This is an 8.45 carat lapis from Afghanistan, deep blue with light flecking, so here is a short list to read before you decide.

• Origin stated as Afghanistan, the historic source of the finest lajward.
• Deep blue with a light scatter of flecks, not a heavy gold dusting.
• Rs. 3,230 in total, about Rs. 382 per carat.
• Mohs hardness 5 to 6: keep it away from keys, coins and harder gems.
• On arrival, look at it in daylight and run a fingernail over the dome to check the polish.

Lapis was once ground into ultramarine pigment for painters, and the blue is the same mineral you are looking at here. That history is interesting, but what matters to a buyer is how the stone looks and wears today. Dyeing and waxing do occur across the lapis trade, so ask about reference GSN-LL-09 on WhatsApp and we will tell you what we know. Compare similar stones in the lapis lazuli listing.

Cash on Delivery is available across Pakistan, so you inspect the stone before paying, and returns are accepted within 7 days of delivery. 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 8.45 Carat. Its price is Rs. 3,230 — roughly Rs. 382 for each carat. Origin: Afghanistan. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GSN-LL-09 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.

From six carats up a stone becomes the centre of attention. It wants a broader shank or a secure claw setting and suits an occasion ring, a signet or a centre pendant. Clean natural material of this size turns up far less often, and the per-carat rate reflects that.

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.