Five carats exactly, and the title says so without rounding anything in our favour: this stone weighs 5.00 carats on the record. It is cut as an emerald cut, a rectangle with cropped corners and long step facets, which you can see plainly in the photograph. Its colour is recorded as Pinkish red.

The numbers

The price is Rs. 8,250, which is about Rs. 1,650 per carat. In ratti, 5.00 carats is 5.49 ratti. The reference is GS-000547.

There is another five carat ruby in this category priced at several times this figure. The difference is not a mistake and it is not a sale: that stone's colour is recorded as Red and this one's as Pinkish red, and in ruby that single word is most of the price. Both are natural ruby. They are not the same proposition, and anyone telling you a five carat ruby is a five carat ruby is skipping the part that matters.

What a step cut shows you

Long parallel facets act like mirrors rather than scattering light into sparkle, so an emerald cut displays body colour openly and hides very little. For a buyer that is an advantage: you can look straight into the stone and judge it yourself rather than taking anyone's word. The cropped corners are also the most vulnerable points, so they want protecting in the setting.

Ruby, yaqoot and hardness

Ruby is red corundum, yaqoot in Urdu, and it is 9 on the Mohs scale regardless of colour grade. This stone will resist scratching exactly as well as the dearest piece in this category.

Treatment, and what we have not done

Most ruby (yaqoot) is heated, and lower grades may be glass-filled; we do not sell glass-filled ruby as natural ruby. At this rate that sentence deserves real attention rather than a glance, and the open facets of this cut make it easier for you to check. This stone has not been tested and there is no laboratory report for it. We are not calling it unheated and we are not offering paperwork we do not have. Ask and we will arrange independent testing before you commit.

Setting and care

A five carat rectangle makes a strong, flat ring stone, or a pendant hung along its length. Ask for claws that sit on the cropped corners, or a bezel. Warm water, mild soap, soft brush. No ultrasonic, no steam.

Buying this one

Cash on Delivery across Pakistan. Returns within 7 days of delivery. Tracked, insured courier. WhatsApp +92 308 887 3888, reference GS-000547.

Questions people ask about this stone

Does it really weigh five carats? Yes, 5.00 on the record. Some sellers would call a 4.8 carat stone five carats; this one does not need the help.

There is another five carat ruby here for far more money. Which should I buy? Depends what you are buying for. That stone's colour is recorded as Red and this one's as Pinkish red, which is the whole of the difference. If you want colour, pay for it. If you want a real five carat natural ruby on a budget, this is it at Rs. 1,650 per carat.

What does the step cut mean for me? You can see into the stone. Long parallel facets do not disguise much, which makes it easy to judge for yourself when the courier hands it to you.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural ruby, known in Urdu as Yaqoot, with a weight of 5 Carat. Its price is Rs. 8,250 — roughly Rs. 1,650 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000547 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 ruby rates 9. Few materials will scratch it, so it copes well with everyday ring wear. A soak in warm water with a drop of mild soap and a soft brush keeps it bright; skip the ultrasonic cleaner if inclusions reach the surface.

Whoever you buy ruby 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 ruby 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): Most ruby (yaqoot) is heated, and lower grades may be glass-filled; we do not sell glass-filled ruby as natural ruby. 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.