In this article
Written by Sameer
Reviewed on
With emerald, colour comes first and almost everything else comes second. Two zamurd of the same weight can be priced a very long way apart because one is a soft, grassy green and the other a deep, faintly bluish green that keeps its colour under tube light and in the shade. Clarity, oiling, size and origin then move the price up or down from there.
Below we explain what you are actually paying for when you buy an emerald in Pakistan, how per-carat and per-ratti quotes work in the bazaar, and how to put two offers side by side without being caught by weight tricks or vague answers about treatment. Our own prices are in the table, taken from our current listings and updated every month, so you have real numbers to measure against.
Our emerald prices
This table is built from the emeralds we list, each photographed and priced on its own. It gives the lowest, typical and highest price per stone, and the same spread per carat and per ratti, so you can judge a quote from anyone.
| Weight | Weights | Stones | Per carat | Per ratti |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Emerald in stock | 1.0 – 1.5 ct | 4 | Rs 14,500 – Rs 16,000 | Rs 13,000 – Rs 14,500 |
Treat it as a guide to where stones sit, not a promise that a given weight will cost a set amount. A small, well-coloured Swat stone can cost more per carat than a bigger, paler one. For prices across everything we sell, see the monthly gemstone price guide for Pakistan.
What decides an emerald's price
Dealers in Karachi, Peshawar and every other gem market look at the same six things. Learn them in this order and most quotes start to make sense.
1. Colour
Colour carries most of the value. The trade wants pure green to slightly bluish green, medium to medium-dark, with strong saturation. Stones that lean yellow, look grey, or are so dark they go blackish in low light are worth less. Some laboratories won't even call very pale green beryl emerald, and it should never be sold at an emerald price.
Look at the stone under more than one light. A good emerald stays green under a white LED, by a window and in shade. If it only looks rich under a warm shop bulb, it is weaker than it seems.
2. Clarity and the jardin
Nearly every natural emerald has inclusions, which the trade calls the jardin, the garden. Nobody expects emerald to be clean the way a sapphire is, so price depends on how much the inclusions spoil the look. Fine inclusions that don't interrupt the green are fine. Large white feathers, cloudy patches or a crack running to the surface knock the value down a lot and make the stone more fragile too. Our article on jardin, oiling and the fakes looks at the inclusions themselves.
3. Oiling and other treatment
Most emeralds are treated with colourless oil or resin to fill fissures that reach the surface. That is accepted practice, but how much matters for price:
- None or minor: the most valuable category. Few fissures needed filling.
- Moderate: common in good commercial stones, and priced below minor.
- Significant: the filler is doing a lot of the work, and the price drops sharply.
- Coloured oil or dye: a different product altogether. It must be declared and priced far below a stone with natural colour.
Ask every seller, in writing, what treatment a stone has had. If the answer is "none" for a clean, bright stone at a modest price, ask for testing. We state known treatment on every listing.
4. Size
The price per carat climbs with weight, because good emerald crystals are rarely big and clean at once. A two-carat stone usually costs more per carat than a one-carat stone of the same quality, and the jump gets steeper again past three or four carats. That is why a big stone that sounds cheap "per ratti" deserves a second look.
5. Cut and shape
The classic emerald cut, a rectangle with stepped corners, exists because it protects a brittle stone and shows off the colour. Ovals, cushions and pears are common too. A well-cut stone shows even green across the face. A poorly cut one has a pale window in the centre, or a heavy, deep bottom that adds weight without adding beauty, and you pay per carat for that hidden weight, so always check the side view. Cabochon emerald is usually lower-grade material and is priced well below faceted stones.
6. Origin
Origin moves price because buyers attach a reputation to it. Colombian stones have long carried the highest premium. Zambian emerald is often a slightly bluer, cleaner green and is easy to find. Swat emerald from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is known for strong colour in small sizes, and it comes from our own backyard. But origin is not a grade on its own: a fine Zambian stone beats a poor Colombian one. Our comparison of Swat, Zambian and Colombian emerald lays out the differences, and the page on Swat emerald covers the source itself.
Per carat and per ratti
You will hear emerald priced three ways here: per stone, per carat and per ratti. They are easy to confuse.
- Carat: 1 carat is 0.2 grams. Labs and most online listings weigh in carats.
