Rare 3,563-carat Purple Star Sapphire discovered in Sri Lanka, valued at $300 million

Sri Lanka may have hit a jackpot after an extremely rare and one of the most valuable gemstones to ever exist “Purple Star Sapphire” weighing 3,563 carats has been discovered in the country.

While the exact value of the stone remains unclear, rough estimates suggest the gem, named “Star of Pure Land,” could be worth up to $300 million, making it the most valuable gemstone ever discovered.

Consultant gemologist Ashan Amarsinghe said that it was the world’s biggest natural star sapphire of its kind, adding, “It shows a well-defined asterism. It displays a six rays asterism. That’s something special out of all other stones.”

For context, the star sapphires possess star-like qualities called asterism.

The gemstone is owned by an unknown company which wishes to remain anonymous due to security reasons. One of the owners revealed that the star sapphire was found in 2023 in a gem pit near the town of Rathnapura.

It was initially transported along with ordinary stones; however, two years later owners discovered that it was special and got it certified by two laboratories.

The Natural Sapphire company has detailed several features that distinguish star sapphires from other gemstones on its website. 

They state: “A star-sapphire possesses a star perfectly centered when viewed from above, with each of equal length, which should be bright, sharp and clearly defined.”

It remains unclear whether and when the owner plans to auction the gemstone.