A natural topaz of 4 carats, about 4.40 ratti, at Rs. 8,630 – roughly Rs. 2,158 per carat. That is the joint lowest total price in this category. Its colour is recorded as white.

The least blue stone here, and the most colourless

Measured across the photograph, only about 1% of this stone's face reads as blue and roughly 61% reads as near-colourless. Both figures are the most extreme of the seventeen stones in this category – the least blue and the most colourless of them all. There is a faint green cast to it in some light.

This is topaz in its plain form. Pure topaz is colourless; the blues, yellows and pinks come from impurities or from treatment. A near-colourless stone is the raw material of the species, and it is sold on brightness and cut rather than on colour.

A long oval

It is the most elongated stone in this category, about 2.17 times as long as it is wide, where the squarest measures 1.00. Its outline fills about 78% of its bounding box, which is almost exactly the 78.5% of a true ellipse. Brilliant-faceted.

What it is good for, honestly

A colourless topaz is the usual stand-in for a diamond in silver work. It is softer and far less fiery than a diamond, and it will not fool anyone who looks properly – but at this price it is an honest bright stone rather than an imitation pretending to be something else.

It is also the one to be careful about when buying. Colourless stones are what glass and synthetic spinel are most easily passed off as. There is no laboratory report for this stone and the treatment has not been tested; if you are setting it in gold, ask us to arrange independent testing first.

About the rest of this category

Most of the stones here are blue, and it is worth knowing that almost all blue topaz is irradiated and then heated: natural blue topaz is rare and faint, and the blues on the market begin as colourless stones like this one. The treatment is standard, stable and permanent.

Mohs 8, and the cleavage

Topaz is 8 on the Mohs scale and still has perfect basal cleavage – a plane along which a knock splits it cleanly however hard it is. A long thin stone is more exposed than a compact one, so a bezel matters. No ultrasonic cleaner, no steam, no sudden heat.

Ordering

One stone, sold once. Message us on WhatsApp for more photographs or a video, and we deliver across Pakistan.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural topaz, known in Urdu as Sunehla, with a weight of 4 Carat. Its price is Rs. 8,630 — roughly Rs. 2,158 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000495 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 topaz rates 8. 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 topaz 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 topaz 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): Yellow and golden topaz is usually untreated, though some colours are produced by heating. 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.