Travel to Ratnapura and Beruwala to trace the full journey of a Ceylon gem from the earth to the finished stone. Visit working gem pits, watch lapidaries cut and polish rough stones in family workshops, and explore a gem museum covering over 40 Sri Lankan gem varieties.
Gem Pit Visit
Step into a working alluvial gem mine where rattan basket mining continues exactly as it has for centuries. Watch miners sift through gravel in search of sapphires, rubies, and cat’s eye in real time.
Lapidary Workshop
Watch skilled craftsmen cut and polish rough stones into finished gems using techniques passed through generations. The precision involved in transforming a raw crystal into a finished Ceylon sapphire is genuinely fascinating to witness.
Gem Museum
Explore Sri Lanka’s extraordinary gemstone heritage through a curated museum collection spanning the island’s 40-plus gem varieties. Your guide provides the geological and historical context that makes the collection come alive.
