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Sri Lanka gem industry has a very long and colorful history. Sri Lanka was affectionately known as Ratna Dweepa which means Gem Island. The name is a reflection of its natural wealth. Marco olo in 1292 wrote I want you to understand that the island of Ceylon is, for its size, the finest island in the world, and from its streams comes Ruby's, Sapphires, topazes, amethyst and garnet. Ptolemy, he second century astronomer recorded that beryl and sapphire were the mainstay of Sri Lanka gem industry. Records from sailors that visited the island states that they brought back jewels of Serendib. Serendib was the ancient name given to the island by middle eastern and Persian traders that crossed the Indian Ocean to trade gems from Sri Lanka to the East during the fourth and fifth century.
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