Sri Lanka Gemstones

Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) is one of the worlds most beautiful and exotic islands. Located just below the southern tip of India’s Peninsula, the country at the size of Sicily known as the “Jewel Box of the Indian Ocean. Despite its relatively small land, Sri Lanka is an endless supply of gemstones.

Sri Lanka, like possibly no other locality on earth, has yielded precious stones and fine gems in a great profusion of gem species and varieties. The island was known in the ancient world as Taprobane (copper colored in Greek). Native Veddahs, bathing in smooth flowing streams, noticed colored pebbles scattered in sandy bottoms. It was not until 500 B.C. that conquering Buddhists from northern India also discovered gems in the rivers and began to set rough stones into crude jewelry. They bartered stones with traders from abroad and eventually the treasures found their way to the marketplaces of Asia and Europe. Ancient Greek and Chinese historians referred to the beautiful gems of Ceylon, and King Solomon reportedly wooed the Queen of Sheba with Ceylonese precious stones.

Another classic reference on the abundant gemstone supply of Sri Lanka was reported by Marco Polo on his visit in 1292. He 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.”

Throughout history, the crown jewels of royalty all over the world contain extraordinary spinels, sapphires, and zircons mined from Sri Lanka streams. The Imperial Treasury of the Soviet Union houses a 400-carat red spinel of great beauty which was once given to Catherine the Great. The British Imperial Crown features a giant oval-cut spinel (previously supposed to be a ruby), known as the “Black Prince.” Crowns in the Green Vaults of Dresden are covered with sapphires from Sri Lanka.

No other country with such popularity for its gemstone resources. All kind of precious gemstones from Sri Lanka mines flooded the jewelry market.