Emerald is the stone people most often overpay for in Pakistan, because the price range is enormous and the reasons for it are rarely explained. This is the cheapest emerald in our collection at Rs. 4,750, and it is a good place to set out how the pricing actually works.

This stone's numbers

0.95 carats, which is 1.04 ratti. Rs. 4,750, Rs. 5,000 per carat, reference GS-000299. Recorded shape: oval. Origin: Swat. A polished cabochon. One piece, as photographed.

How our emeralds are priced

All four of our emeralds run at a flat Rs. 5,000 per carat. That is deliberate: it means the total you pay tracks the weight, and you are not being asked to pay a premium rate on top of a premium weight. This stone is the cheapest of the four simply because it is the smallest.

It is worth noticing that this is not how the wider market works. Emerald rates normally climb steeply with size and colour, which is exactly where the confusion and the overcharging come from.

What actually moves an emerald's price

1. Colour, by a wide margin. Depth and purity of green. On this stone, measured from the photograph, green leads in 92% of the body and leads the next channel by 24 points — a clear, middling green, better than our palest stone and short of our deepest.
2. Clarity. Emerald is expected to carry inclusions, so the fair question is whether they break up the colour. This one has visible inclusions, including a darker line through the body, and the rate reflects a stone of that character.
3. Treatment. Light oiling is normal and barely affects value. Heavy resin filling drops it hard.
4. Cut. A faceted stone that returns light is worth more than a cabochon cut to save weight.
5. Size, last. It multiplies the rate rather than setting it.

What a fair quote looks like in Pakistan

• Modest, included stone of light to medium green: roughly Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 15,000 per carat.
• Good medium green, reasonably clean: roughly Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 60,000 per carat.
• Fine deep green: above that, and the figure climbs quickly once a laboratory report is attached.
• A deep green, flawless, large stone for a few thousand rupees is glass, doublet or dyed beryl. Nothing else explains the price.

Treatment — what we know

This stone has not been tested, and our specification sheet says exactly that. The honest assumption for any emerald is that it has been oiled or filled to soften the look of its fissures; light oiling is accepted everywhere in the trade. Independent laboratory testing can be arranged before dispatch if you want certainty — ask us before ordering.

Care

Emerald rates 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale but is more fragile than that implies. Avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners, hot water and harsh chemicals, all of which remove oil and open up the look of the fissures. A soft damp cloth, and a protective setting if it is going into a ring.

Read further

The emerald price guide goes into far more detail, the general price guide puts emerald alongside other stones, and the real or fake guide covers the imitations. For where these stones come from, see the Swat emerald page, and the rest of the 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 emerald, known in Urdu as Zamurd, with a weight of 0.95 Carat. Its price is Rs. 4,750 — roughly Rs. 5,000 for each carat. Origin: Swat, Pakistan. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000299 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.

Under two carats, a stone like this sits neatly in a slim ring, a stud or a delicate pendant and does not snag on sleeves. It is also where many first-time buyers begin when a stone is recommended for astrological reasons, because the total cost stays modest.

On the Mohs scale emerald rates 7.5 to 8. 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 emerald 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 emerald 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): Almost all emerald (zamurd) is oiled or resin-filled to reduce the visibility of natural fissures. 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.