By Savithri Rodrigo
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_From the Island of Gems or Ratnadveepa, as Sri Lanka was known, comes the Ceylon Sapphire, which has mesmerized many from across continents for over 2,500 years. It will soon hold its rightful place as the centerpiece of Sri Lankan gems at FACETS Sri Lanka Premier Edition, to be held in January 2023.
One of the biggest international gem and jewellery exhibitions in South Asia, FACETS Sri Lanka, now in its 30th edition, is well established across the global gem industry as a showcase of premier gems especially those from Sri Lanka. It has fast held a reputation of having some of the best quality and best value coloured gemstones in the world. The exhibition which attracts gem and jewellery connoisseurs from across the world showcases the crème de la crème of the Sri Lankan gem and jewellery industry.
Having been an integral conduit in ancient trading routes, Sri Lanka which also carried the names of Taprobane and Serendipity due to its unmatched natural beauty had everyone from royalty to traders to travelers touch down on its shores to set eyes on some of the most valuable, lustrous and unique gems in the world. The lustre that embraces Sri Lankan gems and jewellery in this little island renowned for the best blue sapphires is also famed for being the oldest source of sapphires in the world.
Chairman of FACETS Sri Lanka Altaf Iqbal who is also a Director of the International Coloured Gemstones Association said: “We will concentrate on creating an international design trend where all artisanal crafted jewellery will place a coloured gemstone as its centerpiece. If you look at some of the most valuable masterpieces among royalty around the world for instance, it is a Sri Lankan gem that stands out as the centerpiece. We have to bring that trend back, bigger and better.”
Given the economic crisis including the lack foreign exchange that Sri Lanka has been facing, the gem and jewellery industry is keen on adding to the foreign exchange revenue the country so badly needs. “FACETS Sri Lanka has a vision to take Sri Lankan gems into newer and brighter spaces, positioning itself to achieve USD 1 billion in exports in 2023,” concludes Iqbal.
