Sri Lankan Man Discovers World’s Largest Sapphire Cluster in Backyard
The man stated that workers informed him of some unusual stones while digging a well
Have you ever thought of finding some hidden treasure in your backyard? While not everybody will be that lucky, a Sri Lankan person ended up finding the world’s largest sapphire cluster worth more than $100 million.
The world’s largest sapphire cluster
Mr. Gamage, a third-gen gem trader accidentally found the world’s largest sapphire cluster while digging up in his backyard. In a conversation with BBC, the man stated that workers informed him of some unusual stones while digging a well.
The world’s largest sapphire cluster unearthed during the tunnel digging is now named the Serendipity Sapphire. Weighing over 500 KGs (2.5 million carats), the cluster would be worth a big amount of money in the international market.
However, the evaluation of the world’s largest sapphire was not a quick feat. According to Mr. Gamage, experts analyzed the cluster for over a year before certifying its quality. Furthermore, several stones fell out of the cluster during the initial evaluation.
After that, the stones that fell out from the world’s largest sapphire cluster were found to be high-end star sapphires. Of course, all stones in the cluster do not have a high grading. Though, the cluster is huge. Since it has become the world’s largest sapphire cluster, it is termed incredibly rare.
In Sri Lanka, the National Gem and Jewelry Authority stated, “It is a special star sapphire specimen, probably the biggest in the world.” The representatives further added, “Given the size and its value, we think it will interest private collectors or museums.”
This is not the first-time precious stones have been unearthed in Ratnapura, Sri Lanka. It was named the “city of gems” after a long list of similar discoveries in a past. This certainly does not mean that the world’s largest sapphire cluster’s discovery is not special enough.
According to experts, this cluster dates to a good 400 million years. It is quite fascinating how the cluster was discovered in someone’s backyard, and that too, out of sheer luck.
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