A natural blue sapphire – neelam – of 3.45 carats, about 3.79 ratti, recorded as coming from Ceylon, at Rs. 17,250 – roughly Rs. 5,000 per carat. Sold loose. Our record gives its colour as deep blue.

What "original" means for neelam

It is the word every neelam buyer asks for, and it deserves a precise answer rather than reassurance.

Original here means natural corundum – a real sapphire, not glass, not synthetic corundum, not a composite. That much we stand behind.

It does not mean unheated, and it does not mean certified. Both of those are open on this stone: there is no laboratory report, and the heating status has not been tested. Most blue sapphire sold anywhere in the world has been heated, which is normal rather than dishonest, but it is a fact about a stone and facts about stones should come from tests.

Synthetic sapphire deserves a specific mention, because it is the real risk with neelam. It has been manufactured since the early 1900s, costs almost nothing, and is genuinely hard to tell from natural material without magnification. Curved growth lines and gas bubbles give it away under a loupe; nothing gives it away in the hand.

Buying loose

Unset, you see the whole stone, including the pavilion below the girdle that a setting hides. You also choose the metal, the style and the jeweller rather than inheriting someone else's decisions. At 3.45 carats this is a generous size for a ring and a comfortable one for a pendant.

Hardness

Corundum is Mohs 9, the hardest gem in ordinary jewellery use after diamond, which is the practical reason neelam has been a working ring stone for centuries. It resists the fine abrasion that dulls softer stones; it can still chip at an edge.

Ceylon

Sri Lanka, called Ceylon in the gem trade, is the longest-worked sapphire source in the world. This is the origin our record holds, not a laboratory determination.

Care and ordering

Warm water, mild soap, a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners while the treatment is unknown. One stone, sold once. Message us on WhatsApp for more photographs or to arrange testing, and we deliver across Pakistan.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural sapphire, known in Urdu as Neelam, with a weight of 3.45 Carat. Its price is Rs. 17,250 — roughly Rs. 5,000 for each carat. Origin: Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000887 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.