At the Diamond and Gems Theme Pavilion of the first China International Import Expo, attendees can see various kinds of colorful gems and diamonds. Behind their shining and twinkling jewels, there is a lot of knowledge to gain.

One of the exhibitors told our reporter that Sri Lanka is world-renowned for its gemstones such as sapphire, ruby, garnet and chrysoberyl. Among them, Sri Lanka-produced sapphires are quite hot in the market, and their supply falls short of demand due to their high clarity and transparency, less inclusions inside and stronger fluorescent reactions.

It is worth noting that Padparadscha (also called Lotus gem) is also showcased at the pavilion. Padparadscha is a special variety of gem corundum, featuring an often delicate color that is a mixture of red and yellow – a marriage between ruby and yellow sapphire. The Name is Sinhalese word "padma radschen", meaning lotus blossom, as the color of stone is similar to that of the lotus blossom.

According to this exhibitor, the Lotus gems and Royal Blue sapphires are rarer than the rest, with a higher level of clarity and more beautiful shape and appearance and jewels and crowns are often mounted with them. In recent years, Chinese consumers have developed a growing interest in and increasing zest for Sri Lanka sapphires. “With such a good platform as CIIE, the market for Sri Lanka sapphires is very promising.” said this exhibitor.