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.

We apologise for the repetition of some place or proper names with different spellings, but there is no definitive spelling translation of these words.

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JeGraNet.com statement - 15 October 2008 - Quote from the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office website: "There is a high threat from terrorism in Sri Lanka. Fatal attacks have become more frequent. They have occurred in Colombo and throughout Sri Lanka, including places frequented by expatriate and foreign travellers. Further attacks may occur at any time. There is an increasing risk of British nationals being caught up in an attack". As independent travellers we left Colombo after just 9 days into our planned 6 month stay as a result of a feeling of insecurity, however we are sure that 'package tour' travellers to tourist resorts will probably enjoy a worry free holiday.