In this article
GemStore team — written by the people who list and pack every stone.
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Jade has one of the widest price spreads of any gem material. The same word, yashab, is used for a modest green ring stone and for translucent jadeite that sells at auction for more than a house. Most of what is sold in Pakistan sits at the affordable end, but the spread means quotes vary wildly, and it is easy to pay a jadeite price for nephrite or a jade price for something that is not jade at all.
This guide sets out how jade is priced, shows GemStore's own price table, and explains how to turn a bazaar quote into something you can compare with confidence.
Jade prices at GemStore
The table below comes from our own jade listings and is refreshed each month. It shows the lowest, typical and highest price per stone, and the same spread per carat and per ratti.
| Weight | Weights | Stones | Per carat | Per ratti |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 – 6 carat | 5.9 – 6.0 ct | 3 | Rs 600 – Rs 600 | Rs 550 – Rs 550 |
| 6 – 10 carat | 6.1 – 9.5 ct | 9 | Rs 600 – Rs 850 | Rs 550 – Rs 750 |
| Over 10 carat | 10.7 – 11.6 ct | 6 | Rs 600 – Rs 600 | Rs 550 – Rs 550 |
Use the per-carat column to compare stones of different sizes. For an overview of every category on the same basis, see the monthly gemstone price guide.
First question: which jade?
Two different minerals are sold as jade, and they sit at very different price levels.
- Nephrite is the jade most commonly found in Pakistani shops. It is fibrous, very tough, and usually spinach green, olive, grey-green or creamy white, with a soft, oily shine. It is priced at a level most buyers can afford.
- Jadeite is granular and can show brighter greens, lavender and other colours with a glassier shine. Ordinary jadeite is affordable too, but fine translucent green jadeite is among the most expensive gem materials anywhere.
A fair quote says which mineral you are buying. If it does not, ask. We list nephrite separately as well, in the nephrite category, and our jade buying guide for first-timers explains how the two are told apart, along with the look-alikes such as serpentine and aventurine quartz.
What moves the price
Colour
For jadeite, an even, saturated, slightly bluish to pure green is the most valued colour, followed by fine lavender. For nephrite, a deep, even spinach green and a clean, creamy white are the most sought after. In both, patchy colour, grey or brown tones and black spots bring the price down. The more evenly the colour spreads across the whole stone, the higher the price.
Translucency
Jade traders talk about how far light travels into a stone. Hold a piece of good jade to a light and it glows; poor jade blocks the light and looks like painted stone. Translucency can double or treble the price of otherwise similar pieces, and it is the factor buyers most often overlook in photos. Ask for a backlit photo or video.
Texture
Texture means the fineness of the grain. Fine-textured jade takes a smooth, glowing polish. Coarse-textured jade shows a grainy surface under a loupe and a duller shine. Two stones of the same colour can differ greatly in price because of texture alone.
Clarity
Cracks, especially ones that reach the surface, reduce value and durability. Natural black or brown inclusions are less serious on nephrite, where they are expected, than on a stone sold as fine jadeite.
Treatment
Treatment has a huge effect on jadeite prices. The trade uses three terms:
- Type A: natural jadeite, with only surface wax. This is what fine prices are paid for.
- Type B: bleached with acid and impregnated with resin. It looks cleaner at first but can turn cloudy or brittle over time, and is worth a small fraction of Type A.
- Type C: dyed. Often combined with B treatment. Again, worth far less.
Nephrite is less often treated, but dyeing and waxing do occur. A dyed piece should be disclosed and priced as dyed. Only a lab can confirm untreated jadeite with certainty; our planned guide to real vs fake jade covers the warning signs you can spot yourself.
Cut, size and thickness
Ring stones are usually cabochons. A well-proportioned cabochon with a pleasing dome and enough thickness to hold colour costs more than a thin, flat slice that looks pale. Size raises the price, but for nephrite the increase per carat is gentle, because large pieces are not rare. For fine jadeite, size raises the price sharply.
