A natural blue sapphire of 4.55 carats, recorded as coming from Afghanistan, at Rs. 13,650 – exactly Rs. 3,000 per carat. Our record gives its colour as deep blue.

Exactly five ratti

This one is worth pointing out: 4.55 carats works out to 5.00 ratti precisely, since one ratti is 0.91 carats. Buyers who are choosing a neelam by ratti, as most people do in Pakistan when the stone is being bought for astrological reasons, usually have a specific figure in mind, and round numbers are harder to find than you might expect. If five ratti is the number you were given, this is it without rounding.

Silver, and why it suits neelam

Silver is the traditional setting for neelam across Pakistan, and the reasons are practical as well as customary. It is soft enough for any local jeweller to work, re-size and re-set years later without specialist equipment. It costs little enough that the setting does not outprice the stone. And a cool white metal keeps the blue clean, where yellow gold pushes it warmer and slightly greener.

For a men's ring, ask for a setting that shields the girdle rather than leaving it proud. Sapphire is hard but still chips at an edge, and a man's ring meets more hard corners than any other piece of jewellery.

Hardness is the argument for sapphire

Corundum is Mohs 9, second only to diamond among stones in ordinary use, and nothing you meet day to day will scratch it. That is why a neelam ring worn for decades still looks like itself. Hardness resists scratching, not impact, so the setting still matters.

Afghanistan

A long-standing commercial source for the corundum that reaches this market. It is what our record holds for this stone, not a laboratory origin determination.

What has not been tested

No laboratory report, and the heating status has not been tested. Most blue sapphire is heated; it is ordinary practice, it affects value, and only a laboratory can establish it. We will arrange a test on request.

Care and ordering

Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners while the treatment is unknown. Take the ring off for heavy work. One stone, sold once. Message us on WhatsApp for more photographs, and we deliver across Pakistan.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural sapphire, known in Urdu as Neelam, with a weight of 4.55 Carat. Its price is Rs. 13,650 — roughly Rs. 3,000 for each carat. Origin: Afghanistan. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000881 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.