Chamila Suranga, a gemmology researcher attached to Gemological Institute of Ratnapura inspects a 310 kilograms (683 pounds) heavy natural corundum blue sapphire at a residence where it is kept in Horana, about 41 kilometers (25 miles) south of Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021. A gem company in Sri Lanka has unveiled the massive gemstone that is certified as a rare and one of the biggest corundums found in the country and plans to offer it to museums and gem collectors. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
A gem company in Sri Lanka has unveiled a rare and massive gemstone weighing 683 pounds (310 kilograms) that has been certified as one of the biggest corundums ever found in the country.
Sri Lanka's National Gem and Jewelry Authority says it has done a series of gemological tests on five samples taken from the rock.
“To our knowledge this specimen is indeed a rare specimen and not recorded in the geological literature," read an authentication letter given by the authority to the owners who unveiled the stone on Sunday.
When the outer layer was removed for inspection, the interior showed a silky blue patchy appearance, the letter said, suggesting the stone is a blue sapphire.
Shanka Ruwanditha, a director of the company that currently owns the massive stone, the Gemological Institute of Ratnapura, told The Associated Press on Monday that the owners plan to obtain the services of a local or foreign gem valuer soon to determine the price of the rock.
Sri Lanka and especially its southwestern city of Ratnapura, or the Gem City in the local language, has been known for centuries for mining gems and precious stones.
Orangetheory Brand President Lauren Cody on the fitness industry's shift from chasing aesthetics to prioritizing longevity and measurable health and wellness.
Peachtree Group CEO Greg Friedman breaks down the Fed's rate decision and the Senate's housing affordability bill and what it means for commercial real estate.
Nodi is giving kids a safe way to stay connected before they're ready for a smartphone. CEO Pascal Leonard Blum breaks down how the device works for families.
From coast to coast, gas prices are telling different stories. AAA's Aixa Diaz explains what's behind the numbers and what it means for American drivers.
AutoStore’s CPO Parth Joshi explains its new AI software layer designed to optimize warehouse robots in real time and unlock smarter, more efficient fulfillment
ROC CEO B. Scott Swann joins us live from the NYSE to discuss the company's IPO and how VisionAI is transforming facial recognition for defense and security.
If you asked anyone in 2007 what a “subprime mortgage” was, they wouldn’t have any idea. So here’s a question for you: Do you know what the private credit
Matternet founder and CEO Andreas Raptopoulos on the state of drone delivery in the U.S. and what it will take to make aerial delivery a mainstream reality.
