24/06/2026
You can’t learn the true art of the deal from a textbook, and you definitely can’t learn it without a few loud laughs and some good-natured arguments along the way.
Day 1 in Beruwala, Sri Lanka, and I am out here with the ultimate masterclass team: Papa Ashu and Uncle Raja. Being on a sourcing trip with the OGs is an experience in itself, but this time, the mindset is entirely different. This trip isn’t about racing to collect treasures or filling up parcels; it’s about the invaluable art of pure observation.
Watching how they read a room, how they instantly spot the subtle potential in a rough stone, and how they navigate the intricate rhythm of the Sri Lankan market is the real education. You can study gemology for years, but you can’t buy the decades of raw instinct and sharp intuition these two bring to the table. Just seeing them in their element is worth far more than any physical treasure we could bring home.
Today was incredibly fruitful, wildly funny, and absolutely full of fast-paced action from start to finish. There is nothing quite like watching masters of their craft do what they do best, especially when they happen to be family. 💎🇱🇰
— Rishabh Malpani