Gem market
Ratnapura gem markets
Ratnapura, Sri Lanka
Open-air trading in Sri Lanka's 'City of Gems', in the middle of the island's gem-gravel mining area. Dealers buy and sell face to face, often without receipts. The government gem laboratory in town can test stones.
Ratnapura, "City of Gems" in Sinhala, lies in the hills of Sri Lanka's Sabaragamuwa Province, in the middle of the gem-bearing gravels that have been mined for more than two thousand years. Pits around the town still produce sapphire in every colour, as well as spinel, chrysoberyl, garnet, zircon and moonstone.
What you find
Rough and cut Sri Lankan stones, from inexpensive parcels to fine blue sapphire. Geuda, milky corundum that turns blue when heated, is a local speciality and is traded and exported in its own right.
How trading works
Trading starts early. Around the Clock Tower and along the main streets, dealers and miners meet face to face from about six in the morning, often holding stones in their palms or papers; the busiest hours are over by mid-morning, and trading moves on to other gathering points in town during the day. Deals are agreed by bargaining and frequently settled in cash.
Visiting and buying safely
- The National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NGJA), which regulates mining, trading and export in Sri Lanka, has a regional office in Ratnapura, and stones can be tested at laboratories in town.
- Exporting gems from Sri Lanka goes through the NGJA's export procedures: keep receipts and buy from licensed dealers.
- Synthetic and treated stones circulate with natural ones; for anything important, ask for a test before paying.
Places and institutions, not businesses: JewelLoop does not rank, recommend or endorse anyone listed. Hours and contacts change, so check with them before you travel or apply.