landmass. Estimates show that the potential gem-bearing ability of the island is around 25% of the total land area. The island consists of Precambrian rock sediments and about 90% of the gems mined here belong to the metamorphic type. The best gems are found in the district of Ratnapura (meaning ‘City of Gems’), a fascinating region with the highest concentration of gem deposits. As you go further away from the city you can see gem mines in operation pumping out water and mud to get to the “Illama” or the signs of gem deposits. In certain instances, gems are even found on the top soil or within a few feet. Gem mines on the other hand can be hundreds of feet deep.

The vibrant city of Ratnapura has gem sales outlets, museums, gemological displays, and gem auctions dominating the city. In the city square during the daytime, you can see hundreds of people squinting skywards holding up gems and negotiating deals.

Quality of Sri Lankan gems

Sri Lanka is known for the exceptional quality of its gems. Some of the world’s biggest and finest sapphires have come from this island.

Sri Lankan gems are sought after by buyers mainly for their high quality. The world’s biggest and finest sapphires have been found here and are famed for their luster, color, and most importantly their clarity. Sri Lankan gems have the unique ability to combine these different aspects most favorably within a single stone increasing its quality and consequently its value. This is especially true of sapphires found here. The hardness of gemstones is measured by the Mohs Scale of Hardness. Diamonds rank at 10 and Ceylon blue sapphires come in at 9, which is very close to diamonds. The durability of gemstones is valued by jewelers as the quality of the final product is dictated by the stones used to create it.

Sri Lanka is known not only for top-quality sapphires but also for 75 other types of gemstones. It is considered to be one of the steadiest suppliers of top-of-the-range gemstones in the world despite its small size. Sapphires and rubies are abundant in Sri Lanka. The intensity and the depth of the color of these stones are remarkable. In addition, the star that is displayed from within the stone has six sharp equal pointers. The rich body and color combined with the perfect translucence of the rubies from Sri Lanka are valued by connoisseurs. Only rubies from Burma come close to the Sri Lankan rubies in quality. Other countries such as Tanzania, Kenya, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the Pamir Mountains of the Commonwealth of Independent States also have vividly colored rubies. However, they lack clarity of color and have flaws due to inclusions. Mining for gems in most of these regions is prohibitive in both exploration and cost.

Some of the best blue sapphires in the world have been sourced from Sri Lanka and can now be seen on display at various museums and in private collections. Others adorn royal jewels of many countries including the crown jewels of Great Britain. These have been found in the region of Ratnapura.

Varieties of gems found on the island

Out of the 75 varieties of gemstones found on the island, there are some which are favored by the islanders and other buyers of precious stones. Foremost among them are sapphires of other colors, alexandrites, moonstones, topaz, garnets, emeralds, padmaragas, spinel, cat’s eye, chrysoberyls, tourmaline, opals, zircon, aquamarines, amethyst, star sapphires, quartz, citrine, and peridot. Gemstones play a big role in the lives of Sri Lankans who believe that the stones have healing qualities when worn and could change your luck for the better. Jewelry made with stones is worn to ward off evil times. Another favorite is a ring made with nine different stones called ‘Navaratne’ worn to bring good luck. Bridal jewelry, birthstones, heirloom jewelry sets, and intricately crafted jewelry using a combination of colored stones are among the uses of gemstones. The mystic powers of these beautiful stones are easy to believe in when you see their magical glint.

Famous gems from Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan gemstones are among the most celebrated and world-famous gems. The largest and finest quality blue sapphires in the world today are from Sri Lanka. Among these, there are a few that stand out in the entire world as unique for their quality, size, and value. Here are some of the most notable blue sapphires and other gemstones that originated in Sri Lanka.

1. Pride of Sri Lanka

In 1998, this gigantic 856 ct deep blue sapphire was found in the area called Marapana about 3km from Ratnapura. This was displayed for some time and then taken to a separate place to be viewed by prospective buyers. It is one of the largest recorded blue sapphires and has not surfaced ever since. According to the original owner of the stone, there have been many unrecorded instances of even larger blue sapphires in the area which were sold on the black market due to heavy taxes.

2. The Star of India

Although wrongly named Star of India, this large greyish blue star sapphire was discovered in Sri Lanka. It was found during the colonial times when India and Sri Lanka were under the British government. Since Sri Lanka was also administered by the British East Indian company they may have named it the Star of India. The sapphire is perfectly flawless and weighs 563 cts. This blue sapphire is even more special because it has stars on both sides which is extremely rare for this size of sapphire. This spectacular specimen of blue sapphire is currently on display at the hall of J P Morgan at the American Museum of Natural History.

3. The Blue Belle of Asia

This is an exquisite and highly desirable cornflower blue sapphire found in a paddy field in Ratnapura in 1926. This 400 ct sone is referred to as ‘belle’ because of its extraordinary beauty then owned by Lord Naffield of Britain. It reappeared at a Christie’s Auction in Geneva Switzerland. Since then, the stone has been recut and had a weight of 395.52 cts. and was fashioned and mounted to a diamond necklace. The last that was heard about this stone is that it had sold for $17.29 million at an auction in 2014, the highest ever paid for a blue sapphire.

4. Giant of the Orient

This giant 600 ct. blue sapphire was found near Adams Peak near Ratnapura in 1902. After cutting and polishing it weighed 466 cts. The cornflower-hued cushion cut blue sapphire was one of the rarest of its kind and was valued at $7000 in 1902. Giant of the Orient was out of the public eye for about 100 years and was reportedly sold to an American private collector in 1907 before appearing in Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction catalog in May 2004. Since then it has been acquired by an anonymous British buyer and has not surfaced since.

