Monster blue sapphire found in Sri Lanka

A gem company in Sri Lanka has unveiled a rare and massive gemstone weighing 683 pounds. That has been certified as one of the biggest corundums ever found in the country.

Sri Lanka's National Gem and Jewelry Authority said it has done a series of gemological tests on five samples taken from the rock. When the outer layer was removed for inspection, the interior showed a silky blue patchy appearance, suggesting the stone is a blue sapphire.

A director of the company, the Gemological Institute of Ratnapura, that currently owns the massive stone, said on Monday that the owners plan to obtain the services of a local or foreign gem valuer soon to determine the price of the rock.