Gem Notes
Learn the stone before you buy it
Straight answers on identifying, pricing, choosing and caring for natural gemstones — written for buyers in Pakistan, with the Urdu names you already know.
Asli ki pehchan Is It Real Ethiopian Opal? Checks to Do Before You Pay
In brief: natural Ethiopian opal shows play-of-colour in patches that shift and change as you turn the stone. Its body is usually white, cre…
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Reading per-carat and per-ratti quotes for the pink stone that rewards a good eye Kunzite Prices in Pakistan: How Colour, Size and Cut Decide the Rate
Short answer: kunzite is one of the gentler pink gems on the pocket, and its price comes down above all to how deep its colour is. A stone w…
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How to judge value in safed aqeeq White Agate (Safed Aqeeq) Price in Pakistan: What Decides It
The quick version: safed aqeeq is one of the gentler stones on the wallet, and the gap between a cheap piece and a dear one comes down to a…
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Price guide Emerald Prices in Pakistan: What Decides the Cost of Zamurd
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…
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Price guide Opal Prices in Pakistan: Fire, Type and Weight
With opal, the price follows the fire you can see. A stone with bright, broad flashes spread across the whole face is worth far more than on…
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How lehsunia is priced, from the eye to the ratti Cat's Eye Price in Pakistan: What Makes One Lehsunia Worth More
Two questions decide the price of a cat's eye long before anyone puts it on a scale. What mineral is it, and how good is the eye? A chry…
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Buying guide Choosing Jamunia Online: An Amethyst Buying Guide for Pakistan
A good amethyst is a clear, even purple that stays purple under a tube light, in daylight and in the shade, with no colourless patches and n…
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The customs Pakistani families follow, and the practical side How to Wear Dur-e-Najaf: Hand, Finger, Metal and Everyday Care
Ask most Pakistani families who keep Dur-e-Najaf how it should be worn and you will get the same short answer: in a silver ring, on the righ…
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Price guide Yellow Topaz Prices in Pakistan: Golden Topaz, Sunehla and the Name Problem
The first thing that sets the price of a yellow topaz is how warm its colour is. A pale straw stone and a rich golden-orange one of the same…
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How labradorite is valued Labradorite Price in Pakistan: Paying for the Flash, Not the Weight
With labradorite, you are paying for the light, not the stone. The grey feldspar underneath is common and cheap. What costs money is the she…
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Price guide White Topaz Prices in Pakistan: Paying Fairly for a Clear Stone
White topaz comes down to clarity and cut. There is no colour to judge, so what you pay for is how clean the stone is and how well it gives…
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Gem Notes · Emerald Zamurd (Emerald) Benefits: The Traditions, and What the Stone Actually Gives You
Ask ten people in a Karachi or Peshawar bazaar what zamurd is good for and you will get ten answers: clear speech, a sharp memory, good busi…
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Gem Notes · Opal Is Your Opal Real? What to Check Before Buying in Pakistan
Opal is one of the easiest stones to imitate and one of the hardest to judge from a photo. Its whole appeal is that flash of colour moving a…
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