by
Elmo Leonard
Sri
Lanka has been the world's
centre for coloured gemstones
and from time immemorial
has given the world many
diverse facets of romantic
overtones.
Among them
is that Prince Charles
mesmerised Lady Diana
with an engagement ring,
set with a priceless Blue
Sapphire.
The Blue Sapphire
is Sri Lanka's gem supreme
and
can be considered
the highest prized of
all gems,
while being
second only to the diamond
in hardness.
The largest
known Sapphire in the
world weighing 42 pounds,
was found in the gem gravels
of Sri Lanka.
A
well-known legend says
that in Biblical times,
King Solomon in his wisdom
used precious stones
from
the paradise isle to woo
the Queen of Sheba.
Factually,
Solomon sent emissaries
to the City of Gems
in
the Orient (Ratnapura
in Sri Lanka) to procure
the precious
stones that
won him the hand, and
then the heart of Queen
Sheba.
Since, and even
before, Sri Lanka's priceless
gems have dazzled kings
and rulers.
These
coloured precious stones
have adorned their crowns
and thrones and bedecked
royalty world over, including
Queen Victoria, in recent
times,
according to diverse
sources on gems and jewellery.
In
the Adventures of Sinbad
in Serendib (Sri Lanka)
Sinbad
became a household
word among the Arabs and
Jazirat Kakut
or Island
of Gems became equally
known.
According
to geological surveys,
90 per cent of the country
is estimated to be potential
gem bearing land and the earth's
greatest concentration
of fine gems are found
here
with over 60 varieties
of precious and semi-precious
stones,
which include:
Corundum - Ruby, Star
Ruby,
Blue Sapphire, Star
Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire,
Golden Sapphire, Padparadscha,
White Sapphire.
Chrysoberyl
- Chrysoberyl Cat's Eye,
Alexandrite,
Alexandrite
Cat's Eye, Chrysoberyl.
Spinel - Blue Spinel,
Red Spinel, Mauve Spinel.
Topaz - White Topaz.
Beryl
- Aquamarine, White Beryl,
Pale Green Beryl.
Zircon
- Green Zircon, Yellow
Zircon, Brown Zircon,
Red and Blue Zircon (very
rare). Garnet - Rose red
coloured,
Red, Mauve,
Hesonite Garnet, Spessartine
Garnet.
Tourmaline - Green,
Brown varieties. Quartz
- Yellow, White, Brown,
Rose,
Purple (Amethyst).
Feldspar - Moonstone.
Sri
Lanka's rare gemstones
include: Andalusite,
Apatite,
Cordierite, Diopside,
Ekanite, Dpidote, Euclase,
Fibrolite, Florite, Idocrase,
Kornerupine, Kyanite,
Sinhalite, Scapolite,
Taffeite.
A
unique feature of Sri
Lanka's gem pits is that
there is almost
never
an `illam' (deposit) of
any one type of gem.
Always
there is an assorted collection
of stones like Spinels,
Corundums (Sapphire and
Ruby), Star Stones, Cat's
Eyes and many others.
Among
the outstanding gemstones
that Sri Lanka has produced
in the contemporary era
are the Blue Giant of
the Orient (466 carat),
Logan Blue Sapphire (423
cts), Blue Belle of Asia
(400 cts),
Rossar Reeves
Star Ruby (138.7cts),
Star of Lanka (293cts.),
Star Sapphire and Ray
of Treasure (105 cts.
Cat's Eye).
The first
three gems are on display
at the Smithsonian Institute
in Washington USA.
The
Star of Lanka and the
Ray of Treasure are in
the proud possession
of
the National Gem and Jewellery
Authority.
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