5. Star of Lanka

This is a magnificent milky blue sapphire with a distinct six-rayed star. The 193 ct greyish-blue sapphire was discovered in the 20^th Century in Sri Lanka. Originally the stone was owned by Allan Kaplan who later sold it to the Royal Ontario Museum in 1958.

6. Logan Blue Sapphire

This flawless blue sapphire weighs 423cts. and is perhaps the second largest cut sapphire in the world. This was mined and cut in Sri Lanka which has a gem industry that spans several millennia. Currently, this blue sapphire set amidst 20 white diamonds is presently displayed at the Smithsonian Institution’s Natural History Museum. The sapphire exudes a violet overtone that is naturally occurring in the stone and is extremely rare.

7. Naleem Alexandrite

Under normal sunlight, this 112 ct alexandrite is green and displays different colors according to the lighting. It is thought to be the largest alexandrite in the world. Found in Sri Lanka, this was named after its first owner. Nothing is known of this rare and valuable gemstone since 2011.

8. Rosser Reeves Star Ruby

This is one of the world’s largest star rubies and one of the finest found in Sri Lanka. Originally 140 cts., the ruby weighed 138 cts. after polishing. The stone was named after the 34^th President of the USA who bought it in 1950 and believed it brought him good luck. It was donated by him to the Smithsonian institution’s National Museum of Natural History in 1965.

9. Black Prince Ruby/Spinel

This is a 170 ct uncut red spinel initially thought to have been a ruby. It is owned by the British Royal Family since 1367 with a value of 10 million GBP estimated in 2016.

10. British Royal Jewel

This is a 105 ct Chrysoberyl cat’s eye of exceptional quality from Sri Lanka. It was purchased for the British Royalty from a reputed London jeweler in 1900.

11. Empress Maria’s Sapphire

This blue sapphire weighs 260.37 cts. The oval-cut sapphire is a splendid and priceless due to its color, size, clarity, and cut. The Russian Emperor Alexander II bought this stone for his wife, Princess Maria in the London Great Exhibition of 1862. Presently it is displayed at the museum of Gokhran, Russia.

12. Bismarck Sapphire

This cornflower blue cushion-cut sapphire was found in Sri Lanka in 1920 and weighs 98.6 cts. This stone has perfect transparency and clarity and was donated to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in 1967.

13. The Eye of the Lion

This is a 465 ct cabochon Chrysoberyl cat’s eye. Discovered in the 1800s in Pelmadulla, near Ratnapura. The Smithsonian institute expressed interest in purchasing the stone in 1978. The stone resurfaced in 2006 in the hands of a gemstone dealer in Thailand.

14. The Star of Artaban

The 287 ct blue star sapphire originated from Sri Lanka and was purchased around 1943. It has now been donated to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

15. Star of Bombay

Despite the name, this 182 ct violet-blue star sapphire originated in Sri Lanka. Sold in 1920, it was donated to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in 1979.

16. Midnight Star Sapphire

This is a deep purple-violet star sapphire weighing 116.75 cts. The expert cut of the stone has brought out its perfect asterism. It was donated by J P Morgan to the American Museum of Natural History in the 1900s.

17. Ray of Treasure

The 105 ct Chrysoberyl cat’s eye displays a rare milk and honey effect. This flawless specimen is in the possession of the National Gem and Jewelry Authority of Sri Lanka.

18. Maharani Cat’s Eye

This is a Chrysoberyl cat’s eye discovered in Sri Lanka. The stone weighs 58.19 cts and has a stunning coloration of honey with a sharp band of light making it one of the finest of its kind. It is displayed at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

19. Timur Ruby/Spinel

This is a 361 ct polished spinel formerly thought to be a ruby discovered in Sri Lanka. It is set in a necklace made for Queen Victoria in 1853. This is in the collection of the crown jewels of Great Britain

20. Star of Adam

This is the largest blue star sapphire at present in the world. This weighs a massive 1404.49 cts or nearly 280grams and is held by an anonymous owner. This stone was found in Ratnapura.

21. Princess Diana Engagement Ring

The center of this ring consists of a 12 ct oval-shaped royal blue sapphire from Sri Lanka and was presented to Princess Diana in 1981. The stone was inherited by Prince William and was presented to Princess Kate as her engagement ring.

Bringing out the best in a gemstone

First, you have to recognize a true gemstone even when it is in the rough. This takes true knowledge and experience of stones. Valuation of a stone is also done by experts and is indeed a difficult task. It is the transparency, flawlessness, how well a star is defined in a stone, its body color, and finally the weight that determines the stone’s value. Next, what matters most is the cut of the stone. Different cuts such as cabochon, a rounded rectangle shape, marquises, pear shapes, baguette shapes, cushion shapes, oval facets, round brilliant cuts, squares, domes, and triangles are used to bring out the color and the intensity of stones. It is the way a gemstone is cut and faceted that will enhance its value. There are also stones known as ‘geudas’ which are naturally cloudy and thought to be useless until recently when Thai gem merchants started applying heat treatment to them to turn them into stable blue sapphires.

Ceylon Sapphire is a brand name that is famous the world over. It is not the manufacturer or producer that has built the brand name in this case but the buyers and dealers of these sapphires.

Be the proud owner of a gemstone from Sri Lanka

Visit the island of Sri Lanka and purchase a beautiful and valuable precious gem for yourself. There are gems of all sizes, colors, and varieties to choose from that will easily suit any budget. The gemstone you buy can be valued by the Sri Lanka Gem and Jewelry authority and any assistance in this regard is always available from the Gem Corporation of Sri Lanka. You can also buy precious stone jewelry in beautiful patterns that can be worn with many outfits as they come in mixed colors of Ceylon stones or just one or two colors. You can capture the mystique of the island of Sri Lanka and can keep it with you forever.