Editor’s Note
This article reports on Sri Lanka’s unveiling of a colossal 310-kilogram blue sapphire, claimed to be the world’s largest, with an estimated value of $100 million.
On December 12, Sri Lanka presented what it claims to be the world’s largest blue sapphire. Discovered during the summer, the enormous 310-kilogram stone was unveiled in the city of Horana. The value of this sapphire is estimated at 100 million US dollars.
The stone was discovered inside a gem pit in Ratnapura, nicknamed “the city of gems.” Its weight is estimated at 2.5 million carats.
International bodies must still analyze and certify the sapphire for its weight and value to be officially recognized.
With 90% of the world’s blue sapphires found there, Sri Lanka is one of the world’s largest exporters of this type of stone. The country already holds the record for the largest stone.