One of the world’s most important coloured gemstone trading centres, Sri Lanka offers extraordinary sapphires and a long gem history, but buying well here depends on understanding how trust, negotiation, treatment disclosure, and local trading culture actually work.
 
This guide explains how to buy sapphires and other Sri Lankan gemstones safely, how quality varies, what treatments are common, where tourists can buy with lower risk, and how certification works locally. It covers shops, markets, testing laboratories, export considerations, pricing expectations, and the practical realities of negotiating in one of the world’s most active gem trading environments.
 
Most importantly, it includes carefully selected reputable contacts; trusted dealers, laboratories, and buying locations that can help reduce risk for serious buyers, collectors, and travellers.
 
A practical field guide for buying gemstones safely at source.
 
This book is proudly featured by Travel Mag and endorsed by the Sri Lankan Tourist Board.