Nivithigala, Sri Lanka

A traditional sapphire mining town in Rathnapura

Rathnapura is often called the heart of Sri Lanka's sapphire mining, but the city itself is mostly a marketplace and a hub for cutting and trading. The actual mines are spread through the region's remote valleys, clustered around half a dozen smaller towns. Nivithigala is one of them.

Our cutting manager grew up here and still works here. He remembers when only a few dozen people traded gems in the town center. Today the central square fills every morning with small-scale miners and brokers, and it feels more like a farmers' market, where Rathnapura's markets feel like a supermarket. Over the years he has built close ties with local miners, brokers and mine owners. We give him a fixed monthly budget so he can buy predictably, and we accept every shape and color of rough, oddities included. Together, that brings some much-needed stability to the area's small-scale miners.