A natural blue sapphire of 2.80 carats, about 3.08 ratti, at Rs. 42,000 – exactly Rs. 15,000 per carat. Our record gives its colour as deep blue.

Why sapphire prices vary so much

Across the twenty blue sapphires at the front of this category the rate runs from about Rs. 4,000 to Rs. 15,000 per carat, and this stone sits at the top of that band. For most gems size drives price; for sapphire it barely does. What drives sapphire price is colour – how vivid and how evenly distributed the blue is – then clarity, then whether the stone has been heated, then where it came from.

The last two of those four are not visible. They are laboratory questions. This stone has no laboratory report, so on this page we can tell you the first two were judged favourably by people who handle a lot of sapphire, and that the other two are open. We think that is more use to you than a confident sentence with nothing behind it.

A ring stone

At 2.80 carats, a little over three ratti, this is squarely in the range asked for in a neelam ring. Pakistani buyers usually think in ratti, and one ratti is about 0.91 carats, which is where the figure at the top of this page comes from. In South Asian astrology neelam is the stone of Saturn (Shani) and is traditionally worn after consulting an astrologer. That is a tradition; we make no promises about outcomes.

Hardness

Corundum is Mohs 9 – only diamond and a few synthetics are harder, and nothing in daily life will scratch it. That makes sapphire the most practical of the valuable coloured stones for jewellery that is actually worn. Impact is a separate matter, and a faceted edge can chip.

What has not been tested

No laboratory report, and the heating status has not been tested. Most blue sapphire on the market is heated to deepen and even out the colour; unheated stones exist and command a premium, but proving a stone is unheated takes a laboratory. No origin is stated on this page for the same reason.

Care and ordering

Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. No ultrasonic cleaner or steamer while the treatment is unknown. Store it apart from softer stones. One stone, sold once. Message us on WhatsApp for more photographs or to arrange a test, and we deliver across Pakistan.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural sapphire, known in Urdu as Neelam, with a weight of 2.8 Carat. Its price is Rs. 42,000 — roughly Rs. 15,000 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000892 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.

Between two and six carats is the range most people choose for a gents' ring or a noticeable pendant. Here colour drives the price more than size does, which is why two stones of near-identical weight can be priced very differently.

On the Mohs scale sapphire rates 9. Few materials will scratch it, so it copes well with everyday ring wear. A soak in warm water with a drop of mild soap and a soft brush keeps it bright; skip the ultrasonic cleaner if inclusions reach the surface.

Whoever you buy sapphire 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 sapphire 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): Most sapphire on the market is heated to improve colour and clarity; unheated stones exist and cost more. 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.