The demand for blue sapphires has risen strongly since Britain’s Prince William married Kate Middleton in April.
Sri Lankan gemstone dealers say there has been a rush for sapphires since the royal wedding.
 In the first half of this year, Sri Lankan gem exports rose 35% over the past year to be worth more than $48m.
An ordinary sapphire can cost $17,000 per gram, as the gems are difficult to mine.
A dealer at the 21st annual Gem and Jewellery exhibition in Colombo says the royal wedding has made stones like it very popular.
“There’s been quite a rush here, especially for sapphires,” said a dealer.
“It’s something great that she’s wearing a Ceylon Sapphire. That brings a lot of value to the stone and it’s a prestige to our country as well,” BBC reported quoting dealers.
Meanwhile, 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 in DKNY Golden Delicious bottle priced at USD one million.
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 here, many from the Ratnapura region. Sri Lanka’s gemstones were formed during the pre-Cambrian age, and almost every one 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.
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