According to the National Gem and Jewelery Administration, the world’s largest single natural blue sapphire has been found in Sri Lanka.
The gem, found in the Batugedara area of Ratnapura, weighs 1,550,000 carats (310 kg), is over two feet high and over two feet wide.
The gem, named “Queen of Asia”, is now placed by its owner in a house in the Talgahavila district of Khorana.
Sapphire owner Chamila Suranga is the director of the Gem Research and Exploration Institute in Ratnapura. He searched for precious stones for 10 years and found this stone in the Balangoda region.
Commenting on this in the media, he said that the gem was made from a single stone belonging to the corundum family.
“If someone finds a big gemstone, they divide, cut and sell the sapphire for jewelry. This is a big crime, and there are many smaller gems for jewelry making. I received an offer to buy a stone from the USA and Dubai. I hope to sell this gem to some country and give my country the foreign currency. Also, I think it would be nice if this huge gem could be kept in a museum somewhere in the world for future generations to see,” he said.
The owner said he decided to sell the gem to the country where it would be kept in a museum.