The polish is the part of a cabochon that nobody talks about and everybody notices. A faceted stone can hide a mediocre finish behind its sparkle; a smooth dome cannot. Every ripple, flat spot and dull patch shows the moment you turn it under a light, which is why the finish is as much of a buying criterion for Najafi quartz as the colour is.

The stone

25.90 carats, which is 28.46 ratti. Rs. 3,750, about Rs. 145 per carat, reference GS-000209. Recorded shape: drop. Recorded colour: colourless. One piece, as photographed.

What a good polish does

• It makes the highlight travel. Tilt a well-finished cabochon and the bright spot slides across the dome in one continuous motion. On a poor one it stutters and breaks.
• It deepens the glow. A properly polished surface lets light in instead of scattering it at the skin, so the stone looks lit from within rather than merely pale.
• It resists dirt. A microscopically rough surface holds skin oils and goes cloudy within weeks. A true polish wipes clean.
• It shows confidence in the material. Nobody spends time finishing a stone they expect to hide in a closed setting.

What it looks like

Evenly milky white. We measured the photograph instead of describing it from memory: the red, green and blue channels sit within a few points of each other, so the white is genuinely neutral with no grey or cream cast. The brightness variation across the face measures 12, against roughly 65 for a faceted see-through gem photographed under the same light. In other words the stone is translucent rather than transparent — the dome passes light and glows, particularly at the thinner edges, but it is not a stone you look through. That is correct for Najafi quartz and is precisely why it is domed and polished rather than cut with facets.

Treatment

Dur-e-Najaf is clear quartz and is usually untreated. Polishing is mechanical — abrasive and wheel, nothing more. No heat, no dye, no resin, no fracture filling. This stone has had nothing done to it beyond being shaped and finished.

Durability and keeping the finish

Hardness 7 on the Mohs scale and no cleavage, so it stands up to daily wear. To keep the polish: wash it in warm soapy water with a soft brush and dry it with a cloth rather than letting it air-dry, which can leave mineral spots. Keep it away from ultrasonic cleaners and from grit — the one thing that will dull a quartz dome is sand or abrasive cleaning powder.

More on buying

The buying guide goes through what to look for, the real or fake guide covers the tests you can do yourself, and the price guide explains the rates. The full range is on the collection page.

Ordering

One piece only. Flat Rs. 500 delivery anywhere in Pakistan by insured, tracked courier, dispatched in one to two working days. Cash on Delivery — open the parcel and look at the stone before you pay — and seven days to return it unused. Dimensions have not been recorded; message us on WhatsApp at +92 308 887 3888 and we will measure it.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural dur-e-najaf with a weight of 25.9 Carat. Its price is Rs. 3,750 — roughly Rs. 145 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000209 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 dur-e-najaf rates 7. 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 dur-e-najaf 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 dur-e-najaf 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): Dur-e-Najaf (clear quartz) is usually untreated. 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.