Among the Several world famous rare gems, Sri Lanka's blue sapphire Weighing
466 carats. the largest known sapphire in the world. Other famous rare gems
include the Blue giant of the Orient, Weighing nearly 500 carats and the
bluebell of Asia, which weighs in at 400 carats. The renowned Sri Lankan
Star sapphire is on permanent display at the Museum of Natural History in
New York, but due to an oversight, the stone has been called the star of
India. The Great Aqua of Sri Lanka, with a weight of 1,890 carats in the
rough is the largest gem found in the island. This aquamarine yielded a
sparkling rare gem of 946 carats, which became part of a royal collection
when acquired by a Saudi prince.
Throughout history Sri Lanka's gems and jewellery have adorned the crown
jewels of many royal families. A very very rare gem- a 105 carat cat's eye-
discovered in a paddy field in Sri Lanka, gained fame among the royalty of
Britain and was Successively Admired by Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII
and Queen Elizabeth.
Alexandrite, the rarest gem in the world is Sri Lanka it was first pound in
the Urals in 1830 and is named after czar Alexander II who come of age on
the day it was found. This stone shines green in natural light but turns
raspberry red in artificial light.
The cat's eye is another stone which is considered valuable and rare. It
derives its name from fact that a silvery line runs across its greenish-gray
surface, giving it a remarkable resemblance to the eye of a cat. The rarest
type is the black cat's eye.
The most rare gems of Sri Lanka
1. Andalusite: Mineral found in Sri Lanka. Mainly green in color.
2. Apatite: Blue-green, yellow, and violet.
3. Diopside: Generally green, some show cat's-eye effect.
4. Ekanite: First found in Sri Lanka in 1953 and named after the man who
discovered it, F.L.D. Ekanayake. Green in colour.
5. Cordierite: Gem variety called iolite and is generally blue, but can also
be yellowish-white or colourless.
6. Kornerupine: Pale brownish-yellow, green and colourless.
7. Sinhalite: Recognised in 1952 as a new mineral - first found in Sri
Lanka. Pale yellow, brown or greenish-brown.
8. Taaffeite: Identified as a new mineral in 1945 after it was found in Sri
Lanka by Count Taaffe
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