A natural sunstone of 8.70 carats, about 9.56 ratti, at Rs. 2,250 – roughly Rs. 259 per carat.

The truest oval in the category

All ten sunstones here are broadly oval cabochons, so "oval" on its own would not tell you much. This one earns the name on measurement: its outline fills 79.9% of its bounding box, and a perfect ellipse fills 78.5%. Across the ten the figure runs from 79.9% to 82.6%, which means this stone's outline is the closest here to a true ellipse – the least squared-off at the ends, the most evenly curved.

That is worth something practical. A clean elliptical outline drops straight into a standard oval mount, where a stone with flattened ends or an uneven shoulder needs the setting adjusted, or made from scratch. It measures about 1.46 times as long as it is wide, which is a conventional and easy proportion to set.

Colour: among the warmest here

About 11% of this stone's face reads as bright orange, with roughly 81% reading as brown. That puts it second of the ten on orange and the lowest brown share but one. In the hand it is a warm orange-brown rather than a flat brown, which is as orange as sunstone of this grade usually gets. It is not a vivid carnelian orange, and we would rather say so here than let the photograph do the promising.

Its glitter measures about 1.86% of the face, around the middle of this tray, where the readings run 1.21% to 3.37%.

Why cabochon rather than facets

Sunstone is nearly always cut as a dome, and for a reason. The sparkle comes from copper platelets inside the stone, and a smooth dome gathers light across a wide angle and sends it down to them. Facets would compete with that internal flash instead of feeding it, and on a stone of Mohs 6 to 6.5 they would also chip far more readily than a rounded edge.

Softer than household dust

At Mohs 6 to 6.5, sunstone is softer than the quartz in ordinary dust, which is about 7. A ring worn daily will gradually lose its polish; re-polishing is cheap, and a bezel protects the rim.

What has not been tested

Sunstone is usually untreated as a general matter. This stone has no laboratory report and its treatment has not been tested, so that is the norm for the material, not a statement about this piece.

Care and ordering

Warm water, mild soap, a soft cloth. No ultrasonic cleaner, no steam. One stone, sold once. Message us on WhatsApp for more photographs, and we deliver across Pakistan.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural sunstone with a weight of 8.7 Carat. Its price is Rs. 2,250 — roughly Rs. 259 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-SS-0007 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 sunstone rates 6 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 sunstone 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 sunstone 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): Sunstone is usually untreated. 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.