Per carat, per ratti and per piece
Most jade ring stones in Pakistan are sold per piece or per ratti. The standard gemstone ratti is 0.91 carat (about 0.182 g). Some jewellers quote in sunari ratti, which is smaller at about 0.1215 g or roughly 0.61 carat, so check which one you are being quoted. A per-ratti figure on the sunari scale will look cheaper for the same total.
To compare like with like:
- Price per carat = total price ÷ weight in carats
- Price per standard ratti = price per carat × 0.91
- Weight in ratti = carats ÷ 0.91
As a worked example of weight only, a 10.85 carat yashab is about 11.9 standard ratti. Our carat to ratti converter handles the arithmetic.
Carvings, bangles and beads are almost always priced per piece because carving labour makes up much of the cost. Do not try to compare a carved piece's per-carat price with a plain cabochon's.
How to compare two jade quotes
- Same mineral? Nephrite and jadeite are not interchangeable on price. Confirm which you are being offered.
- Same treatment status? Untreated, waxed only, or B/C treated. Ask for it in writing.
- Same unit? Convert both quotes to price per carat and confirm the ratti used.
- Loose weight? The weight should be the stone alone, not a set ring.
- Same quality? Compare colour evenness, translucency and texture in daylight photos taken the same way.
- Returns and inspection? A seller who lets you check before paying is taking the risk off you.
A price that is far below every other quote for "jadeite" is the classic sign of B-treated material or a look-alike stone. If a seller calls something "Pakistani jade", ask what the mineral is; the name is used for several green stones that are not jade.
Budget tiers using the shop filters
You can shortlist jade by budget with the price filters. The bands describe the price, not the quality, so judge each stone on its own.
- Under 5,000 rupees: smaller ring stones and everyday nephrite. Look for even colour and a clean polish.
- 5,000 to 20,000 rupees: larger cabochons, deeper and more even green, better translucency.
- 20,000 to 50,000 rupees: notable size or fine colour and texture.
- Over 50,000 rupees: fine material, where independent testing is strongly advised.
Two of our current yashab listings show how close weights can still differ in look: a 10.74 carat jade and a 10.85 carat jade. Compare their colour and how light passes through them in the photos. The full range is in the jade category.
Ring stones, beads and tasbih: different pricing logic
The same jade can be priced three different ways depending on what it has been made into. A ring cabochon is priced on the quality of one face, so colour and translucency at the top matter most. Beads and tasbih are priced on how well many pieces match: a strand where every bead shares the same shade and polish costs more than one with a few fine beads and many average ones, and drilling and finishing add labour. Carvings are priced mainly on the skill of the carver. When comparing a jade tasbih with loose stones, compare it with other strings of the same bead size and count instead. Our gemstone tasbih guide explains how to judge a string.
Is jade good value?
For most buyers, nephrite jade is one of the best-value stones for daily wear. Its toughness means it resists chipping better than most gems of similar hardness, so a ring stone or pendant lasts well. Its hardness is about 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, so it can be scratched by harder stones and by grit; store it separately and clean it with mild soap and water. The planned how to wear jade guide covers setting and daily care.
If you are torn between jade and another green stone, look at green agate or moss agate, which offer a different look at a similar level, or browse all green gemstones.
Yashab in tradition
Jade has a long history in Chinese and Central Asian culture, and yashab has been carried and worn in this region for generations. Some families believe it brings calm and protection. These are traditions rather than promises, and they apply equally to a modest nephrite and a costly jadeite, so they are no reason to pay more for a stone. Our planned post on jade benefits explains the beliefs.
Buying jade from GemStore
We list each jade stone on its own, with its own photographs and weight, and we state the mineral and any known treatment. A certificate is available on request, and independent lab testing can be arranged. Orders leave our Lahore office in one to two working days and arrive anywhere in Pakistan by insured, tracked courier in about seven working days. Pay by Cash on Delivery after you have opened the parcel and looked at the stone, and return it within 7 days if it does not suit. For help choosing, message us on WhatsApp at +92 308 887 3888.
Shop the stones: jade.
The beliefs described here are traditions, shared for interest. They are not guaranteed outcomes, religious rulings or medical advice.
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