Sri Lanka Sapphire Mining & Gem Cutting

Much of Sri Lanka’s sapphire comes from traditional small-scale mining — hand-dug pits, washing, and careful sorting rather than mass industrial open pits. After washing, rough is sorted by hand for colour, size, and crystal quality.

Cutting begins with planning: how to orient the crystal for the richest colour and maximum usable weight. Sapphires are typically faceted on a cutting wheel, then polished until pavilion and crown reflect light cleanly.

Explore our full illustrated guide to mining and gem cutting, with photographs of rough crystals, mining pits, and finished Ceylon sapphires.

Read the full mining & cutting guide →