Tag

sri-lankan-gems

6 articles

Buying Guides·May 17, 2026·10 min read

Ceylon Zircon: The Underrated Natural Gemstone

Ceylon zircon is a natural gemstone, completely different from synthetic cubic zirconia. Sri Lanka, especially Matara, has supplied colourless 'Matura diamond' zircon and bright blue zircon for centuries. Here is what Ceylon material is, what it costs, and how to buy it.

Buying Guides·May 15, 2026·8 min read

Sri Lankan Garnet: Hessonite, Rhodolite & Almandine

Sri Lankan garnet covers four serious varieties: honey-toned hessonite (gomed), raspberry rhodolite, deep almandine, and warm pyrope-almandine. Here is what Ceylon material is really worth and how to tell it apart from African production.

Buying Guides·May 11, 2026·10 min read

Sri Lankan Tourmaline: An Underrated Collector's Gem

Sri Lankan tourmaline runs across olive green, honey brown, golden yellow, and rare chrome and rubellite material, all at 70 to 90 percent below Ceylon sapphire pricing. Here is what is actually worth collecting from Ratnapura's pegmatite gravels.

Ethics & Sourcing·May 3, 2026·10 min read

Why Sri Lankan Gem Cutters Are Still the Best in the World

Sri Lankan cutters work by eye, prioritise weight and colour over symmetry, and use slow hand-driven laps. Here is why their finished sapphires still beat any factory cut.

Buying Guides·April 18, 2026·10 min read

Spinel vs Sapphire: The Misidentified Royal Gem

Spinel is a separate mineral from sapphire, but for centuries the two were confused in royal jewelry. Here is how to tell them apart, why spinel commands a fraction of sapphire's price, and why Sri Lankan red spinel is one of the most undervalued natural gemstones today.

Buying Guides·April 18, 2026·11 min read

Star Sapphire from Sri Lanka: How the Six-Rayed Star Forms

A Sri Lankan star sapphire shows a sharp six-rayed star because microscopic rutile silk inclusions align along three crystal axes. Here is how asterism forms, what separates a great Ceylon star from an average one, and why the Star of India still sits at the top of the category.

The Inner Circle

Stay in the Light

Receive first access to new stones, private offers, and notes from the gem fields. We write rarely and only when there is something worth saying.