• Gemmologists Association of Sri Lanka President Samitha Liyanage on the association’s plans and the upcoming ‘Jewels’ exhibition

In 2023, diamonds, gems, and jewellery made up 3% of Sri Lanka’s exports, which is significant considering that one of Sri Lanka’s most celebrated exports, tea, made up 9% of exports. The top five countries Sri Lanka exported diamonds, gems, and jewellery to were Israel, Switzerland, the United States, India, and Thailand, as per a 2023 report by Sri Lanka’s Export Development Board.

Questions can thus be raised about how global conflict and tariffs are affecting the country’s gem and jewellery industry as well as how the industry aims to mitigate this impact. ‘Jewels’, an upcoming exhibition by the Gemmologists Association of Sri Lanka in collaboration with the National Gem and Jewellery Authority of Sri Lanka, is seen as a platform that could help the industry overcome any challenges and strengthen Sri Lanka’s place in the global gem and jewellery market.

‘Jewels 2025’ is set to take place at Colombo Lotus Tower from 12-14 December, with the event’s competition segment recognising fine crystal specimens, the best fashioned gem, lapidary art, gem-set jewellery, photography, and the best recreation of traditional Sri Lankan jewellery. 

As the organisers prepare for the event, Gemmologists Association of Sri Lanka President Samitha Liyanage, who is a USA and UK qualified gemmologist, spoke to The Daily Morning about how ‘Jewels’ provides a platform to connect local traders and gemmologists with the international market.

Following are excerpts from the interview:

Tell us about yourself and what drew you to this industry.

I’m a consultant gemmologist, microphotographer, and currently the President of the Gemmologists Association of Sri Lanka (GASL). My journey in gemmology began at a very young age, deeply influenced by my parents, both of whom are accomplished gemmologists. My father, in particular, served as the Director Valuation/Gemmology at the National Gem and Jewellery Authority, and his dedication to the field left a lasting impression on me.

From childhood, I was fascinated by gems and the hidden beauty within gemstones, especially inclusions, which I often describe as the ‘inner worlds’ of gems. That curiosity gradually transformed into a professional calling. I began my formal career in gemmology in 2009, after completing the Diploma in Gemmology (DGem [SL]) offered by the Gemmologists Association of Sri Lanka. Since then, my path has combined scientific exploration, visual storytelling through microphotography, and a strong commitment to education and industry leadership.

What continues to draw me to this industry is the blend of science, art, culture, and natural wonder. 

‘Every gem has a story to tell, if you look close enough’ – and I feel privileged to be someone who helps reveal and protect those stories.

What can you tell us about the Gemmologists Association of Sri Lanka? In what ways does it support Sri Lanka’s gem industry?

The Gemmologists Association of Sri Lanka is the country’s foremost professional body dedicated to the advancement of gemmological science and the upliftment of Sri Lanka’s globally respected gem and jewellery industry. Established in 1970, GASL is the only government-recognised professional association in gemmology. It is a non-profit association and we’ve been at the forefront of education, research, and ethical trade practices for over five decades.

Our mission is to provide leadership through professionalism, uphold the highest industry standards, and ensure that Sri Lanka’s gem sector continues to thrive in both traditional and modern contexts.

GASL plays a vital role in supporting the industry in several key ways. We offer the DGem (SL), an internationally benchmarked professional qualification aimed at producing skilled gemmologists equipped for the global market.

Our annual ‘Jewels’ exhibition has grown into an international platform that promotes Sri Lankan gems, celebrates craftsmanship, and connects local traders with global buyers, and we promote academic research and innovation through initiatives like the Gemmologists Association Research Symposium (GARS).

Through knowledge-sharing programmes, field visits, workshops, and collaborations with universities and government bodies, we help keep professionals updated with scientific and industrial advancements.

We also advocate for ethical sourcing, sustainability, and environmental responsibility, helping position Sri Lanka as a forward-thinking, responsible gem hub.

In essence, GASL acts as a bridge, linking tradition with innovation, and local expertise with global standards.

How have you been involved with the association in the past, leading up to being appointed its president?

My journey with the Gemmologists Association of Sri Lanka began soon after I completed my Diploma in Gemmology in 2009. From the very beginning, I felt a strong sense of belonging to the association, not just as a member, but as someone eager to contribute meaningfully to its growth and impact.

Over the years, I have served in almost every key leadership role within the association, including executive committee member, assistant treasurer, treasurer, assistant secretary, secretary, president-elect, and now, president of GASL.

This progression allowed me to deeply understand the association’s inner workings – its strengths, challenges, and untapped potential. I’ve also been closely involved in organising our flagship ‘Jewels’ exhibition, helping transform it into an internationally recognised trade event.

These years of service have not only sharpened my leadership and organisational skills but also deepened my commitment to uplifting Sri Lanka’s gem industry through education, innovation, and international collaboration. Being appointed president is both an honour and a responsibility I carry with great pride and purpose.

As the president, how do you plan on expanding the impact of the association? What kind of programmes do you have in mind?

