Sourcing of Colored Stones
The solid relationship that ASKR Jewelry maintains with the source mines ensures flawless stones in our jewelry. The authenticity of our stones can be verified by the National Gem and Jewellery Authority of Sri Lanka on request. Gem Varieties of Sri Lanka Seventy-five varieties of the 200 known minerals classified as gemstones, have been found in Sri Lanka. Common Gemstones Corundum Family The Corundum family of minerals, formed of oxides of aluminum, produces the most important range of valuable gemstones found in Sri Lanka as water-worn pebbles in alluvial deposits or less frequently in source rocks. Ruby The color of this red corundum is due to traces of chromic oxide and this probably is its most important shade. Sri Lankan rubies have clarity and a lustre that are sometimes less than in the more famous Myanmar rubies which bear the traditional “Pigeon blood red color”. However, on occasion, the best quality rubies have been mined in Sri Lanka. Ruby is one of the most expensive gems and is probably only second to diamond with rare colors. Sapphires Other than the deep red corundum which is known as ruby, any other colored corundum stones are called sapphires with the prefix for colors, e.g. blue sapphires, yellow sapphires, pink sapphires, etc.
Frequent discoveries have been made of excellent gems which can be considered the best blue sapphires in the world; the prized cornflower blue sapphires. The regular occurrence of these gems in Sri Lankan gem deposits warrants the statement that perhaps the best blue sapphires today come from Sri Lanka. Padparadscha (Pathmaraga) The name Padparadscha is derived from the Sanskrit term for lotus flower or ‘padma’. Sapphires with a mixture of pink and orange colors has been called padmaraga in Sri Lanka for many centuries and recently, the name has been westernized. The ideal color of a padparadscha is said to be a fusion of a Sri Lankan lotus and a sunset. Padparadscha is one of the most expensive gems in the world with prices similar to those of rubies. Other Sapphires in the Corundum Family Other commercially important shades of the corundum family found abundantly in Sri Lanka include Yellow Sapphire, Golden Sapphire, Orange Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Purple Sapphire, Green Sapphire, White Sapphire and Color Changing Sapphire (which is bluish purple in day light and brownish red in incandescent light). Asteriated Sapphires (Star Ruby & Star Sapphire) are another type of valuable corundums found in Sri Lanka. Chrysoberyl Family Chrysoberyl, a beryllium aluminum silicate is colored by certain impurities such as chromic oxide and iron oxide, which result in various colors such as green, yellow, brown, brownish green.
Alexandrite Alexandrite is the rarest type of chrysoberyl and Sri Lanka is famous for producing larger Alexandrites with fair color change. The special beauty and value of this gem is due to its color change. At their vivid best, Sri Lankan stones can be grass green in daylight and violet red to raspberry red in incandescent or artificial light. Alexandrite is one of the most expensive gems with pricing similar to fine rubies. Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eye In a trade where there are many mineral groups which produce the Cat’s Eye effect, the Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eye is considered to be the genuine article and therefore requires a definite identification. Sri Lankan Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eyes found in Sri Lanka, display almost the entire color range known to exist in this variety, from dark yellowish brown to paler shades of yellow with tints of green. Cat’s Eye with fine rays and a honey color would be priced similar to Blue Sapphire. Other Gemstones found in Sri Lanka The wide variety of gemstones found in Sri Lanka includes spinel (e.g. ceylonite, cobalt blue spinel), beryl, garnet, tourmaline, topaz, quartz (e.g. amethyst) and zircon.