Sri Lanka Pavilion displays rare sapphires at the Expo 2020 Dubai

DUBAI: The Sri Lanka Pavilion displayed rare sapphires worth AED 367 million (USD100 million) at Expo 2020 Dubai. Home to some of the rarest sapphires in the world, Sri Lanka takes great pride in its national treasures – many of which have graced the private collections of billionaires and royalty.

The Days of Sapphire Exhibition showcased 21 gems from Sri Lanka, some over 100 carats and all of which date back thousands of years, according to Imran Saibo, Director of Events and Operations at the Sri Lanka Pavilion.

Saibo said: “What we have here are what we call the masterpieces. So we have over USD 100 million worth of gems. This is the first time in the history of Sri Lankan sapphires that such a collection has been in one place at one time. We are so happy that we can do it at Expo 2020 Dubai, because we can showcase to the rest of the world and Expo has given us this opportunity to do that.”

Helen Molesworth, a renowned jewellery expert, led visitors on a walk-through of the exhibition as she highlighted the significance of sapphires to Sri Lanka.

Speaking about the extraordinary collection at Expo 2020 Dubai, she said: “This collection is particularly special because we have over a thousand carats in total of Sri Lankan sapphires. Four of them are over one hundred carats each. These sapphires are the size of little eggs, and the colours are incredible. Blue is the famous colour of Sri Lankan sapphires, but one of the stones we have here is a 200-carat yellow sapphire.”

The event was organised by the Sri Lanka Tourism Board, in association with the Sri Lanka Gems and Jewellery Association and the owners of the sapphires.

From its lush water ways to its mountain tops and historic landscapes, the Sri Lanka Pavilion in the Opportunity District allows visitors to explore the country’s vast wonders and beautiful nature in one place.

Source: Expo 2020 Website