Compared with other stones in the list, a lapis of 5.95 carats is a small to mid-sized cabochon, comfortable on a finger and not heavy on a chain. The weight is modest, so the quality of the blue matters more than the size. Here the colour is an even royal blue with very little white showing, which is what most buyers hope to find.

What to look for in lapis

Judge the surface in daylight. White mottling is calcite and lowers the grade, while golden flecks are pyrite and are normal. Lapis is opaque, so there is no clarity to grade: colour, evenness and polish are the whole judgement. Run a fingernail lightly over the dome; it should feel smooth, not ridged.

Lapis is sometimes dyed or waxed to improve its blue, so a careful buyer asks first. Message us with reference GSN-LL-02 and we will tell you what we know. This stone costs Rs. 2,210, about Rs. 371 per carat. Other pieces sit in our lapis lazuli listings.

Pay Cash on Delivery once you have opened the parcel and seen the stone yourself, anywhere in Pakistan, with 7 days to return it if you change your mind. Before you choose, read our lapis lazuli guide.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural lapis lazuli, known in Urdu as Lajward, with a weight of 5.95 Carat. Its price is Rs. 2,210 — roughly Rs. 371 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GSN-LL-02 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.

Between two and six carats is the range most people choose for a gents' ring or a noticeable pendant. Here colour drives the price more than size does, which is why two stones of near-identical weight can be priced very differently.

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.