A buyer's guide to ten of the gemstones we stock — what to look for under the loupe, where the good material comes from, and which treatments are standard in the trade.
Any stone above PKR 5,000 should come with a report from an independent gemological lab — GIA, IGI, GRS, or a recognised Pakistani equivalent like PGJDC. The report confirms identity, origin where possible, and disclosed treatments.
Ask about our certifications →Most rubies, sapphires and emeralds on the market are treated to improve colour or clarity. Heating sapphires and minor oiling of emeralds are widely accepted. What matters is honest disclosure — and a lower price for treated material vs. natural.
See untreated stones →Synthetic rubies, sapphires and emeralds have the same chemistry as natural stones, made in a lab. They should cost a fraction of natural material. A genuine seller will tell you which is which. We deal in natural stones only, but the distinction matters.
Verify a stone with us →Hardness on the Mohs scale tells you how the stone will hold up. A ring worn daily needs a 7+ stone. Pearls (2.5) and turquoise (5) are too soft for daily rings — better in pendants or earrings. Sapphires and rubies (9) wear like iron.
Browse by hardness →Kashmir sapphires, Burmese rubies, Colombian emeralds, Nishapur turquoise — origin carries a premium because of historical reputation, not necessarily because the stone is technically superior. Decide whether the provenance matters to you.
Our sourcing →Take off rings before sleeping, washing dishes, or applying lotions. Clean monthly with warm soapy water and a soft brush — except for emeralds, pearls, opals and turquoise, which need a gentle wipe only.
Care service →What to look for, what to avoid, and what each stone costs in the current market.
Red corundum. The most valuable colour is "pigeon blood" — a saturated red with a slight blue undertone. Burma is the historical benchmark, but Mozambique now produces excellent material. Check for glass filling under 10× magnification: tiny bubbles or a "flash effect" of orange-blue. Untreated, well-cut rubies above 1 carat are rare and command sharp premiums.
Green beryl. Almost all natural emeralds have a "jardin" of inclusions — a perfectly clean stone is almost certainly synthetic or glass. Most are oiled to improve clarity; this is accepted, but the type of filler (cedar oil vs. polymer resin) and degree (minor, moderate, significant) should be on the report. Swat Valley emeralds compete with Colombian for the title of finest material.
Blue corundum. The benchmark is "Kashmir blue" — a velvety, slightly violet royal blue that's now essentially unavailable in new mining. Ceylon (Sri Lanka) produces the most prized current material. Watch for diffusion treatment, where colour is forced into the surface only; this is a value-killer. Heat treatment is standard and accepted.
Yellow corundum. Top stones from Ceylon show an even, warm canary yellow. Avoid stones with brown or greenish undertones unless heavily discounted. Beryllium-treated yellow sapphires are common in lower price tiers — these are real sapphire but with colour induced by surface diffusion of beryllium, and should be priced accordingly.
Comes in many colours. Most blue topaz on the market is colourless material irradiated and heated — accepted in the trade but should be priced as treated. Pakistan's Mardan and Katlang mines produce the world's finest pink topaz, which is naturally coloured and commands serious prices. Imperial topaz from Brazil shows a warm peach-orange.
Banded chalcedony. Yemeni red aqeeq is the most prized in our region for its deep, natural saturation. Dyed agate is rampant — soak a small chip in hot water; if colour leaches, it's dyed. Iraqi black and Indian moss aqeeq are also common. Affordable, durable enough for daily wear (Mohs 7), and traditionally set in silver.
Note: this is natural zircon, a real mineral — not "cubic zirconia" (CZ), which is a synthetic. Natural zircon has spectacular fire, second only to diamond. The famous blue colour comes from heat treatment, which has been standard since antiquity. Cambodian and Sri Lankan material dominates. Brittle edges — handle gently.
Iranian (Nishapur) feroza with a pure, even sky-blue and no matrix is the trade benchmark. Most material on the market is "stabilised" with resin to prevent colour shift — acceptable if disclosed and priced accordingly. Be wary of "reconstituted" turquoise (powder + binder) sold as natural. Soft stone; avoid daily ring wear if possible.
Today's market is dominated by cultured pearls — Akoya (Japan, classic white), South Sea (Australia, large gold/white), Tahitian (peacock-black), and Chinese freshwater. Natural Basra pearls are now historical rarities. Look at lustre first (mirror-like surface), then surface cleanliness, then shape. Soft and porous — avoid perfumes and cleaning solutions.
Italian Mediterranean coral, in "moro" deep red and "pelle d'angelo" pale pink, is the trade benchmark. Dyed bamboo coral is widely sold as red coral — tap-test: real coral makes a soft click, dyed bamboo a duller sound, and you'll often see white striations under loupe. Soft and acid-sensitive: never expose to perfume, vinegar, or lemon juice.
A relative scale of scratch resistance. Each number scratches the one below it. For a ring you wear daily, aim for 7 or higher.
★ Daily-wear ring threshold begins at 7. Stones below 5 are better as pendants or earrings.