A natural topaz of 4.60 carats, about 5.05 ratti, at Rs. 11,250 – roughly Rs. 2,446 per carat. Its colour is recorded as white.

A real oval, and the only stone here we will call one

"Oval" gets written on almost any stone that is longer than it is wide, so it is worth earning. Measured from the photograph, this stone's outline leaves the corners of its bounding box almost completely empty, which is exactly what an ellipse does and what a cushion or a rectangle does not. Measured properly – by comparing the stone's width at every row against the width a true ellipse of the same proportions would have there – this is the closest of the seventeen stones here to a real ellipse. Its outline fills about 80% of its bounding box against the 78.5% of a true ellipse.

It is a long oval: about 2.08 times as long as it is wide, where the most balanced stone here measures 1.00. That shape sits along the finger rather than across it, and hangs well as a pendant.

Three other names we were given claimed a cut – emerald, round and cabochon. All three were refused: every stone in this category is brilliant-faceted, none is a step cut, none is round and none is a cabochon.

A pale stone, honestly described

About 55% of this stone's face reads as near-colourless and about 40% as blue, with only 6% reading as a strong saturated blue. Its recorded colour is white. In the hand this is a bright, almost watery stone with a faint blue cast – not a vivid blue, and we would rather say so here than let the photograph imply otherwise.

Treatment

Colourless topaz is generally sold as it comes. Blue topaz, however, is almost always irradiated and then heated: natural blue topaz is rare and faint, and the blues on the market begin as colourless stones. That is standard, stable and permanent. For this stone the treatment has not been tested and there is no laboratory report.

Mohs 8, and the cleavage

Topaz is 8 on the Mohs scale, harder than quartz – and it has perfect basal cleavage, a plane along which a knock can split it cleanly whatever its hardness. A long thin oval is more exposed than a compact stone, so a bezel matters here. No ultrasonic cleaner, no steam, no sudden heat. Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush.

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 4.6 Carat. Its price is Rs. 11,250 — roughly Rs. 2,446 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000486 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.