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A gem dealer's dream! It has been in my mind, it is and
will always be...A huge parcel of unheated pink and padparaja sapphires. Despite the
poor storage mean, this lot sold at an enormous price. Consider that
sapphire rough will loose approx. 50% of its weight after cutting. |
Jungle outside Ratnapura. Gem pits are present all
over. |
The "Kaluganga" passing through Ratnapura.
One of the major 4 rivers of Sri Lanka. It springs from Adam's Peak.. |
Gem mining operation. You can see many sort of small
mining operations around town... |
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Cutter pre-forming a sapphire. She is an exceptionally
skilled lapidarist. Ratnapura cutters are well known in Sri Lanka for the
finest, most lustrous, and perfect not automated cutting. |
Another skilled (and beautiful as well) lapidarist
working for our friend. |
Miners at an auction. Rough finds of a full week are
auctioned off to the high bidder. Parcels of rough are viewed by
the members, then everyone interested will place a silent bid and place it
in the glass belonging to that particular parcel. The highest bid win the
lot. |
A final check of the rough with an optivisor is
necessary before placing the bid. |
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Counting the pieces of a parcel after viewing it. |
It is never enough checking the most likely clarity of
the rough...It takes years and years of experience, and even after all the
knowledge and experience accumulated, miners say: "rough is tough" |
Rice fields and Jungle. |
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