A natural topaz of 4.40 carats, about 4.84 ratti, at Rs. 15,000 – roughly Rs. 3,409 per carat. Its colour is recorded as white.

White topaz, and why the old name was wrong

This listing was titled Natural Yellow Topaz (Sunehla). It is not yellow. Measured across the photograph, about 42% of its face reads as near-colourless and the yellow share is under 3% – which is the highest yellow reading of any stone in this category, and still almost nothing. Its recorded colour is white, and that is what the title now says.

Sunehla means yellow topaz in Urdu, the golden stone associated with Jupiter. If that is what you are looking for, this is not it, and we would rather lose the sale than let the name do the work.

What white topaz actually is

Pure topaz is colourless. Everything else – blue, yellow, pink, the brown "sherry" stones – comes from impurities or from treatment. So a white topaz is topaz in its plain form, and it is sold on brightness and cut rather than on colour.

It is the usual stand-in for a diamond in silver work. It is noticeably softer, and far less fiery, but at a fraction of the price it does the job honestly, which is more than can be said for cubic zirconia sold as something else.

Its shape

A rectangular cushion: its outline fills about 81% of its bounding box and it occupies the corners of that box more than any other stone here, which is what a squared-off outline does. It measures about 1.21 times as long as it is wide. It is brilliant-faceted, not a step cut – no stone in this category is, which is why the emerald cut name we were given was refused.

Treatment and testing

Colourless topaz is generally untreated, which is the honest general position for a stone like this. But blue topaz is almost always irradiated and heated, and most of this category is blue, so it is worth knowing where the line falls. For this stone the treatment has not been tested and there is no laboratory report. Colourless stones are also the ones most often confused with glass and synthetic spinel, so if you are buying it to set in gold, ask us to arrange testing.

Mohs 8, and the cleavage

Topaz is 8 on the Mohs scale – harder than quartz, harder than the dust that dulls softer stones. But it has perfect basal cleavage, a plane along which a knock can split it cleanly whatever its hardness. Set it in a bezel for ring wear, keep it out of ultrasonic cleaners, and avoid 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 4.4 Carat. Its price is Rs. 15,000 — roughly Rs. 3,409 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000491 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.