by Kusal Kaluarachchi | Mar 26, 2017 |
This weekend, I had the privilege of visiting the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Entering the dome shaped building near the National Mall was an exhilarating experience as I was excited to see an assortment of wonders from the ancient mummies of Egypt to the...
by Kusal Kaluarachchi | Feb 26, 2017 |
Synthetic gems are ones that have been forged in the confines of a laboratory yet share all of the physical, chemical and optical traits of their natural counterparts. The first gem crystal of faceting quality to be synthesized was in fact a ruby and their production...
by Kusal Kaluarachchi | Feb 2, 2017
The history of natural diamonds dates back billions of years into the pre-historic era of our planet Earth. This incredible gemstone was forged under tremendous temperatures reaching almost 2400 degrees Fahrenheit and a pulverizing pressure of almost 800,000 pounds...
by Kusal Kaluarachchi | Jan 29, 2017 |
When it comes to gemstones, the padparadscha (pronounced as pad-pah-raj-ah) sapphire, provides the perfect combination of lustrous color and rich symbolism to craft a jewelry masterpiece. Primarily found in the lush green foothills and river basins of Sri Lanka, the...
by Kusal Kaluarachchi | Nov 27, 2016
Daniel Kahneman’s book, Thinking Fast and Slow, has been an exciting read. It’s concepts have been directly applicable to a variety of situations in my life and it puts forward a lens through which I can see my world a little more clearly. Its most profound impact has...
by Kusal Kaluarachchi | Oct 30, 2016 |
Today is an interesting day. I wish I could write about sapphires, gemstones and everything that interests me about it but something else has taken center stage. This past week I’ve had the chance to get to know a very special lady – she’s funny, sweet, beautiful and...
by Kusal Kaluarachchi | Oct 8, 2016
Eureka! Eureka! The story of Archimedes jumping out of his bath tub in revelation of a profound solution has been with us for centuries. The legend highlights the Greek scientist’s response to the gold testing problem: to determine, without damaging, whether the new...
by Kusal Kaluarachchi | Oct 2, 2016
Color can often be the hallmark of a stunning gemstone. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and many jewelers across the world use a host of terms to describe these colors and a quick glance at them can often precipitate a state confusion. ‘Violetish blue/vB’,...
by Kusal Kaluarachchi | Oct 2, 2016
Sri Lanka is the mecca of the world’s finest natural gemstones. This island is blessed with the planet’s richest gem deposits as a result of an abundance of high-grade metamorphic rocks formed from the mineral belt that separated Rodinia, the super continent that...
by Kusal Kaluarachchi | Oct 2, 2016
Politics, policies and pundits have once again reached national headlines to decide the future of the Sri Lankan Sapphire. In an island that has broken free from the chains of a civil war and is now poised for exponential and almost explosive growth, the ascent to...
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