HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

From time immemorial Sri Lanka has had a sparkling reputation for highly treasured gems. Sri Lanka’s mineral rich soils have been yielding a seemingly never ending supply of high quality precious and semi precious gem stones such as Sapphires, Star Sapphire, Rubies, Star Rubies, Alexandrites, Cat’s eyes, Garnets, Zircons, Tourmalines and Spinels. The gem industry in Sri Lanka is of great antiquity. Reference is made in the scriptures to gems being brought from Ceylon to the Court of Solomon. It is also said that ages ago Arab adventurers came to Ceylon in search of this. The Mahavansa, the great historical chronicle of Ceylon whose authority is undoubted, refers, to the singular reputation of this Island for it’s wealth in gems (Chapter 11, verses 16, 72: Chapter 28, Verses 18,19,80 among other references).

It is an accepted fact that Sri Lanka is one of the largest sources of some of the finest gemstones in the world. A few of the priceless, treasures., whose, origins are traceable to Sri Lanka are Blue Giant of Orient (466 cts) Logan Blue Sapphire (423cts), Blue Belle of Asia (400 cts) Rossar Reeves Star Ruby (138.7cts) and Star of Lanka (393 cts) and the Ray of Treasure (105 cts Cat’s Eye). The Star of Lanka and Ray of treasure are the proud possessions of the National Gem & Jewellery Authority.