The association is intent on making Sri Lanka a gem hub. This is easy for us to do as we have been carrying out a strategic programme over the past few years, which we do in collaboration with the National Gem and Jewellery Authority of Sri Lanka and other government institutions in the country. This makes it easier for us to carry out our work, because we work with the relevant experts.

In addition to the National Gem and Jewellery Authority, we also work with the Export Development Board, Gem and Jewellery Research and Training Institute, Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau.

In addition to this, we are looking at what we can extract from other countries, such as the latest technology and education. We always try to share this knowledge among our gemmologists and traders. This is one of our main objectives.

How does the diploma offered by the association strengthen the industry? What are the benefits of having such a qualification in terms of career growth?

With such a qualification, a gemmologist can work in a gem testing laboratory or engage in research. For a trader, such a qualification can provide a lot of professional support. Without such qualifications, it can be difficult to work in this field, as there are many fake and treated stones in the market and such programmes make it easier to identify such products.

The diploma enables people to produce a high-quality product. Often, the raw gemstones in Sri Lanka aren’t at a high standard after being cut and polished. When cutting a gemstone, there are certain proportions. But in Sri Lanka, many cut stones to retain its weight as much as possible. This negatively impacts the reflection and beauty of the stone.

However, following the DGem (SL) equips manufacturers with the necessary knowledge to approach their work through a technical view, understanding that it is beauty that matters over weight.

The association will be holding ‘Jewels’ in December. What can you tell us about the event? 

The ‘Jewels’ exhibition was first held in 2008. Through this exhibition, we expect to provide a good platform to traders, as they can display their gem and jewellery products and services.

This year’s ‘Jewels’ exhibition will be held from 12-14 December at the Colombo Lotus Tower. We are attempting to carry out a tour plan alongside the exhibition, which is why we are working with institutions such as the tourism authorities. While we should attract tourists to the country, we also need to cater to their need for luxury products. If not, we won’t see a positive output.

We are thus looking at how we can use ‘Jewels’ as a platform to attract luxury tourists and also give them the luxury products they seek.

We chose Colombo Lotus Tower as the venue as it is a popular attraction. By having the exhibition at such a venue, we can attract a significant number of visitors, both local and foreign.

How can the event act as a platform to share knowledge and technology?

At our last exhibition, we had an Istanbul researcher and metallurgical and materials engineer Mubashir Mansoor, whose study was very important to Sri Lanka as it focused on heat treatment.

A larger crowd than we expected absorbed this knowledge, because it is a treatment that is way advanced than the treatment methods used in Sri Lanka. The quality is higher, the energy and time consumption is low, and the damage to stones is less. A lot of people were able to modify the work they do through this knowledge. This year too, we hope to bring in such speakers so that it can also have a big impact.

Two years ago, we introduced the Gemmologists Association Research Symposium (GARS), the closing date for abstracts for the 2025 edition being 31 August. Through this event, we are attempting to provide a platform for research. Last year, we even had foreign presenters. Thus, this can be a platform through which research, whether carried out by Sri Lankans or foreigners, goes out into the world.

Through this, we can bring foreign knowledge to Sri Lanka, and also create an attraction towards Sri Lanka.

What have been challenges in advancing tech, knowledge, etc. in the industry?

There are several segments in the industry. Those who do not have any formal education can find it challenging to absorb knowledge on the latest technology or techniques. On the other hand, knowledge seekers, that is, those who follow programmes such as our diploma, can absorb this knowledge easily and continue to develop or expand it through their own research.

How does the association reach the segment that doesn’t have formal knowledge?

We often carry out workshops for that segment, as they can be reluctant to follow the diploma programme. So, we look at how to give them the essential knowledge through workshops. We plan on holding several workshops this year.

This year, we also plan on taking our programme to schools so that interested students can gain that knowledge and later expand their knowledge through us or elsewhere. Often, even students living in gem-mining towns are unaware of places where they can get that formal knowledge. So, we plan on holding these programmes in towns like Ratnapura, as well as around the island.

We hold field excursions for our students, but we are also looking at providing this service for tourists who are interested. We are also looking at the possibility of coordinating with foreign institutions so students can study in their respective countries but carry out their field visit in Sri Lanka.

How have tariffs and conflicts impacted the industry in Sri Lanka? How can the association’s work, especially ‘Jewels’, help those in the industry navigate this impact?

There has been a huge impact from the conflicts as well as the tariffs. We had big buyers in countries like Israel and that movement has reduced now. Through ‘Jewels’, we are looking at how this impact can be reduced, especially by promoting our gems and jewels in other countries.

In fact, we are really focusing on strengthening our international links this year. We are looking at expanding our relationships with India, which is our immediate neighbour but also a country we export to. And we are promoting this event in India, as well as China.

Someone who attends the exhibition may make a purchase at the event. However, it is the exhibiter’s responsibility to retain these customers by providing a good product. We create the platform, but they need to make use of it. That’s their responsibility.

This exhibition started in 2008. Some of the early exhibitors, who started out as small and medium-sized enterprises, are today large-scale, premier traders. And in turn, they support us. So, it’s a chain.

PHOTOS Venura Chandramalitha