Chathurangai Arthanayaka (President, GASL)
Msc. in Gemmology (UOP)-reading, Bsc (Hons), Sp (Mineral Processing technology) D-Gem [SL], MGA[SL] GIA Alumni Collective Member
It is a privilege to welcome you to the Gemmologists Association of Sri Lanka.
For more than five decades, this Association has stood as the professional home of gemmologists in this country. Since our founding, we have worked on a simple conviction: that Sri Lanka's standing in the world gem trade rests not only on the quality of the stones our island yields, but on the knowledge, integrity and professionalism of the people who study, identify and trade them.
That conviction continues to guide our work. Through the Diploma in Gemmology (DGem), we have trained generations of gemmologists who now serve in laboratories, trading houses, teaching institutions and the wider industry, both here and abroad. Through our Research Symposium and our published articles, we provide a platform for original scientific work on Sri Lankan gem materials — from treatment identification and spectroscopic study to ornamental stones and value addition. Through the Jewels International Gem and Jewellery Exhibition, held annually in Colombo, we bring the industry together and present the best of Sri Lankan gems and jewellery to the world.
The industry we serve is changing quickly. New treatments, synthetics and disclosure expectations place greater demands on the practising gemmologist than ever before, and buyers increasingly ask for evidence rather than assurance. Our response must be the one we have always relied on: rigorous training, sound science, and an unwavering commitment to the ethical standards set out in our Code of Ethics. As an advisory body, we also remain ready to place that expertise at the service of national institutions and policymakers working towards the development of the gem and jewellery sector.
None of this would be possible without our members, lecturers, examiners, researchers and Executive Committee, whose voluntary service sustains the Association year after year. To all of them, I record my sincere appreciation.
To students considering a career in gemmology, to established professionals seeking a community of peers, and to friends of the Association overseas: I invite you to join us. There is much still to be learned about the gems of this island, and much still to be done.
