Sri Lankan gifts sapphire studded hair pin to Kate

Colombo: Sri Lanka has gifted a Ceylon Sapphire studded diamond hair pin to Kate Middleton who marries Britain`s Prince William tomorrow.

The state-owned Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Authority (SLGJA) said the gift was in appreciation of the British Royal family`s association with Ceylon Sapphires over many generations. "This is the first ever international campaign aimed at raising awareness about the rarity and value of the Ceylon Sapphire," Macky Hashim, the SLGJA chief, said. The hair pin had already been delivered to the Middletons, Hashim said. Kate Middleton already wears a blue Ceylon Sapphire engagement ring, coming from the late Princess Diana, the mother of the groom, Prince William. Diana wore it for her own engagement in 1981. Hashim said sales of Ceylon Sapphire replica rings were in big demand since the announcement of the Royal wedding. The sapphire sales recorded an 800 per cent growth. PTI