25.45 carats — 27.97 ratti — at Rs. 4,050, about Rs. 159 per carat. The reference is GS-000320.

The banding on this stone

The upper-left is covered in fine bright-green ripples running in close parallel lines, almost like the grain in a cut plank. Pale grey fills the upper-right. Below both, a broad mass of deep green occupies the centre and base, and a single pale-green curve sweeps across the lower-right corner.

What is worth noticing is the range of band widths on one face: hair-fine lines at the top, a sweeping band several millimetres wide at the bottom, and a large unbanded area between them. That variation is a good sign of natural material — imitations tend to repeat one band width throughout.

How to read malachite banding

Each band is a growth layer. The stone formed in rounded masses as copper-rich water seeped through rock above an ore body, adding layer on layer over a very long time, and the colour shifted between layers with the chemistry of the water. Slicing through gives you a cross-section of that history.

Fine bands mean slow, steady growth; broad ones mean a faster or richer period. A stone like this one records both.

Wearing it

Twenty-five carats is pendant territory, or a large ring worn carefully. Malachite is soft at 3.5 to 4 on the Mohs scale.

Care

No ultrasonic cleaner, no heat, no acids — vinegar and lemon juice etch it. Dry soft cloth only.

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 with the reference. The rest of the range is in the malachite 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 malachite with a weight of 25.45 Carat. Its price is Rs. 4,050 — roughly Rs. 159 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000320 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 malachite rates 3.5 to 4. 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 malachite 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 malachite 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): Malachite is commonly waxed or resin-polished to protect its soft surface. 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.