A SAPPHIRE BOOM

Evening Star, Issue 22252, 1 February 1936, Page 7

A SAPPHIRE BOOM

The Duchess of Gloucester's preference for a sapphire engagement ring has created a jewel boom in Ceylon. Half the world’s output of these precious stones is mined in the island, where the centre of the industry is Eatna Pura, which means the City of Gems. The choicest cut sapphire ever produced' came from there — a stone of 440 carats, flawless, and of a deep peacock blue. This stone has found its way to America at a price which, although never revealed, ran into four figures (says the 1 Weekly Scotsman ’). The catseye, a stone of beautiful honey colour, reflecting deep beams of amber light, which though little appreciated m the West is greatly prized in the East, is also found in Ceylon. The largest known was ones in the collection of the last'King of Ceylon, and Dr Pieris, tho Ceylon Trade Commissioner in London, is searching for it. Brought to England about 1815, its history has been traced lip to 1928, when it was purchased by an American, and has probably crossed the Atlantic. But precious stones are more than precious stones in Ceylon—nine primary gems, arranged in mysterious sequence, are supposed, when correctly interpreted to have an astrological significance that is never wrong. Ceylon may, however, soon afford England a glimpse of her precious products, as it has been suggested the island should stage an exhibition of her jewels.