Gem Journal
Learn the stone before you buy it
Straight answers on identifying, pricing, choosing and caring for natural gemstones — written for buyers in Pakistan, with the Urdu names you already know.
Gem Journal · Cat's Eye Cat's Eye (Lehsunia) Benefits: Ketu, Tradition and Practical Wear
Lehsunia has a reputation unlike any other stone in the Pakistani bazaar. Astrologers speak of it with a mix of respect and caution, familie…
Read
Gem Journal · Amethyst How to Wear Amethyst (Jamunia): Finger, Metal, Day and Setting
Amethyst, known in Pakistan as jamunia after the purple jamun fruit, is one of the easiest gemstones to wear. It is affordable in good sizes…
Read
Gem Journal · Moh-e-Najaf Moh-e-Najaf Price in Pakistan: What You Pay For, Per Carat and Per Ratti
Ask three shops in Anarkali or Saddar for the price of a Moh-e-Najaf and you may get three answers that are far apart, all for stones of sim…
Read
Gem Journal · Topaz Yellow Topaz Buying Guide: Choosing a Golden Topaz in Pakistan
Yellow topaz is one of the most misunderstood stones in Pakistani markets. The name is used for genuine golden topaz, for citrine, for heate…
Read
Gem Journal · Lapis Lazuli Lapis Lazuli (Lajward) Price in Pakistan: What Sets It and How to Compare
Lapis lazuli, lajward in Urdu, is one of the few stones Pakistanis have known for thousands of years from right next door. The finest materi…
Read
Gem Journal · Amber Amber (Kehruba) Price in Pakistan: Colour, Clarity, Origin and Weight
Amber, known in Pakistan as kehruba, is fossilised tree resin rather than a mineral, and its pricing follows its own logic. It is light, war…
Read
Gem Journal Emerald Buying Guide for Pakistan: Choosing a Zamurd Step by Step
Buy an emerald by colour first, then by how well its inclusions behave, then by size. That order matters more with zamurd than with any othe…
Read
Gem Journal Opal Buying Guide for Pakistan: How to Choose a Solid, Bright Opal
A good opal is one whose colour flashes are bright from most angles, whose body is solid natural opal rather than a glued layer, and which h…
Read
Gem Journal Real or Fake Cat's Eye (Lehsunia): Asli Ki Pehchan Before You Buy
A real cat's eye shows a soft, living line of light that glides across the dome and changes as you move a torch. Fibre-optic glass shows a l…
Read
Gem Journal Peridot (Zabarjad) Benefits: Traditions, Who Wears It and Why It Is Practical
Peridot, called zabarjad in Urdu, is traditionally linked with Budh (Mercury) in Vedic astrology and is often worn as a gentler, more afford…
Read
Gem Journal Moh-e-Najaf Buying Guide: Choosing the Needles, the Body and the Cut
Choose a Moh-e-Najaf by its needles first: their colour, how well they fill the stone and how they are placed on the face. Then check that t…
Read
Gem Journal Hessonite (Gomed) Price in Pakistan: What You Pay For, Per Carat and Per Ratti
The price of a Gomed (hessonite) in Pakistan is set mainly by its colour, how clear and lively it looks, and its size. A bright honey to cin…
Read
Gem Journal Malachite (Dahna-e-Farang) Price in Pakistan: Pattern, Size and Fair Quotes
Malachite is one of the more affordable natural stones in Pakistan, and its price depends mostly on the beauty of its banding, the size of t…
Read