Sourcing
On the ground in Sri Lanka, buying for private clients abroad
I am in Beruwala, Nivithigala, Ratnapura, Colombo, and the other trade hubs every week - at pits, market tables, and cutter benches. Born in Sri Lanka, half Chinese, fully Sinhalese-speaking - with an Australian operations mindset and a European gemmologist's eye for colour and the four Cs when I report back to clients in Prague, Paris, Germany, or Sydney. Not a showroom tour. Proper field sourcing with transparent reporting.
Where I buy
Markets and pits I work every week
Each hub has a different rhythm - rough at the pits, faceted stock in Beruwala and Colombo, specialist cutters in Ratnapura. I know who to call before I land, and who is worth walking past.
-
01
Beruwala
Coastal trade tables - heated and unheated corundum, spinel, and export-ready parcels moving between dealers.
-
02
Nivithigala
Pit-side and market sourcing - fresh rough, small-lot negotiations, and the cutters who know local material.
-
03
Ratnapura
Classic gem city - broader dealer network, cutting houses, and the daily price pulse for Ceylon sapphire.
-
04
Colombo
Studio base, export desks, and lab submissions - inspect, compare, and shortlist cert-ready faceted stock before anything ships or gets set.
-
05
Kandy & beyond
By appointment when a brief calls for it - specialist dealers and regional markets off the usual route.
Why clients use me
Local roots, international standards
You need someone inside the room who still grades the way a buyer in Paris, Munich, or Sydney will at the desk. That is the mix I bring - Sri Lankan access, Australian discipline, European gemmology.
-
01
Sinhalese-speaking, culturally connected
Born in Sri Lanka, half Chinese, fully fluent on the ground - pit talk, dealer shorthand, and the social layer that decides whether you see the good lot or the show lot.
-
02
Australian IT & operations
Strategy and systems thinking from the Australian side - clear briefs, documented decisions, and delivery discipline so sourcing does not dissolve into endless WhatsApp threads.
-
03
European gemmology
Prague base with access across Germany, Paris, and the EU trade - cut, colour, clarity, and carat graded the way high-end collectors expect, not just what flatters under one office bulb.
-
04
Always collecting for abroad
Live briefs on my phone - when the right sapphire, spinel, or ruby surfaces, I can move before it disappears into a WhatsApp group.
-
05
Gifts that actually mean something
Engagement stones, anniversary sapphires, birthstone pieces - I help find something truly special, not whatever was left on the table that morning.
How sourcing works
Six steps from brief to stone in your hand
Standard professional workflow used across the international gem trade - adapted for private clients who want field access without flying to Ratnapura themselves.
-
01
Brief & mandate
Species, size, budget, treatment tolerance, origin preferences, and timeline. We agree what success looks like before money moves.
-
02
Field scouting
Pits, markets, and trusted dealer network across Beruwala, Nivithigala, Ratnapura, and Colombo. Rough, faceted, and matched pairs.
-
03
Technical evaluation
Loupe and microscope work, 4Cs grading, treatment screening, and comparison against your brief - with photos and video under ~5600K daylight when needed.
-
04
Benchmark & negotiate
Market pricing for that size, origin, and quality tier. Transparent quote before purchase - no surprise markups after the fact.
-
05
Cut, cert, compliance
Master cutters to spec, lab certification when required, and export through compliant licensed channels from Sri Lanka.
-
06
Delivery & record
Insured hand-carry or courier to your market, plus capture media and documentation so you know exactly what you bought.
Pricing
How pricing works
Final numbers are agreed privately - every stone is different. This is how we proceed once you send a brief, so you know what to expect before any money moves.
-
01
Brief first
Species, size, budget range, treatment preferences, and timeline. No purchase until we agree what success looks like for your mandate.
-
02
Quote before you pay
Field buy price plus a disclosed sourcing fee - or one all-in figure within your budget if you prefer a single number.
-
03
Pass-through costs separate
Cutting, lab certification, export paperwork, shipping, and jewellery setting quoted at cost, with handling noted upfront where it applies.
-
04
You approve every step
Shortlist with photos and video, then a written quote. Payment only after you say yes - no surprise markups after the fact.
-
05
Import taxes not included
VAT, customs duty, and brokerage at destination are your responsibility unless we explicitly include them in writing.
What I source
Stones, pairs, and finished jewellery
From single collector pieces to parcels for trade clients - and through to the ring on someone's hand when you want the full journey.
-
01
Ceylon sapphire
Blue, pink, padparadscha, yellow, bi-colour - unheated where the brief demands it, heated when value and disclosure align.
-
02
Ruby, spinel & chrysoberyl
Ceylon and regional material - alexandrite and cat's-eye when the network surfaces the right lot.
-
03
Matched pairs & layouts
Earrings, cuffs, and multi-stone jobs where colour match across the spread matters as much as individual grade.
-
04
Jewellery finishing
Gold contacts and bench jewellers I trust for rings, pendants, and bespoke settings - from loose stone to finished piece.
Start a brief
Tell me what you are looking for
Species, size, budget, and timeline are enough to begin. I will reply with what is realistic in the current market and what the next field run should target. See how pricing works before you send a brief. How pricing works .