Sri Lanka Gem & Jewellery Exports Show a Significant Growth in Q1 of 2011

05th May 2011, www.dailynews.lk, By Charumini De Silva

There is a significant growth in gem and jewellery exports in the first quarter of this year.

Speaking to Daily News Business National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NGJA) acting Director General Ajith Perera said there is a 10.6 percent increase in the total export of gems. The value generated increased from Rs 2,242 million to Rs 2,479 million compared to the corresponding period last year.

He said a marked improvement was indicated in the gem and diamond studded jewellery segments.

The diamond studded jewellery exports recorded a 89.8 percent growth while generating Rs 111 million. It was Rs 59 million in the first quarter last year. The gem studded jewellery exports grew from Rs 343 million to Rs 361 million, marking a growth of 5.1 percent.

“The NGJA is pleased with the first quarter performance and is confident that the industry will record a better growth this year if the momentum continues. We encourage value added gems and jewellery exports as the exporters could gain higher returns.

“The value addition of converting gems into jewellery has benefited exporters, which has also encouraged them,” Perera said.

He said they are expecting a growth of 10 percent compared to last year’s total growth, while expecting total exports of this sector to be Rs 50 billion.

With the announcement of the Royal Wedding; there was a huge demand for Sri Lankan Blue Sapphires from all over the world. The NGJA also promoted Blue Sapphires via the website and received a commendable response.

Sri Lanka will participate in the Jewellery Shanghai Show in China from June 16 to 19 with a participation of around 40 gem and jewellery industrialists.

The NGJA will be organizing the Sri Lankan pavilion and is looking forward to increase the business activities throughout the show as NGJA is eagerly focusing on the Chinese market.

He said China and India are emerging well in the gem and jewellery industry. The NGJA will be participating in four leading gem and jewellery shows. “We are also focusing on the Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Turkey,” he said.

“We are organizing several promotional activities in Turkey as it is one of the countries that has a thriving gem and jewellery industry.

“Another reason to select Turkey is that the country is neighbouring Russia. Russia has a great potential, but the Custom formalities are much higher. Hence, having promotional activities in Turkey will help Sri Lanka to attract more buyers from Russia,” Perera said.

Related Info :

• Blue Sapphire on the Engagement Ring of Prince William is from Sri Lanka

• Royal Wedding Highlights Ceylon Sapphire. Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Association Gifts Sapphire & Diamond Hair Pin to Kate Middleton

Royal Wedding Highlights Ceylon Sapphire. Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Association Gifts Sapphire & Diamond Hair Pin to Kate Middleton

28th April 2011, www.dailynews.lk

The Export Development Board in association with the Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Association wanted to highlight the Royal family's deep and long-standing connection to the Ceylon Sapphire over many generations, dating back to Henry V and more recently with the Princess Diana and Kate Middleton.

SLGJA and EDB has launched an innovative and informative website targeting Royal wedding to promote Ceylon Blue sapphires www.ceylonsapphire.co.uk.

The target was 250 UK and international media that are covering the Royal Wedding, featuring the areas of news, fashion, culture and lifestyle.

The Export Development Board having identified the gem and jewellery sector as a thrust Industry to reach an Export target of US$ 1 billion by 2015 saw the opportunity for the gem industry to raise the profile of the Ceylon Sapphire on the back of the Royal Wedding, EDB Chairman Janaka Ratnayake said.

"This will reinforcing our belief that Ceylon Sapphires today are extremely valuable and more rare than diamonds. This unique campaign by the EDB and the SLGJA, reinforces the unmatched superiority of the Sri Lankan gem mining industry globally and the richness of our history going back hundreds of years with the association of precious stones.

SLGJA Chairman Macky Hashim said, "This is the first time that SLGJA have embarked on an international campaign of this nature to raise awareness about the rarity and value of the Ceylon Sapphire.

The second stage of the campaign was the creation of a replica Ceylon Sapphire and diamond hair pin, which was gifted on behalf of the Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Association, as a gift to Kate Middleton to wear on her wedding day.

The purpose of this extremely valuable, Ceylon Sapphire hair pin surrounded by diamonds was to act as Kate's 'something blue' in the tradition of most weddings where the Bride must wear 'something new, something old, something borrowed and something blue'.

The hair pin was being delivered to Kate Middleton's family home in Berkshire this week.

The story was fed into the press, getting coverage on popular wedding blogs.

The ring itself, crafted by the Crown Jewellers - Asprey & Garrard of London, at the time was valued at 28,500 pounds, it is now estimated to be worth a whopping 32 million, in short it is priceless.

Some of the other famous sapphires, including the Logan Sapphire, and the Asprey & Garrard designed "Heart of the Ocean" Sapphire, are from the mines of Sri Lanka.

With the announcement of the Royal wedding, jewellers have been overwhelmed with orders for replica rings, with some retailers reporting an increase in sales of 800 percent for Ceylon Sapphires.

Related Info :

• Prince William's Royal Engagement Ring Boosts Sri Lankan Gem Trade

• Sri Lanka Sees Over 20pct Growth in Gem, Diamond & Jewelry Sector during First Half of 2010

Blue Sapphire on the Engagement Ring of Prince William is from Sri Lanka

25th November 2010, www.news.lk

Speculation on the origin of the oval blue sapphire on the ring that gave Kate Middleton is now over.

This ring is the same one as given by his father, Prince Charles at his engagement to Lady Diana Spencer in 1981. It is now known that the oval blue sapphire adorning this ring came from Sri Lanka.

This ring is the most talked about engagement ring in the world today, revealing a sparkling contribution by Sri Lanka to the grandeur of Britain's royal heirloom.

The blue sapphire alone is 12-carat while the 14 solitaire diamonds clustered elegantly around it are set in 18-carat white gold which had cost £28,500 (45,000) USD at the time of purchase three decades ago. Before the Princess of Wales’s death in 1997, the ring was valued at more than £250,000 because of its connection to the royals, and in particular Princess Diana.