Editor’s Note
This report details the successful conclusion of the GEM SRILANKA 2026 exhibition in Colombo, highlighting its evolution into a major international event and the participation of Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister.
From January 7th to 9th, the GEM SRILANKA 2026 exhibition was successfully held at the Shangri-La Hotel in the center of Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, attended the official opening ceremony as a distinguished guest. Having evolved from an initial industry-specific event, GEM SRILANKA has now grown into a landmark international gathering.
This year’s exhibition featured 150 booths, attracting a large number of local and international buyers. Attendees included Mr. Sunil Handunnetti, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Industries and Enterprise Development; Mr. Rizwan Naeem, Vice Chairman of CGJTA; Andrew Lucas, Field Gemologist and President of GUILD Gem Education; Ms. Liu Lihong, President of GUILD Gem Laboratory; and other notable guests.
At the Gem Sri Lanka 2026 exhibition, exhibitors comprehensively demonstrated their professional capabilities across various segments of the gemstone industry chain, covering key areas such as mining, cutting, polishing, and heat treatment. Upholding integrity and transparency as core values, the exhibition maintained a high level of professional standards. It also featured immersive experiences showcasing Sri Lanka’s long and rich gemstone history, with detailed introductions to the country’s famous sapphires and star sapphires. A premium exhibition area was set up to display high-quality sapphires and high-end colored gemstone collections.
Data from GUILD Gem Laboratory indicated that the number of samples received during the exhibition reached a new high, directly reflecting the vibrancy of the Sri Lankan trading market and further signaling a warming trend in the global gemstone market at the start of the year.
Sri Lanka boasts a thriving and economically valuable trade in precious and semi-precious gemstones, renowned internationally for high-quality gems and exceptional cutting and finishing craftsmanship. The gems produced there fully meet or even exceed the industry’s highest standards. Sri Lanka has long held a significant position in the global gemstone industry, serving as a global hub integrating mining, cutting, treatment, and trade. Buyers from global markets such as Japan, India, and China continuously flock to Sri Lanka, where they can observe the entire colored gemstone supply chain. Combined with deep gemstone cultural heritage, rich experience, and innovative thinking, this has developed their keen perception of the global market. In recent years, by integrating rough stone sourcing from Africa, Madagascar, and Southeast Asia with local cutting techniques, Sri Lanka has further consolidated its position in the gemstone industry.
As an internationally authoritative testing institution, GUILD has been committed to field gemology research, collecting A-type gemstone reference samples from major mining areas worldwide to provide accurate, authoritative, and efficient testing services for global practitioners. Since the exhibition’s inception, GUILD has been the Platinum Sponsor for three consecutive editions. This year, it made its debut with dual booths for GUILD Gem Laboratory and GUILD Education.
At the GUILD Gem Laboratory booth, a team of senior gemologists from GUILD Beruwala provided exhibitors and buyers with 24-48H rapid testing services, covering variety identification and treatment detection, offering reliable support for global gemstone trade procurement. The booth also launched the limited first edition of the “2025 GUILD Colored Gemstone Market Report,” providing an important reference guide for industry trends.
The newly debuted GUILD Gemology Education booth focused on the knowledge needs of domestic and international practitioners, comprehensively displaying GUILD’s educational course system and overseas study programs. On-site displays of the English version of “Gem Journey,” professional color charts, and the bound edition of “Microcosm: Atlas of Gemstone Inclusions” were widely favored and welcomed by practitioners from home and abroad.
GUILD will continue to deepen its presence in the international gemstone market, leveraging its professional capabilities to support the transparent and standardized development of the global gemstone industry. It aims to explore new possibilities in source trade alongside industry peers, looking forward to more surprises at the next Gem Sri Lanka.
