KELLY GEMS

Gemstones Traceability Certificate The future of gemstone ownership

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 01:24:15 -0800

Introduction

For the past decade I have personally focused on upstream trading and research in coloured gemstones. My understanding of the market led me to an idea that I’ve long held and for which I now feel the time has come; namely a Gemstones Traceability Certificate programme based on the uniqueness of a gemstone which traces the gemstones from upstream to the final buyer.

There have been limited attempt at this in the past, but they have relied on forms of numerical tagging or external coding, rather than the uniqueness of the gemstone itself, and have focused on identification not also the history from upstream to final buyer.

The New Traceability Product

It is the natural inclusions within coloured gemstones which solves the overall coding problem and provides irrefutable lifelong data. Providing scientific and narrative traceability for gemstones, whilst increasing their identifiability. Even if the gemstone is lost, it can be found by tracing its origin records.

The KELLY GEMS International platform (Gemstones Traceability Certificate) provides comprehensive data on coloured gemstones and jewellery, documenting a gemstones entire history. From its natural codes (inclusions) to transition from nature to human intervention the information will include scientific origin traceability, elemental content, detailed photographs of artificial and natural inclusions (which serve as signature codes), origin descriptions, special visible characteristics, and narrative transaction histories. In addition, there will be a register of the owner's information (anonymity of owner name can be selected for added safety and security), all gemstone...Read More

The 3th Sri Lanka National Gem and Jewellery Research and Training Institute annual symposium

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 02:14:13 -0700

This year, I was honored to be invited as a panel member at the largest academic organization under the Sri Lankan government, alongside three distinguished guests:

• Prof. G.W.A. Rohan Fernand, CEO of the Gem and Jewellery Research and Training Institute (GJRTI),

• Rizwan Nayeem, Executive Director of the Ceylon Gems and Jewellery Trade Association (CGJTA), and

• Kelly Liu, Managing Director of KELLY GEMS.

Kelly Liu’s presentation part of theme on the symposium:

How do responsible sourcing and traceability systems within the supply chain influence international buyers’ trust and demand for Sri Lankan gemstones?

Responsible sourcing ensures that the mining and supply of gemstones are free from:

• Child labor and labor exploitation

• Financing of armed...Read More

Why Do Professional Gemstone's Buyers in Sri Lanka Need Intermediaries?

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 10:08:58 -0700

Why Do Professional Gemstone's Buyers in Sri Lanka Need Intermediaries?

Sri Lanka is a major source of colored sapphires and remains one of the few countries still actively mining these precious stones. Many of the world's most famous blue sapphires originate here. For example, a dazzling 392.52 carat unheated blue sapphire necklace recently auctioned at Christie’s was identified by the Gübelin Gem Lab as Sri Lankan in origin, unheated, and of exceptional quality one of the largest faceted sapphires ever examined by the lab. ( Part of information are according to Gubelin's post)

(Photo from Christie's)

Against this backdrop, Sri Lanka has become a key destination for gemstone traders. The country currently has two major and mature gemstone markets: Ratnapura (the City of Gems) and Beruwala. These two markets were detailed in a previous article for those interested in learning more.

Is It Legal to Take Gemstones Out of the Country?

Under Sri Lankan government regulations, tourists are allowed to legally purchase up to USD $10,000 worth of gemstones for personal use, provided they are not in commercial quantities. These stones can be taken out of the country using official invoices from licensed jewelry companies. However, whether the quantity qualifies as “non-commercial” is at the discretion of customs officials.

If a buyer wishes to take...Read More

Where Is Asia’s Two Largest International Gem Trading Hubs?

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 11:34:46 -0700

Currently, there are two significant international gemstone trading hubs in Asia: Thailand and Sri Lanka. Let’s explore the fascinating gemstone industry and the professional geological factors behind it.

Thailand

Thailand has a long-standing history in the gemstone trade, dating back several centuries, particularly in the eastern provinces of Chanthaburi and Trat. Here are some key development phases in Thailand’s gemstone industry:

14th–15th Century (Ayutthaya Kingdom Period)

During the Ayutthaya Kingdom (1350–1767), Thailand began mining and trading gemstones, mainly rubies and sapphires, especially Burmese rubies and local Thai sapphires. These gems were used as ornaments for nobility and traded for spices and silk with China, India, and the Arab world along the Silk Road.

Gem Industry Formation - Late 19th to Early 20th Century

Rich gemstone deposits were discovered in...Read More

Sri Lankan gem trader buys rough spinel in Africa turns out to be a rare blue diamond?!

Sat, 06 Sep 2025 10:51:17 -0700

Sri Lankan gem trader buys rough spinel in Africa turns out to be a rare blue diamond?!

Sri Lankan gem traders have been sourcing rough gemstones from African countries for many years. Last month, a bombshell shook the entire market. A group of three Sri Lankan Muslims comprising one specialist in gemstone heating and two long time rough stone buyers who frequently travel to Africa and return to Sri Lanka for polishing and selling encountered an astonishing find.

One of the group members, while in Africa, came across a rough stone weighing over 14 carats. Initially, it was believed to be a blue spinel. Due to budget limitations, they brought the stone back to Sri Lanka first for cutting. However, during the cutting process, the cutter found the stone to be extremely hard and suspected it required further testing.

(In Sri Lanka, the standard cutting wheel used can handle gemstones with a Mohs hardness of up to 9, such as sapphires. It cannot cut diamonds, which have a hardness of 10. Diamonds can only be cut by other diamonds or by using advanced laser cutting technology.)

The rough was sent to a local gem lab in Sri Lanka for identification, where it was confirmed to be a diamond. It was then promptly sent to Thailand for certification by GIA. The result, issued on August 15th, was shocking it turned out to be a natural blue diamond with a grayish-blue hue. This was confirmed to be an extremely rare natural blue diamond.

Thai diamond traders immediately made offers, with initial reports suggesting a bid of around USD 5 million. The final deal was reportedly closed at approximately USD 6.5 million.

Observations on the Upstream Market of Colored Gemstones in Sri Lanka-Beruwala

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 08:27:47 -0700

Sri Lanka has long been an important region for sourcing-colored gemstones. In addition to producing its own gemstones, it also serves as a hub connecting to East Africa. In earlier years, due to government restrictions on domestic mining, many local Muslim traders began traveling to countries such as Madagascar, Mozambique, and other African nations to purchase rough stones, which were then brought back to Sri Lanka for cutting and polishing. Over time, Sri Lanka has become a significant wholesale market for colored gemstones in Asia, second only to Thailand, and is also a major producer and trader of sapphires.

1. Changes in the Upstream Segment of the Gemstone Supply Chain

1.1 Types of Buyers: Live Streamers, Online Purchasing Agents, Studios, Professional Buyers

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, around 2021, the first wave of livestream gemstone sales began. The main participants were Chinese nationals living overseas and some former tour guides or small restaurant owners in Sri Lanka who pivoted due to pandemic-related uncertainties. Simultaneously, the upstream gemstone market had seen a few years of shutdowns, creating pent-up demand. Suppliers, who previously disallowed filming and preferred direct sales, began allowing buyers to photograph gemstones and conduct transactions on-site. These changes lowered the entry barriers for newcomers in the upstream gemstone industry, allowing...Read More

Sapphire

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 23:34:04 -0700

Sapphire is one of the two gem-varieties of corundum, the other being ruby (defined as corundum in a shade of red). Although blue is the best-known sapphire color, they occur in other colors, including gray and black, and also can be colorless. A pinkish orange variety of sapphire is called padparadscha.

Significant sapphire deposits are found in Australia, Afghanistan, Read More