The President's House & Sapphires To Match! June 11 2016
For the first time in Sri Lankan history, President Maithripala Sirisena has decided to open the colonial-era President’s House to the public eye. What was once reserved only to state officials and diplomats can be viewed under the auspices of the President pervading a rule of good governance. This historic and cultural heritage of Sri Lanka is located in Fort, Colombo and features absolutely beautiful architecture reminiscent of its Portuguese, Dutch and English origins.
The President’s House played several roles during its past. During the Portuguese rule from about 1505 to 1602, it served as a shrine but it was eventually transferred into a Dutch Church as the Dutch powers came into play. Jerald Van Angalbeek, who was the Dutch Governor from 1794 to 1796 constructed a new building upon this premise and named it the Governor’s Palace. Its ownership gradually vested itself to the British government upon their arrival to this island nation and became the residential palace to the first British Governor, Sir Thomas Maitland. As it changed hands across 29 succeeding British governors, prime ministers and local executive presidents, it was renamed the President’s House and remains a premise for conducting official presidential work and diplomatic missions.
At Elizabeth Jewellers, we love our cultural history as much as you do! That’s why we’ve got a few quaint and elegant sapphire jewelry for you to wear during your visit to this lovely landmark of Colombo. Our first suggestion is this stunning natural white sapphire princess ring in 18K white gold. It holds a large table to expose a perfect and vibrant precious gemstone of brilliant clarity and shimmer. Surely, the eyes that gaze upon the Portuguese designed verandahs and arches won’t miss this beauty!
Our next suggestion is a lush Ceylon blue sapphire ring featured in a solitaire 18K white gold setting. Its quaint, simple and truly magnificent design is a testament to the natural beauty of Ceylon sapphires and will suit well to this historic occasion. Its available from 0.5 to 1 carats and we recommend the dark blue hue to add a little ‘umph’ to its brilliance. Feel free to contact us at any time with any questions you may have and we’ll be glad to help! 