Sri Lanka’s gem industry has a very long and colorful history. Sri Lanka was affectionately known as Ratna – Dweepa which means Gem Island. The name is a reflection of its natural wealth. Marco Polo in 1292 wrote “I want you to understand that the island of Ceylon is, for its size, the finest island in the world, and from its streams comes rubies, sapphires, topazes, amethyst and garnet”. Ptolemy, the second century astronomer recorded that Beryl and Sapphire were the mainstay of Sri Lanka’s gem industry. Records from sailors that visited the island states that they brought back “jewels of Serendib”. Serendib was the ancient name given to the island by middle – eastern and Persian traders that crossed the Indian Ocean to trade gems from Sri Lanka to the East during the fourth and fifth century. Some of the rarest precious stones in the world are found in abundance in the reach earth under our feet and the hills above us. Among the Several world famous gems Sri Lanka’s blue sapphire Weighing 466 carats.the largest known sapphire in the world. Weighing in at 19kg was also discovered here. Other famous gems include the Blue giant of the Orient, Weighing nearly 500 carats and the bluebell of Asia, which weighs in at 400 carats. The renowned Sri Lankan Star sapphire is on permanent display at the Museum of Natural History in New York, but due to an oversight, the stone has been called the star of India.Throughout history Sri Lanka’s gems and jewellery have adorned the crown jewels of many a royal family. A gem- a 105 carat cat’s eye- discovered in a paddy field in Sri Lanka, gained fame among the royalty of Britain and was Successively Admired by Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII and Queen Elizabeth
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.
