A natural red coral cabochon of 8.40 carats, about 9.23 ratti, at Rs. 16,500 – roughly Rs. 1,964 per carat, delivered anywhere in Pakistan. It measures about 2.32 times as long as it is wide.

What a cabochon is, and why coral is always cut this way

A cabochon is shaped and polished into a smooth dome with no facets at all. You will almost never see faceted red coral, and there is a good reason: facets work by bouncing light around inside a transparent stone and throwing it back at the eye. Coral is opaque, so facets would do nothing except create edges – and edges are exactly what you do not want on a material this soft.

A dome instead gives an unbroken sweep of colour and a single soft highlight, which is what the photograph shows, and it leaves no sharp corner to chip.

One of the deeper stones here

Measured across the face, about 96% reads as saturated red and roughly 89% reads as dark – among the deepest in this group of twenty. Expect a rich, closed red that needs direct light to open up, rather than a bright one.

Soft, organic, and what that demands

Coral is the calcium-carbonate skeleton of a marine colony, not a mineral. At Mohs 3 to 4 it is softer than almost anything else worn as jewellery, so a bezel setting is the sensible choice and it should be stored away from harder stones.

The bigger risk is chemical. Acid dissolves calcium carbonate, so perfume, hairspray, chlorinated water, vinegar and lemon juice all etch the polish, permanently. Heat is the other one: coral scorches, so it must be set cold, after all soldering is finished.

What has not been tested

No laboratory report, and the treatment has not been tested. Nearly all red coral is waxed or oiled to lift its lustre, and a meaningful share is dyed to deepen the colour. Deep even reds like this one are precisely what dyeing produces, as well as what good natural material looks like. We are not claiming either; we will arrange a test if you want one.

Care and ordering

A soft dry cloth only. No ultrasonic cleaner, no steam, no soaking. One stone, sold once. Message us on WhatsApp for more photographs; delivery across Pakistan with payment on delivery.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural red coral, known in Urdu as Marjan, with a weight of 8.4 Carat. Its price is Rs. 16,500 — roughly Rs. 1,964 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-RC-0024 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 red coral rates 3 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 red coral 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 red coral 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): Red coral (marjan) is often waxed to improve lustre, and some coral is dyed. 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.