There are many different types of Sri Lankan gems that can be incorporated in that special article of jewellery you have always dreamed of Sri Lankan gems cover the full range of colours, so you are assured of finding a gem to suit your taste. To assist you to choose from the dazzling variety available, some of the island's fine gems are described below. Remember that gemstones in Sri Lanka were formed during the pre-Cambrian age, so any gem you choose is guaranteed to be over 800 million years old! 

Sri Lanka's natural wealth, and the mining skills of its people, is linked to a corresponding depth of tradition in the jewellers and goldsmiths craft. These crafts enjoyed royal patronage from early times, thus ensuring the highest standards. When the king appeared on state occasions, he was dressed in the most magnificent robes studded with a profusion of jewellery, or in complete armour of gold, encrusted with rubies, sapphires and diamonds that glittered in the sun. 

The lapidaries in Sri Lanka have always been skillful in turning the smallest speck of colour to good advantage by cutting en cabochon, even though the curious lathe they use to this day appears too primitive to produce such spectacular results. On the end of the lathe's axle is a round plate of steel, placed vertically, which is made to revolve backwards and forwards by a violin-like bow worked by the right hand, while the left hand applies the stone to be cut, held between finger and thumb against the plate. A finely powdered and moistened sapphire of coarse quality is used as the grinding medium. 

Jewellery design and manufacture evolved in Sri Lanka in a manner similar to most cultures. The first pieces were purely functional in purpose. Over time, however, they became articles of adornment. Thus a safety pin evolved into a jewelled brooch, and a seal of office looped around the finger for safe-keeping evolved into a signet ring. The designs often employed natural forms, such as the delicate pepper flower, or mythical creatures, such as the double-headed eagle and two mystical Hindu geese in the act of kissing. 

Royal patronage may have ceased, and traditional designs may have given way to modern, more universal types of jewellery, but the tradition of excellence for which Sri Lankan craftsmen were renowned, survives. 

Formerly, transactions between buyer and seller were conducted in silence by holding and squeezing hands under a white cloth. Bidding was done with the fingers. One finger represented a unit called in Tamil atchu, or 100, and two a unit called periya atchu, or 1000. The buyer expressed is assent by the squeeze of the hand. The custom was derived from Arab traders who came to the island in search of gems. Not knowing the language, and in order to keep the price a secret, they devised a type of silent transaction.