Jakarta –
A treasure trove of star sapphires was discovered by a well-digger in Sri Lanka. A gem dealer said the stone was found by workers digging a well at his home in the gem-rich Ratnapura area.
detikcom summarizes some interesting facts about the gem’s findings, which are as follows:
1. Worth IDR 1.4 T
Experts say the pale blue stone is estimated to be worth US$ 100 million or equivalent to Rp 1.4 trillion (exchange rate: Rp 14,000/US$) in the international market. Thus detik.com quoted from the BBC, Thursday (29/7/2021).
“The guy who dug the well told us about some rare stones. Then we found this huge specimen,” Gamage, the rock’s owner, told the BBC.
2. The World’s Largest Sapphire
The star sapphire is claimed to be the largest in the world, at least that has been found so far.
The star sapphire weighs about 510 kilograms or 2.5 million carats and is named “Serendipity Sapphire”.
“This is a special star sapphire specimen, probably the largest in the world. Given its size and value, we thought it would be of interest to private collectors or museums,” said Thilak Weerasinghe, Chairman of Sri Lanka’s National Gems and Jewelery Authority.
3. Sri Lanka Gems Exporter
Sri Lanka is an exporter of sapphires and other precious gems. Last year, the country earned about half a billion dollars through exports of gems, cut diamonds and jewellery.
The discovery of the world’s largest sapphire comes as Sri Lanka’s gem industry has suffered losses due to the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those working in the industry hope the find will attract international buyers and experts, even though the stone has not been analyzed and endorsed by independent international experts.
(toy/fdl)
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