Seldom have the excavations been as profitable as those done by workers in the yard of a Sri Lankan house.
Behind the gem dealer’s home was the discovery of a group of sapphires valued at $100 million, according to BBC News.
The 2.5 million carat gem is the largest block in the world.
“We informed the people who were digging the well about the gem and they later discovered the huge specimen,” said Mr. Jamaj, the owner of the house who preferred not to reveal his first name for security reasons.
The man reported the discovery to authorities last year, but it took more than a year to certify and clean the stone.
Despite the fact that the city of Ratnapura – where the stone was found – is famous as the gem capital of the world, the discovery still surprised connoisseurs.
“I’ve never seen such a large specimen,” says Dr.NS Jamini Zoisa, famous gemologist.
Experts estimate that the gem, nicknamed the “shell sapphire,” could be worth up to $100 million.
“This is a special sample of star sapphire, possibly the largest in the world. Because of its size and value, we think it will be of interest to collectors and museums,” notes Thilac Weirasinghe, president of the National Gem and Jewelery Authority.
