Jewel Box of the Indian Ocean: The Story of Sri Lanka's Gems

Imagine a place where gems are so prolific, they are scattered among the sandy bottoms of smooth-flowing streams. The beautiful and exotic island of Sri Lanka is just such a place. Marco Polo wrote of its jewel-like wonders: "from its streams comes rubies, sapphires, topazes, amethyst, and garnet."

Sri Lanka, or "The Jewel Box of Indian Ocean," produces its gemstones in endless supply. In fact, some of the world's rarest stones abound in Sri Lanka, including the largest known sapphire, weighing 466 carats. The gems of Sri Lanka have adorned the crowns of royal families and have been much admired by kings and queens - from King Solomon of biblical fame to England's Queen Elizabeth.

While people had long admired the treasures offered up by the island, it wasn't until 500 B.C. that they began to acquire these rough stones and set them into jewelry. These stones were also bartered by traders who came to Sri Lanka's shores. Some traders then took them to the marketplaces of Asia and Europe.

Sri Lanka's Gem Fields

Running through the center of Sri Lanka, the Highland Series is a broad belt where Sri Lanka's gemstones originated. To either side is a trough where high levels of crystalline precambrian rock featured elements of quartzite, marbles and other deposits. The erosion of rock gave way to abundant gem deposits along streambeds in the lower valleys. As miners found their way to these streambeds, they discovered the jeweled deposits in the illam, or the blue and yellow clays gathered there. As they ventured deeper into these streambeds, ancient streams were discovered below providing even greater returns. Unfortunately, many of these streambeds also lay beneath cultivated fields. As prospecting progressed, crops were destroyed, pitting miner against farmer.

Thankfully, newer methods of mining were developed to provide great prospects for the miners while still leaving the farmer's fields intact. Construction of vertical shafts provided access to the rich illam through tunnels that extended underground like the spokes of a wagon wheel. Miners dug out gravel and returned to the surface to wash and screen their finds.

The mining region of Ratnapura is known for the amazing variety of excellent gemstones that have been mined there. Here, sapphires appear in a range of blue hues, as well as yellow, green and pink, to name a few. The famous "padparadscha" sapphire dazzles those who behold it with its pinkish-orange color. Other finds include topaz in bright yellow, blood-red pyrope, the world's best zircon, and yellow and brown tourmaline. A vast variety of spinel in brown, green, blue, purple, pink, violet, and red also originate here. Sri Lanka's spinels are part of many of the world's crown jewels. In fact, the Imperial Treasury of the Soviet Union contains a 400-carat red spinel given at one time to Catharine the Great. Meanwhile, an enormous oval-cut spinel from Sri Lanka graces the British Crown collection.

Sri Lanka's Famous Gems:

Blue Sapphire

Considered gem supreme in Sri Lanka, the cornflower blue sapphire is one of the island's choicest gemstones.

Cat's Eye

Extolled for the protection it yields, the cat's eye is much beloved for its honey yellow and apple green cat's eye. A 105-carat cat's eye originating from a Sri Lanka paddy field is a favored possession of the British monarchy.

Alexandrite

Sri Lanka boasts this rarest of all stones. The alexandrite is also considered by some as the most beautiful.

Star Sapphire

Considered good luck, the star sapphire sparkles with azure and radiant snowy streaks.

Yellow Sapphire

The yellow sapphire's coloring earns its nickname of "Sinhala" (pollen of flower).

Amethyst

Nature's work produces a lovely light purple color, making it a beauty among gemstones.

Ruby

Red in color, rubies are also found in rose, black, yellow and sky blue.

Diamond

Sri Lanka's diamonds come in a variety of colors, including white, yellow, blue, red and black colors.

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