Sri Lanka - Rubies

Sri Lanka has been known for centuries as the producer of some of the world's best rubies

Tourists are boosting the gem industry of Sri Lanka as word gets around that there is a [Gem of a] bargain to be had here.

Sri Lanka Rubies Some of the world's finest rubies have come from Sri Lanka's gem gravel deposits, but, because some gem dealers have termed them 'pink sapphires', Sri Lankan rubies have been largely overlooked - a classic case of giving a dog a bad name and it sticking.

Sri Lanka when it was known as Ceylon was known as 'the land of hyacinths and rubies' by the Persians.

Top-grade Sri Lankan reds are virtually indistinguishable from their Myanmar / Mogok counterparts, but many Sri Lankan stones do unfortunately tend toward pink or purple hues.

When Marco Polo visited Ceylon he sent reports home of 'the most precious wares in the world', referring to the rubies he found here.

As with Sri Lanka sapphires, colour has accumulated more in larger stones and so they can be quite magnificent in sizes of around five carat or more. Due to the bi-pyramidal shape of the rough stones, many are cut with overly deep pavilions, showing strong fluorescence and stars.

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