Is it cheaper to buy sapphires in Sri Lanka?

Grabbing sapphires directly in Sri Lanka can be 20% to 50% cheaper than picking them up from Western retail jewellers, so long as you’re near the source and negotiate well. In practice, it means you are removing several international middlemen, export charges, and the overseas retail markups too.

But you should not assume the savings will simply happen. In tourist areas, prices often get pushed higher on purpose, expecting very aggressive haggling from visitors. If you want a true wholesale level, or at least near wholesale, you really need a decent grasp of what the stone is worth right now. Also, you’ll want reputable dealers in gem centres like Ratnapura or Beruwala, and enough firmness to talk down the final cost.