Sri Lanka is widely regarded as the oldest known source of gem sapphires, with archaeological and historical records suggesting that sapphires were mined there by at least 2,000 BCE. Many centuries later, the island has once again stunned the world with the discovery of a rare purple star sapphire weighing a staggering 3,563 carats.
Christened the Star of Pure Land, the gem is believed to be the world’s largest natural star sapphire. Valued at an estimated $300 to $400 million, the round-shaped stone displays a clear and classic six-ray asterism. This star effect occurs when microscopic needle-like inclusions, known as silk, inside the stone reflect light in intersecting bands, forming a luminous star on the surface.
“The Star of Pure Land is the world’s largest documented natural purple star sapphire,” said Ashan Amarasinghe, a consultant gemologist, according to ChannelNewsAsia. The owners, who have remained undisclosed for security reasons, are reportedly ready to part with the gem at the stated valuation. Roughly the size of a small bowling ball, the sapphire was found in 2023 near Rathnapura, Sri Lanka’s famed City of Gems, after being unknowingly purchased as part of a mixed parcel. It was only recognized as exceptional nearly two years later, after which it was certified by two gemological laboratories.
To put its scale into perspective, the previous record holder, Sri Lanka’s Star of Adam, weighed 1,404.49 carats, making the Star of Pure Land more than twice the size of the earlier benchmark. The discovery not only rewrites gem records, it reinforces Sri Lanka’s ancient and unmatched legacy in the world of sapphires.
