14 carats — 15.38 ratti — at Rs. 5,250, about Rs. 375 per carat. The reference is GSN-LL-19.

What the photograph actually shows

Saturation measures 67%, on the softer side for this collection, with brightness at 68 out of 255. That makes it a gentler, more muted blue than the strongly saturated stones higher up this page. Pale calcite accounts for 5.7% of the surface.

We would rather say that plainly than call every stone premium. A softer blue has its uses — it sits more quietly in a piece with other elements competing for attention — but if you want the vivid colour, look at the 15 or 16.55 carat stones instead.

Why it suits jewellery making

Two practical reasons. The outline is a long oval, 1.40 times as wide as it is tall, which is a standard proportion that stock oval bezels and settings are made for. And at 14 carats with a quieter colour, it is the kind of stone you can build around rather than one that dictates the whole design.

If you are making something for the first time, lapis is also forgiving to set — it is opaque, so there is no pavilion to protect and no light leakage to worry about if the bezel sits a little high.

A warning worth having

Lapis is 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale. If you are setting it yourself, do not use heat anywhere near it, keep polishing compound off it, and set it last. Many a lapis has been ruined at the bench rather than in wear.

Care

Warm water and a soft cloth. No ultrasonic cleaner, no steam, nothing chemical.

We have not had this stone tested, so its treatment is recorded as "not tested" rather than untreated, and we hold no documented origin for it. Message +92 308 887 3888 for exact dimensions before you order a setting. The rest of the range is in the lapis lazuli 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 lapis lazuli, known in Urdu as Lajward, with a weight of 14 Carat. Its price is Rs. 5,250 — roughly Rs. 375 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GSN-LL-19 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 lapis lazuli rates 5 to 6. That makes it soft for a gemstone, better suited to pendants, earrings and rings for special occasions than to a daily ring. Keep it away from perfume, cleaning products, steam and ultrasonic cleaners, and polish it with a dry, soft cloth after wear.

Whoever you buy lapis lazuli 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 lapis lazuli 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): Lapis lazuli (lajward) is sometimes dyed or waxed to even out its blue. 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.