Sri Lanka confirmed Gem City Ratnapura 2026 for 31 August to 2 September 2026 at a media briefing on 18 June, correcting earlier informal date ranges that stretched across most of August.
Deputy Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development Chathuranga Abeysinghe said the theme is Home to the Finest, positioning the show around Ceylon blue sapphire and the country's wider coloured stone basket. Organisers aligned the event with September gem fairs in East Asia so travelling buyers can visit Sri Lanka first.
The 2025 edition drew more than 7,500 visitors and over 200 international buyers, according to officials. The 2026 target is higher recognition and stronger deal flow, building on January import tax reforms and NGJA certification upgrades.
For overseas collectors, the exhibition is a fixed window to meet miners, dealers, and cutters in the gem district with government backing. For the industry, it is the public face of a billion-dollar export ambition that still depends on formal trade rails working year-round, not only during show week.
