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by Elmo Leonard

Sri Lanka’s coloured gemstones

Sri Lanka's internationally renowned gem and jewellery show - FACETS 2002 - will be held for the 12th successive year from September 9 to 11 at the Colombo Hilton.

Gem and jewellery is the only sector in Sri Lanka to stage a continuous annual event for over a decade. FACETS is organised by the Sri Lanka Gem Traders' Association. The theme of this year's show is 'The Island of Gems.' Ironically, the theme underscores what FACETS had won back for Sri Lanka since its inception in 1991.

Thai traders had started heat-treating Sri Lanka's sapphires in the 1970s, converting the stones to value added, coloured sapphires. With it, the Thai traders took control of the entire gem trade in Sri Lanka, and made Bangkok the world's centre for coloured gemstones.

Now, following the holding of FACETS shows, Sri Lanka, which is home to over 50 coloured gemstones, the highest in the world, has been re-established as the centre of the globe's gemstones, which position she had enjoyed since time immemorial.

Chairman National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NGJA), Prof P.G.R. Dharmaratne (second from L) hands over a cheque for Rs 1 million to Chairman FACETS Organising Committee, Macky Hashim. The money is to be used to promote the FACETS show. The others in the picture are from left: Deputy Director EDB, Indira Malwatte, FACETS Finance Director, Akram Mansoor, Chairman Sri Lanka Gem Traders’ Association, Rainer Nanayakkara and Vice Chairman FACETS and NGJA, Ajward Deen

The FACETS show is now on the international almanac of the gem trade and is awaited by gem buyers throughout the world.

Leading gem and jewellery buyers from the United States, UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Saudi Arabia are expected to visit the FACETS show. The climate of peace in the country has facilitated their planned visits, Executive Director Facets Secretariat Firoze Hassan said.

SriLankan Airlines continues to be the official carrier for FACETS.

All 60 booths for the show were sold out two weeks ago. This year, foreign stall holders will come from Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand, Hassan said. The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), which affords exhibition space for small time silver jewellery manufacturers every year, has this year, increased its space by 50 per cent. The Gem and Jewellery Research Training Institute will also have a stall. The chief guest at the opening of the FACETS show will be Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Ravi Karunanayake. The guests of honour will be Rashmikant Durlabhji of Jaipur, India, who is the founder organiser of the International Colored Gemstones Association (ICA) of USA, and A. Nahamura, Chairman EIKO Watch Company of Japan.

Besides taking FACETS to the world, the FACETS organisers held seminars recently in Beruwela, a hub of the established gem trade, and Ratnapura, a supply and trading location. Consequently, three traders from Beruwela and two from Ratnapura will participate as booth holders, Hassan said.

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