SL sapphire in world’s priciest perfume

Tuesday, 16 August 2011 00:45 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A sapphire from Sri Lanka has been included in the world’s most expensive fragrance bottle.

A 7.18 carat Sri Lankan oval cabochon sapphire is part of DKNY’s Golden Delicious bottle, priced at US$ 1 million.

The bottle is made from 14-carat yellow and white gold, featuring almost 3,000 precious stones sourced from all over the world.

The fragrance will be showcased around the world before being sold to benefit the Action Against Hunger charity.

Blue sapphires from Sri Lanka gained serious world attention after Prince William presented Kate Middleton with his mother's engagement ring, which featured an oval shaped blue sapphire from Sri Lanka surrounded by 14 diamonds set in 18 karat white gold.

The gem and jewellery industry takes a foremost place in bringing foreign revenue to Sri Lanka. The country is among the biggest sources of gems and precious stones and is ranked among the top gem-bearing nations in the world.

Over 40 of around 60 varieties on the market are found in Sri Lanka, many from the Ratnapura region. The country’s gemstones were formed during the pre-Cambrian age, and almost every stone is guaranteed to be over 800 million years old.

Blue sapphire, star sapphire, ruby and cat’s eye are among the Sri Lankan gemstones which are in high demand.