Local precious stones to shine bright at upcoming FACETS Sri Lanka 2024

Cinnamon Grand General Manager Kamal Munasinghe, Export Development Board Chairman Dr. Kingsley Bernard, National Gem and Jewellery Authority Chairman Ajward Deen, National Gem and Jewellery Authority Chairman Viraj De Silva, FACETS 2024 Chairman Altaf Iqbal and SLGJA Local Promotions Committee Chairman Rizan Nazeer
Pic by Pradeep Pathirana

The upcoming edition of FACETS Sri Lanka, Asia’s premier gem and jewellery exhibition, will be hosted on a much grander scale as the country’s gem and jewellery sector celebrates 30 years of excellence.
FACETS Sri Lanka 2024 will showcase the island nation’s precious stones from 6 to 8 January 2024 at the Cinnamon Grand, Colombo, Atrium Lobby.

The event is organised by the Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Association (SLGJA) in partnership with the National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NGJA) and the Export Development Board (EDB) and is expected to lure about 8,000 visitors which will include several foreign delegations.

The event Chairman Altaf Iqbal noted that FACETS Sri Lanka 2024 will focus on the emotional resonance of design and craftsmanship and their evolution throughout history.  
 “It will offer insights into the future growth trajectory of the industry, emerging trends in jewellery design, and its anticipated appeal to a global audience in the years to come,” he said at the official launch event held in Colombo last evening.

The 2024 edition will feature several new pavilions all of which aim at narrating the unique history of the country’s high-quality stones.  The new set of pavilions will include the Sustainable Pavilion, Sapphire Masterpiece Pavilion, Rough Stone Pavilion, Gem Lab Pavilion, NGJA SME Pavilion, and the SLGJA Gem and Jewellery Pavilion. The event will also feature a special ‘Reminisce of the Past’ segment.

The Premier Gem Pavilion, which has been a part of FACETS Sri Lanka since its inception will consist of leading Sri Lankan gem dealers who have been a part of FACETS Sri Lanka over an extended period of time, showcasing their gems for sale, whereas the Premier Jewellery Pavilion will consist of prominent local jewellers, displaying their gems and finely crafted jewellery.

The Sustainable Pavilion is a first for FACETS Sri Lanka and will present the historical evolution of Sri Lanka’s gem and jewellery sector, along with its sustainability-related methods and approaches. It will also display the 2300-year history of the Sri Lankan gem trade from mine to market.
The Sapphire Masterpiece Pavilion, which is another first in Sri Lanka, will display large, precious stones, and will be on sale on the final day of the show.

The Rough Stone Pavilion will feature and display rough stones from all sourcing countries of the world.
Over the years FACETS Sri Lanka has become an important event in the international gem and jewellery calendar and this year too, it will serve as a much looked-forward to meeting point for the global gem and jewellery sector, attracting prominent traders, gemstone and jewellery wholesalers, exporters, manufacturers, lapidarists, retailers, and collectors from across the globe.

Sri Lanka has earned worldwide recognition as a veritable treasure trove of gemstones, renowned for producing some of the finest specimens in the world. 
As the oldest source country for coloured gemstones, Sri Lanka boasts a unique and vibrant selection of gemstones, complemented by exquisitely crafted jewellery that seamlessly blends international trends with elements of local culture.