For a ring, a 3.55 carat sapphire in silver is a classic combination. A simple bezel keeps the blue in view and the metal out of the way, and at Mohs 9 the stone can take day-to-day contact. If you would like something bespoke, we can talk through a custom silver ring setting on WhatsApp.

Gold is the other route. People often find yellow gold warms the blue, while white metals keep it cooler, but taste decides. A pendant is gentler still, since it is spared the knocks a finger takes, and 3.55 carats hangs nicely without weighing on the chain.

The facts: a natural blue sapphire from Kashmir, 3.55 carats, priced at Rs. 13,880, or about Rs. 3,910 per carat. Heating is routine for sapphire, and we will tell you what we know about this stone if you ask. Reference GS-000850.

Cash on Delivery means you can inspect it when the courier arrives, and returns are accepted within seven days. For similar stones, visit the sapphire category.

Before you choose, read our sapphire guide.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural sapphire, known in Urdu as Neelam, with a weight of 3.55 Carat. Its price is Rs. 13,880 — roughly Rs. 3,910 for each carat. Origin: Kashmir. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000850 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.