Gemstones in North Nazimabad, Karachi

North Nazimabad is a neighbourhood that wears its ring stones. Walk through Hyderi Market or past the shops near Five Star Chowrangi and you will see aqeeq, feroza and pukhraj on the hands of shopkeepers, teachers and grandfathers alike. A lot of those stones were chosen on an astrologer's advice, and many were bought by the ratti from a stall without much of a description. Authentic Gems is a Karachi business that does it differently: one natural stone per listing, weighed, photographed and priced on its own, delivered to any block of North Nazimabad usually within 1 to 2 working days, with Cash on Delivery.

Bringing an astrologer's recommendation to us

If you have been told to wear a particular stone, the useful details are usually on a slip of paper: the stone, a weight, often a finger and a metal. Send us a photo of it on WhatsApp. We will reply with photos and weights of natural stones from current stock that fit, and tell you plainly if we do not have one that does.

• Neelam (blue sapphire) for Saturn, traditionally worn on the middle finger in silver.
• Pukhraj (yellow sapphire) for Jupiter, traditionally on the index finger in gold.
• Yaqoot (ruby) for the Sun, and zamurd (emerald) for Mercury.
• Moti (pearl) for the Moon, and lehsunia (cat's eye) for Ketu.

Customs differ between astrologers and families, so follow the advice you were given. These are beliefs, and we promise a natural, honestly described stone, not an astrological result. Our gemstones by rashi guide lists the traditional stone for each sign.

Ratti, carat and the per-carat rate

Many astrologers still give weights in ratti. Our listings show carats, because that is the international unit and the one lab reports use. The standard gem ratti is 0.91 carat, so a 5 ratti recommendation is about 4.55 carats. Some sellers use the smaller sunari ratti, which makes the same "5 ratti" only about 3 carats, so always ask which one is meant. The carat to ratti converter does the sums, and we are happy to confirm the ratti weight of any stone on WhatsApp. Once you know the carats, divide the price by them to get the per-carat rate and compare any two offers fairly.

Everyday ring stones

Not every ring is about astrology. Plenty of North Nazimabad customers simply want a good aqeeq or feroza for a silver ring, or a dur-e-najaf with family meaning. These are also the stones most often faked:

• Aqeeq: natural stone shows soft, slightly uneven colour and fine banding. Flat, very bright colour, or colour pooled in cracks, usually means dye.
• Feroza: natural turquoise varies in colour and matrix. A perfectly even blue at a low price is a warning sign. Our listings say whether a feroza is natural or stabilised.
• Dur-e-najaf: it should look like clear rock crystal, without the round bubbles of glass.

The real vs fake gemstones guide has more home checks. For anything valuable, only a lab can confirm what a stone is.

What comes with every stone

• Natural stones only, inspected by us before listing, with known treatments such as heating disclosed.
• Its own photos and price, so the stone that arrives is the one you chose.
• A certificate of authenticity on request, and independent lab testing arranged if you ask. See our authenticity page.

Delivery to North Nazimabad

Order in the shop or on WhatsApp. We confirm by phone or WhatsApp and dispatch within 1 working day, and the insured, tracked courier usually delivers within 1 to 2 working days to any block from A to T, and on to Buffer Zone, Nazimabad and New Karachi. Delivery is a flat Rs. 500 per order, however many stones are in it. Pay Cash on Delivery after opening the parcel and checking the stone in daylight. If it isn't right, return it within 7 days of delivery, unused and in its original packaging, for a refund or an exchange; see the return policy. A custom silver ring setting can be discussed on WhatsApp.

Contact us

Message us on WhatsApp or email hello@authenticgems.pk, Monday to Saturday, or use our contact page. For the rest of the city, see gemstones in Karachi.