Sri Lanka is in among top five countries of world gem suppliers.In history, Sri Lanka has been known as a land of gems. It had been famous for rubies and sapphires & for both its colour and luster since ancient’s times.It is a well-known story that in the 10th century B.C King Solomon has procured a wonderful ruby for the Queen of Sheba from Ceylon. As it is rich with these wonderful gems Sri Lanka is known as pearl of the Indian ocean & it possess about 40 varieties of Gems out of 85 varieties available in the world.The Blue Sapphire is in the top of Sri Lankan gems.
Kate and William Engagement Ring
It was all over the news past few months how Lady Diana chose her engagement ring & how spectacular it is. In 1981 Crown Jewelers Garrard of Mayfair presented some wonderful rings & she simply selected this specific blue sapphire ring.
The 14 solitaire diamonds clustered attractively set around 12-carat blue sapphire, which is from Sri Lanka in 18-carat white gold which had cost £28,500 at the time of purchase three almost thirty years ago. Before the Princess of Wales’s death in 1997, the ring was valued at more than £250,000 because of its connection to the royals, and in particular Princess Diana. Prince William, who ultimately inherited the ring, showed the family heirloom is priceless to him by choosing it for his fiancée. And as Sri Lanka's we feel great joy that our country had the fortune to contribute to royal Britain's royal heirloom in this outstanding event which will be held on April,29th 2011.
It is believed that the St. Edward’s Sapphire which is set in a Maltese cross at the top of the Imperial Crown of State now worn by the Queen of England, Elizabeth II,is also comes from Sri Lanka. Experts say there could be a high possibility that both sapphires on the engagement ring and the Imperial Crown of State originated from the ancient alluvial corundum deposits of the renowned gem producing district of Sri Lanka, known as Ratnapura.
Many experts believe that there is very rarely a crown in the world today that is not adorned with a gem from Sri Lanka.
Greetings from Sri Lanka.....................!!!