When we talk about ethical sourcing at Wild Fawn, it’s not just something we say, it’s a responsibility. After years of dreaming about it, last month I finally travelled to Sri Lanka, a country with a long and rich history in gemstone mining, to visit the very mines where our beautiful Sri Lankan sapphires begin their journey.
We stayed in Ratnapura, known locally as the “City of Gems.” Tucked among lush green hills and winding roads, this region has been the beating heart of Sri Lanka’s gem trade for centuries. The name itself comes from the Sinhalese words ratna (gem) and pura (city), and it’s home to some of the world’s finest sapphires — prized for their depth of colour, traceability, and natural beauty.
Into the Mine
We were very lucky, as the weeks before our scheduled visit to the mine, the rain had been relentless, which meant there was a possibility the mine would be closed but the sun decided to come out on the day of the trip and we were given the all clear! Stuart, our wonderful supplier from Nineteen48 connected me to his partner Janaka who collected me from my (slightly strange) hotel and drove us 20 minutes outside the city, where we arrived at what, from a distance, looked like a simple, quiet field. But as we got closer, you could see dips in the landscapes which were signs of past mining activity, now overgrown with grass.
We walked toward the only mine currently in operation which was a small vertical shaft around 15 meters deep, supported by a wooden frame and manned by six miners. What struck me instantly was how integrated the mine was into daily life. Just meters away were huts where food was being prepared and the sounds of the nearby village. Water flowed through the space, used to both cool the mine and cleanse the workers.
As I peered into the shaft (even at this point feeling quite giddy with exhilaration and a sense of ‘what is happening right now’), I spotted three men below washing off the thick clay-like mud from their skin. Then, quite unexpectedly, they looked up and asked Janaka, “Would she like to come down and see for herself?”
Of course, I said yes — although I wasn’t quite prepared for what came next.
Down I Go
Within minutes, I found myself climbing barefoot down a slippy pole into the earth with the thought of "would my travel insurance cover this" circling in my head. The shaft was narrow and damp but supported very well by timber beams, and I could feel the adrenaline building with every step down. Once at the bottom, the miner led me into a low horizontal tunnel, just high enough to crawl through (or at least crouch and walk in a strange way, which I did so I wasn’t soaking wet!).
The tunnel stretched about 10 meters, and at the end of it, was an opening where I watched one of the miners work. Using his hands and a simple tool, he dug into the dense clay, explaining that the richness and colour of the soil indicated blue sapphires were likely hidden inside.
The mining system is beautifully cooperative: one man digs, another collects the soil, and a third carries it back through the tunnel and up the shaft. What’s gathered is stored and sorted during the monsoon season, when water levels rise and it becomes too dangerous to mine underground.
A Cycle of Respect
Once the area is fully mined, the shaft is filled back in, and nature slowly reclaims the land. The grass grows and the field becomes whole again. There’s a quiet respect in this process; no heavy machinery, no destruction, just a rhythm that’s been passed down through generations and an immense amount of knowledge and skill.
The Feeling I Won’t Forget
I climbed back through the tunnel and rinsed myself off and by the time I emerged from the mine, still muddy, drenched, and wide-eyed, I felt a rush of emotion I can only describe as exhilaration. It was easily one of the most memorable and meaningful experiences of my life.
To witness first-hand where our sapphires come from, to meet the people, feel the earth, and see the process with my own eyes has majorly deepened my appreciation not only for the stones themselves, but for the people behind them.
This is why we do what we do at Wild Fawn. Every gemstone has a story. And we’re proud to be part of a chapter that honours both the earth and the hands that bring its treasures to light.
What Comes Next
But the journey didn’t end there. The very next day, I visited a lapidary workshop in Colombo to see how these raw stones are cleaned, shaped, and brought to life. Stay tuned for the next part of the story, where I step into the world of gemstone cutting and discover the artistry behind every Wild Fawn sapphire.
