At 14.35 carat — 15.77 ratti — this is the largest pearl in our collection, at Rs. 3,000, about Rs. 209 per carat.

Moti, and why size matters more in pearl than in most gems

Moti is the Urdu name, and in the subcontinental system of stones it is the gem of the Moon — which is why it is bought as often for that reason as for jewellery. In either case weight behaves differently from other gems. A pearl is a sphere, so its weight rises with the cube of its diameter: a pearl twice as wide is eight times as heavy. Large pearls are therefore disproportionately scarce, and a fourteen-carat example is a substantially bigger object than a ten-carat one, not slightly.

What you are actually looking at

Nacre — mother-of-pearl — is built of microscopic plates of aragonite held together by an organic binder called conchiolin, laid down in layers thinner than a wavelength of light. That layering is why a pearl glows from within rather than reflecting off its surface the way a polished stone does, and why the sheen seems to sit just below the skin. It is also why a pearl cannot be re-polished: cut into the nacre and you remove the thing you were admiring.

Measured from its photograph, this pearl reads 209 out of 255 for brightness at 3% saturation — a neutral white rather than a cream or rosé tint.

Pearls are the softest gem you can buy

This is the thing to understand before anything else. Pearl is 2.5 to 4.5 on the Mohs scale — softer than a copper coin, softer than a fingernail at the low end. Ordinary household dust contains quartz at 7 and will scratch it. More seriously, nacre is partly organic and dissolves in acid, so perfume, hairspray, vinegar, lemon juice and even sweat attack it.

The jeweller's rule is last on, first off: put the pearl on after perfume and hairspray, and take it off before anything else. Wipe it with a soft damp cloth after wearing. Never an ultrasonic cleaner, never steam, never any proprietary jewellery dip — all three will strip nacre.

Setting it

At this weight a pendant or earrings. A ring puts the softest gem in jewellery where it meets every hard surface, and pearl rings need re-nacring or replacing within years rather than decades.

Treatment has not been tested on this pearl, and we record that rather than calling it untreated. No documented origin is held for it, so we do not claim one. Dimensions are not recorded yet — ask us and we will measure.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural pearl, known in Urdu as Moti, with a weight of 14.35 Carat. Its price is Rs. 3,000 — roughly Rs. 209 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-00083 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 pearl rates 2.5 to 4.5. 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 pearl 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 pearl 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): Pearls (moti) are commonly bleached and polished; dyed colours are disclosed. 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.