22 carats — 24.18 ratti — at Rs. 3,300, about Rs. 150 per carat. The reference is GS-00040.

The pattern, and what makes it

This is the most distinctive stone in the collection and the reason a collector would want it. Across a near-black ground sit dozens of pale grey-white rosettes, each one a tight radiating burst like a snowflake or a daisy head, between two and six millimetres across and scattered fairly evenly over the whole face.

That pattern has a specific cause. It forms when a volcanic glass begins to crystallise after it has cooled: needles of a silica mineral grow outward from a seed point in all directions at once, producing a spherical cluster, and when the stone is sliced through those clusters you see them in cross-section as stars. The texture is the signature of snowflake obsidian, and it is not something any jasper produces.

We should be straightforward: this stone is listed in our jasper collection, but what the photograph shows is the snowflake texture described above. We have not had it tested. If the exact material matters to you — and for a collector it reasonably might — ask us before you buy and we will arrange an identification.

What the photograph actually shows

Brightness reads 120 out of 255, lifted well above a plain black stone by all that pale patterning, and saturation measures only 15% — this is a grey-and-black stone with essentially no colour in it. Its lightness varies across the face by 34 points, which is the pattern itself registering as variation.

The cut and wearing it

A rectangular cushion cabochon, about 1.41 times as wide as it is tall, with a gently domed top that lets the rosettes run uninterrupted across the face. At 22 carats it suits a bold men's ring or a pendant, and a monochrome stone like this works with any metal.

Care

Warm water and a soft cloth, and avoid knocks against hard edges — glassy materials chip more readily than quartz ones. No ultrasonic cleaner. Its treatment is recorded as "not tested" rather than untreated.

Message +92 308 887 3888 with the reference for more photographs or an identification. The rest of the collection is in the jasper category.

Cash on Delivery is available across Pakistan, so you inspect the stone before paying, and returns are accepted within 7 days of delivery.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural jasper with a weight of 22 Carat. Its price is Rs. 3,300 — roughly Rs. 150 for each carat. Origin: Africa. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-00040 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 jasper rates 6.5 to 7. That is middle-of-the-road hardness: comfortable in pendants and earrings, and in rings worn with some care. Store it apart from harder stones so it does not pick up scratches, and wipe it with a damp cloth rather than scrubbing.

Whoever you buy jasper 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 jasper 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): Jasper is usually untreated, though some is dyed. 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.