Opal is a gem on which buyers should be careful, and a good dealer will tell you why before you pay. The usual trade position is that a solid opal is left natural, but a smoked or sugar-darkened stone can look very similar, and doublets and triplets (a thin opal layer on a backing) can pass as whole opals to an untrained eye.

So the useful questions are simple. Is it solid? Has the body colour been darkened? Does the colour play stay bright from different angles? Ask the seller to tell you what they know about the exact stone, not just the species.

What we know about this one

It is a 1.1 carat natural fire opal, solid, with visible play-of-colour. It is priced at Rs. 4,130, about Rs. 3,755 per carat. Message us with reference GS-000596 and we will tell you what we know, and arrange independent lab testing if you want written confirmation.

Opal's Mohs hardness is 5.5 to 6.5, so protect it from knocks and from heat. When delivered by Cash on Delivery you may open the parcel and inspect it before paying. More stones sit in the opal category.

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 opal guide.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural opal with a weight of 1.1 Carat. Its price is Rs. 4,130 — roughly Rs. 3,755 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000596 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.

Under two carats, a stone like this sits neatly in a slim ring, a stud or a delicate pendant and does not snag on sleeves. It is also where many first-time buyers begin when a stone is recommended for astrological reasons, because the total cost stays modest.

On the Mohs scale opal rates 5.5 to 6.5. That is middle-of-the-road hardness: comfortable in pendants and earrings, and in rings worn with some care. Store it apart from harder stones so it does not pick up scratches, and wipe it with a damp cloth rather than scrubbing.

Whoever you buy opal 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 opal 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): Solid opal is usually untreated; some opal is smoke- or sugar-treated, and doublets/triplets exist — we sell solid natural opal. 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.