Editor’s Note
This article reports on the remarkable discovery in Sri Lanka of what is claimed to be the world’s largest sapphire cluster, with an estimated value nearing $100 million. The find highlights the region’s rich geological resources and the extraordinary fortune that can lie just beneath the surface.
Authorities in Sri Lanka have claimed that the world’s largest and most precious sapphire cluster has been found during the excavation of a well in the backyard of a house in their country. A businessman dealing in precious stones reported that this valuable sapphire cluster was accidentally discovered by a person while digging a well behind his house. Experts believe the value of this sapphire cluster is close to $100 million in the international market.
Experts have named this sapphire cluster the ‘Serendipity Sapphire’. It weighs approximately 510 kilograms and is 2.5 million carats. The owner of the sapphire cluster, Dr. Gamage, told the BBC that the person digging the well on his property informed him during the excavation that some precious stones were buried underground. Later, they successfully extracted this large stone.
Dr. Gamage did not reveal his full name and address for security reasons. Dr. Gamage is also a businessman dealing in precious stones. He has informed the authorities about his discovery.
Dr. Gamage reported that during the cleaning of the stone, some pieces of sapphire broke off and fell. When these were analyzed, it was found that they were of extremely high quality. The stone was found in the city of Ratnapura. This city is known as Sri Lanka’s ‘Gem City’. Many other valuable stones have been found here before.
Sri Lanka is a major global exporter of sapphires and other precious gemstones. Last year alone, Sri Lanka earned about $500 million from diamond cutting and the export of precious stones. However, some experts believe that most of the sapphires inside this cluster may not be of high quality.