Gems of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is one of the largest gem producers of the world and has been known for its specialty gem stones for many centuries now. A gems tour of Sri Lanka will give you an in-depth analysis of the gem field – what kind of gems are available, how it’s made, best places to purchase from and so on. So here’s presenting you the best possible opportunity to get your hands on those lovely colourful semi-precious Ceylon stones that you’ve been eyeing.
Attractions
Places You Will Stay
Itinerary
Negombo 01night
Meet and Assist At the Air Port Colombo and Transfer to the Hotel in Negombo.
Visit Negombo city and afternoon Boat ride on Muthurajawela lagoon.
Dinner and overnight stay at hotel
Sigiriya 01night
After breakfast visit Pinnawala elephant orphanage and afternoon visit Sigiriya rock fortress.
Dinner and overnight stay at hotel
Kandy 01night
After breakfast visit Dambulla golden rock cave temple, Mathale spice and herbals garden (lunch include by the spice garden) visit Kandy temple of tooth relic and Kandy cultural dance.
Dinner and overnight stay at hotel
Nuwara Eliya 01 night
After breakfast Visit gem museum and jewellery workshop in Kandy city. This workshop will include a theoretical introduction to the industry along with an opportunity to practice the preforming on a rough stone. On the way to Nuwara Eliya visit Peradeniya botanical garden and tea plantation, tea factory.
Dinner and overnight stay at hotel
Rathnapura 01 night
After breakfast leave to Rathnapura city. Visit gem mine and gemmological museum in Rathnapura or Pelmadulla.
Dinner and overnight stay at hotel
Beach Leisure 04night
Breakfast, Dinner and overnight stay at hotel
Beach Leisure
Breakfast, Dinner and overnight stay at hotel
Beach Leisure
Breakfast, Dinner and overnight stay at hotel
Beach Leisure
Breakfast, Dinner and overnight stay at hotel
After breakfast transfer to the airport Colombo for Departure
We hope this tour program “Gems of Sri Lanka” fulfils your requirements. If you wish to make any further changes to it, please get in touch with us and we will tailor-make the itinerary just for you.
History of Gems in Sri Lanka
The history of the gems industry dates back to about 3000 years ago. According to the great Sri Lankan chronicle Mahavamsa, Ceylon was known as ‘Ratna Deepa’ in Sanskrit, meaning ‘the island of jewels’. Its soils, rich in minerals, have been yielding an amazingly continuous supply of premium quality precious and semi-precious gem stones. Rathnapura (translating to ‘city of gems’ in Sinhalese) owns a significantly wide range of gemstones, many of which are outstanding in clarity when compared to stones from other areas. Apart from producing these precious gems, the Sri Lankan gem industry has also been specializing in the process of mining, cutting and polishing for many centuries. Because Sri Lankans have an extensive knowledge on the types of gems and how they should be cut, each stone that is found and prepared for the foreign market is finely cut and polished before exported. Ceylon Moors, descendants of the Arabians are those who are largely responsible for the gem industry in Sri Lanka. This is because the Arabs undertook rich trading – the ability to speak a variety of languages and the wealth to travel across the globe in search of commercially valuable items.
After the end of the civil war nearly a decade ago, Sri Lanka has been showing excellent growth in the service, industrial and agricultural sectors. With regard to the gem industry, regulations pertaining to mining and exports of gems have relaxed, thereby resulting in growth of the industry itself.
Gem varieties available in Sri Lanka
Since the early times of gem production, some off the common gemstones produced in Ceylon are:
Ruby
Cat’s eye
Alexandrite
Garnet
Star sapphire
Zircon
Spinal
Topaz
Beryl
Quartz
Moonstone
Serendipities
The Blue Sapphire is one of the most supreme gems that Sri Lanka is renowned for. Some of the finest blue sapphires in the world are found here, one of which was gifted to Princess Diana by Prince Charles! Being second to diamond in hardness, this premium stone is amongst the highly prized of all gems.
Did you know?
- The world’s largest sapphire – weighing 42 pounds, was found in the gravels of Sri Lanka.
- A British millionaire purchased from Sri Lanka the following:
- Blue Giant, weighing 500 carats
- Blue Belle of Asia, weighing 400 carats
