List of GemStone found in Sri Lanka – Gem of the Indian Ocean

The Ceylon sapphire that comes in a variety of hues like green, pink, orange, blue and yellow is one of the only gems in the world that is sold without enduring any type of heat treatment. The Ceylon sapphire is popular in countries such as Madagascar, Australia, China and Nigeria. The colour of the gems that are sold to these countries varies depending on the demand. The blues sapphire, for example, has a high demand in China. The pink Sapphire or "padmaraga" as known by the locals is one of the rarest gems to be found in the country.

This is one of the rarest gems that can be found in the world and Sri Lanka is one of the countries blessed with the opportunity to produce them. In 2016 excavators discovered the largest star stone that they named the "Star of Adam" which was estimated to be worth USD100 million. The star shape of the centre of the gem is induced by a type of mineral called "asterism" scientifically. While star stones are either purple or black, the variation pink of the gem is named as a pink ruby.

Gem mines across the world produce 2 types of moonstones: White moons stones and blue moonstones. Sri Lanka is known across the globe for being home to one of the purest forms of blue moonstones. Many Jewellery shops in Sri Lanka in the league of Raja Jewellers produce and sell a wide variety of necklaces, earrings and rings made using this beautiful gem. Meetiyagoda is one of the most popular mines that produce small blue moonstones that range between one and five carats.

This is a water-worn pebble that is normally found in alluvial gem gravels similar to Ratnapura in Sri Lanka. The gem can be found in various opaque levels with brownish green, golden yellow and olive green being the most common colours that are produced in Sri Lanka. One variety of the Chrysoberyl has a silvery beam of light that travels through the middle of the stone, giving a cat eye effect. If a lapidarist or gem artist cut this stone using a certain technique it is then referred to as cabochon. Alexandrite, another variation of Chrysoberyl is a popular stone in the international gem industry as it changes colours based on the intensity of light shined on it. The gem displays a clear green during the day and a dark shade of red when exposed to artificial light.

This is one of the most common types of gems that can be found in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is the second largest exporter of Spinel with Myanmar being the largest exporter. This gem can be found in a variety of colours such as orange, brown, pink green. A rare deep blue variation of spinel that is extremely hard to find is one of the most expensive gems to purchase. A one-carat deep blue spinel stone goes for around LKR500,000 and is mostly purchased by the more high-end gem collectors.