"Premium quality" is the least useful phrase in the gemstone trade, because nobody has to define it. So let us define it for this stone — and note at the outset that we have not inflated the rate to match the word. At about Rs. 602 per carat this is one of the better-value large stones in our collection.

The stone

37.40 carats, which is 41.10 ratti. Origin: Afghanistan. Rs. 22,500, about Rs. 602 per carat, reference GS-000280. One piece only.

What actually makes an aquamarine premium

• Clarity you can see through. Fine aquamarine is expected to be eye-clean. This is the first thing to judge and the thing that moves the price most.
• Colour that survives indoor light. Aquamarine looks best in daylight. A stone that holds a visible blue under an ordinary ceiling light is doing something the average one does not.
• A cut with no window. Hold it over printed text. If you can read through the middle of the table, light is escaping out of the back and the stone will look flat however good the material is.
• Orientation. Beryl is pleochroic — the colour differs along different crystal directions. A cutter who orients the rough well gets a better blue from the same material. This is invisible craft that you pay for without seeing it.
• Size, used properly. At 37.40 carats there is enough depth for light to travel through and build up colour, which a small stone of the same material cannot do.

What we have not verified

Being straight about this is part of the same argument. Shape, measurements and clarity grade are not recorded for this piece — those fields are left honest rather than filled with plausible guesses. Treatment has not been tested either; aquamarine is commonly heated to remove green tones and leave a purer blue, and we will not claim a stone is unheated without a report. Ask us on WhatsApp at +92 308 887 3888 and we will measure it, photograph it against a scale, or send it for independent laboratory testing.

Why is the rate lower than your smaller stones?

Because beryl grows in large clean crystals, so size carries no scarcity premium — and the fixed cost of cutting is spread over far more carats. Our small aquamarines run well over Rs. 1,600 per carat for exactly that reason. It is arithmetic, not a judgement about quality. The aquamarine price guide works it through.

Does premium mean certified?

No — separate things. A certificate of authenticity is available on request for this stone and independent laboratory testing can be arranged, but no certificate grades beauty.

Setting and care

Ask for an open back and white metal; both lift a pale blue. Beryl is 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, hard enough for regular wear, though an edge can chip on a sharp knock, so a bezel beats tall claws. Warm soapy water and a soft brush, no steam or ultrasonic cleaning.

Ordering

Flat Rs. 500 delivery anywhere in Pakistan, insured and tracked, dispatched in one to two working days. Cash on Delivery, seven days to return it unused. Compare it against the rest of the aquamarine collection at full size before you decide.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural aquamarine, known in Urdu as Beruj, with a weight of 37.4 Carat. Its price is Rs. 22,500 — roughly Rs. 602 for each carat. Origin: Afghanistan. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000280 when you message us about it. The photographs show this exact stone, so what arrives at your door is the piece you chose on screen.

Above twelve carats you are into collector territory. Pieces this heavy are usually set as pendants or kept loose, and they are prized for the size of rough they came from. If you do set it, choose a bezel or a heavy claw to protect the edges.

On the Mohs scale aquamarine rates 7.5 to 8. It handles daily wear, but a hard knock can still nick an exposed corner, so a protective setting is a sensible choice. Clean it with warm soapy water and a soft brush, and keep it away from abrasive cleaners and high heat.

Whoever you buy aquamarine from, make sure of three things: the stone is natural rather than lab-grown, glass or glass-filled; any treatment is stated in writing; and the weight quoted is the weight of the finished stone. We check every aquamarine for those three points before it is listed, a certificate is available on request, and because you pay on delivery you can look at the stone — or have it tested — before any money changes hands.

We sell natural stones only and inspect each one before it is listed. Treatment for this stone: Treatment not tested. Certificate available on request. As general background (not a statement about this stone): Aquamarine is commonly heated to remove green tones and leave a purer blue. Ask us on WhatsApp and we will tell you what we know about this exact stone; independent lab testing is available on request.

A certificate of authenticity is available on request for this stone, and independent laboratory testing can be arranged. Because you pay on delivery, you can also take the stone to a lab of your choice within the 7-day return window. Read more on our authenticity page.