Sapphires and gems: how to buy in Sri Lanka

About Sapphires and gems: how to buy in Sri Lanka

By the ULTIMATE Sri Lanka Editorial Team

Sri Lanka’s gem gravels, above all around Ratnapura, “the city of gems”, produce blue sapphires, the rare pink-orange padparadscha, star sapphires, cat’s eyes, garnets, moonstones and many more.

A gem island

Gems have been mined in Sri Lanka since ancient times, and the island is one of the world’s most important sources of sapphires. Most mining is still small-scale, in pits in the river gravels around Ratnapura, south-east of Colombo.

What to look for

Colour, clarity, cut and carat weight all affect the price, and colour matters most for sapphires. Look at a stone in daylight as well as under the shop lights, and compare several before you decide.

The best sapphire in the shop is not always the bluest: ask what has been done to it, and get it in writing.

Treatments

Many sapphires around the world are heated to improve their colour and clarity. This is a common, accepted practice, but an unheated stone of the same quality is worth more, so the seller should tell you whether a stone has been treated.

Certificates

For any significant purchase, ask for a certificate from a recognised gem laboratory. The National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NGJA), the government body for the trade, offers gem testing and can verify certificates. Keep your receipt and certificate for customs at home.

Where to buy

Buy from established jewellers with a fixed address, such as the long-standing names in Colombo, Kandy and Galle. Be wary of anyone in the street who offers to take you to a “gem factory”, a “government sale” or a friend’s shop; tuk-tuk drivers may earn a commission.

Our advice: decide on your budget before you go in, buy only from an established jeweller, insist on a certificate, and have a valuable stone tested by the NGJA before you pay in full.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Sapphires and gems: how to buy in Sri Lanka before you go.