- Ratti (gemstone standard): the ratti used for gems in Pakistan is 0.91 carat, about 0.182 grams.
- Sunari ratti: the jewellers' ratti used for gold is smaller, about 0.1215 grams or roughly 0.61 carat.
The difference matters. On the sunari scale the same stone weighs more ratti than on the gemstone scale, so a lower per-ratti rate can still add up to a higher total. Always ask which ratti the seller is using, and convert both quotes to carats before comparing. Our carat to ratti converter does the maths.
Astrologers often give a weight in ratti, "at least three ratti" for example. Convert that to carats first, then look at stones in that range. With emerald, a small rise in the required weight can mean a big rise in price, because of how steeply the per-carat rate climbs.
Comparing two emerald quotes
Run each offer through the same checklist before you even look at the total.
- Is it the loose stone's weight? Some sellers quote a weight with the stone still in a ring, or round up. Ask for the exact loose weight in carats, to two decimal places.
- Which ratti? Confirm the scale and convert to carats.
- What treatment? Minor oiling and significant resin filling are not the same product. Get it in writing.
- Same colour band? Compare photos taken in daylight, not under warm display lights. A stone a shade lighter can be a whole grade lower.
- Same cut quality? Ask for a side view. A deep, bulky pavilion means you are paying per carat for weight you can't see.
- Per stone or per carat? Some listings show per-carat figures that look small until you multiply them out.
- What if it isn't as described? A return window and the right to open the parcel before paying are worth money in themselves.
A quote that fails two or more of these isn't cheaper. It is just harder to compare.
Budget bands in the shop filters
Emerald doesn't split neatly by budget, since a small fine stone and a larger commercial one can cost the same. Use the filters as a starting point and judge colour and clarity within each band.
- Under 5,000 rupees: genuine emerald is rare at this level. If you want green on a tight budget, look at peridot or green agate rather than a doubtful zamurd.
- 5,000 to 20,000 rupees: small commercial stones, usually with visible inclusions or moderate oiling. Check the colour in daylight carefully.
- 20,000 to 50,000 rupees: where better-coloured small Swat stones and cleaner commercial emeralds tend to show up.
- Over 50,000 rupees: bigger sizes, stronger colour and lighter treatment. At this level a lab report is worth arranging.
Our current emeralds are Swat stones, such as the 1.00 carat Swat zamurd and the 1.50 carat Swat zamurd. Compare their colour and weight with the table above to see how size changes the per-carat figure.
When a low price is a warning sign
Emerald draws more imitations than most stones, because the colour is easy to copy and the value is high. Be careful if you see any of these:
- A big, very clean, intensely green stone at a small price. Natural emerald like that is scarce and costly.
- "Untreated" claimed with no test report behind it.
- A seller who won't give the exact weight or say which ratti they use.
- Even, flat colour and round bubbles under a loupe, which point to glass.
- A stone sold already set, with no chance to see the back or weigh it loose.
Lab-grown emerald is real beryl made in a factory. It is legitimate when sold as lab-grown and should be priced accordingly. Our guide to natural and synthetic gemstones explains the difference.
Is a certificate worth it?
For a stone at the top end of your budget, yes. A good report gives the species, whether it is natural, and the degree of clarity enhancement, which are the three facts that most affect emerald price. If you want an independent lab report on one of our stones, ask before you order. Our lab-certified emerald page and the guide to reading a lab certificate show what to look for.
Setting and wear change the real cost
At 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale emerald resists scratches, but its inclusions make it brittle. A bezel or protected claw setting costs a little more and can save the stone. Hot water, steam and ultrasonic cleaners can pull out the oil and make fissures more visible, which hurts both the look and the value over time, so wipe it with a soft, damp cloth instead. Budget for the setting before you choose the stone, and see our silver vs gold settings guide.
Buying emerald from Authentic Gems
Every stone in our emerald collection is photographed and priced on its own. Once we confirm your order by phone or WhatsApp, it leaves Karachi within one working day by insured, tracked courier. Karachi addresses usually receive it in 1 to 2 working days, Lahore, Islamabad and the other major cities in 2 to 4, and smaller towns within about 7. Pay Cash on Delivery after opening the parcel and checking the stone in front of the rider, and you have 7 days to return it. If you'd like help matching a stone to a budget or an astrologer's weight, send us the details on WhatsApp.
Shop the stones: emerald.
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