A loose 20.80 carat lapis — 22.86 ratti — at Rs. 7,800, about Rs. 375 per carat. The reference is GSN-LL-30. It is sold unset, for you or your jeweller to mount as you choose.

What the photograph actually shows

Be clear about this one before you buy. Saturation measures 59%, the lowest of the twenty stones we measured, so the blue is softer and greyer than the strongly coloured stones higher up this page. Brightness reads 75 out of 255, which is on the light side, and pale calcite makes up 6.0% of the surface.

That makes it a gentler, more muted lapis. Some people prefer exactly that — a softer blue is easier to wear every day and less likely to overwhelm a delicate setting — but if you are after the deep royal blue, GSN-LL-32 or GSN-LL-31 are the stones to look at instead.

Buying a stone loose

Unset is usually the cheaper route to a piece you actually want, and it lets a jeweller cut the bezel to the stone rather than forcing it into a stock mount. On a soft stone like lapis that matters: a setting made to fit spreads the pressure, where a tight stock bezel concentrates it.

Take the stone to the jeweller before any metal is cut, and ask for a bezel rather than claws.

Care

Lapis is soft at 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale and porous. Warm water and a soft cloth only, no ultrasonic cleaner, no steam, and keep it away from perfume and household cleaners.

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 an identification. 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 20.8 Carat. Its price is Rs. 7,800 — roughly Rs. 375 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GSN-LL-30 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.