4.40 carats — 4.84 ratti — at Rs. 1,350, about Rs. 307 per carat. The reference is GS-000328. It is the smallest stone in this part of the collection, and carries the highest per-carat rate — small cabochons always do, because the cutting work is the same whatever the weight.

The banding on this stone

This is the one to buy if the banding itself is what you want. A large pale grey area fills the upper-left. Through the centre-right runs a strong vertical ridge of bright green bands, and they are the most sharply defined on this page — crisp, parallel, evenly spaced, like contour lines drawn with a pen rather than the soft washes most malachite shows. The lower-left falls away into deep green.

On a stone this small, that definition is remarkable. Fine banding usually blurs at small sizes; here every line holds.

What the bands are

Each one is a growth layer. Malachite forms in rounded masses as copper-rich water seeps through rock above an ore body, adding layer upon layer, and the shade shifts between layers with the chemistry of the water at the time. What you are looking at is a cross-section through that sequence — a record of conditions changing, laid down and then sliced through.

Crisp, even banding like this means the conditions were unusually steady while it grew.

Recorded as Afghan

This stone carries an Afghan origin in our records, passed on as recorded rather than evidenced by a document we hold.

Wearing it

Four and a half carats suits a small ring, a pendant or an earring. The small size is an advantage with malachite: less surface to scratch, and a smaller stone sits lower and catches on less.

Care

Malachite is 3.5 to 4 on the Mohs scale and reacts to acids. No ultrasonic cleaner, no heat, no vinegar or lemon. A dry soft cloth is all it needs.

We have not had this stone tested, so its treatment is recorded as "not tested" rather than untreated. Message +92 308 887 3888 for closer photographs of the banding. 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 4.4 Carat. Its price is Rs. 1,350 — roughly Rs. 307 for each carat. Origin: Afghanistan. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000328 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 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.