Sri Lankans Band Together To Promote Ceylon Sapphire Jewelry

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka-Once upon a time, only intrepid voyagers such as Marco Polo, Ibn Batuta, a 14th century Arab traveler who left his native Morocco to wander the world for 29 years, and the mythical Sinbad the Sailor were lucky enough to own gems and jewels from Lanka Dvipa, or "the fortunate island," as Sri Lanka was known.

Today, gem lovers around the globe are familiar with the country's rich supply of colored stones-topaz, amethyst, garnet and, of course, the rainbow of sapphires for which it is best known-but still relatively few people own locally-made jewelry, especially when compared with the gigantic export figures racked up by neighboring India and nearby Hong Kong.

But that may soon change. Seven of Sri Lanka's leading jewelry designers have formed an alliance, with the help of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), to produce and promote jewelry collections featuring Ceylon sapphires. The goal is to increase jewelry exports from the storied "island of gems" from their current $29 million annual value to at least $100 million within two to three years.

"We're trying to get an internationally-recognized designer on board. We are already in discussion with some people and we hope that by the end of May, we'll have a deal," said Chanaka Ellawala, director of Renelle, a Colombo, Sri Lanka-based jewelry manufacturer and a charter member of the Design Alliance, which also includes A.M.A. Careem Jewellers, AMS International, Lanka Jewellery, Mallika Hemachandra Jewellers, Ceyital Jewels and Zam Gems.

"I think it's doable because we have so much gem material," Ellawala said. "Now, we want to build a name for our jewelry. The opportunities are there."

The Design Alliance organized its first showing at the Ceylon Sapphire Pavilion at Basel 2002, where despite sluggish traffic, buyers were drawn to the displays featuring enormous faceted blue and fancy-colored sapphires. At press time, members of the Alliance were preparing for a similar appearance at the JCK Show in Las Vegas, where they hoped to make an announcement about the collection's progress.

"The Sri Lankan industry has evolved from a traditional Asian manufacturing [background] to modern manufacturing, both in finished jewelry and gemstones," explained Walter Schroder, a German consultant working with the EDB to promote Sri Lankan jewelry. "Before the cuts were not really what the Western market wanted. But now, the Sri Lankans have the ability to understand Western design mentalities."

The cutting skills of the island's lapidaries will also be on display at Facets 2002, the 12th Sri Lanka Gem & Jewellery Show, which will be held September 9-11 at the Hilton in Colombo. Sponsored by the National Gem & Jewellery Authority and the EDB, the show is promoting itself as a veritable smorgasbord of superbly faceted gemstones in order to lure buyers away from other Asian cutting centers.