Small, green and easy to set: this 6.40 carat malachite from Afghanistan is a good first farang. Here is what to check before it ships and again when it arrives.

• Weight: 6.40 carats, a neat size for a pendant or small ring.
• Surface: opaque green with banding; look for a smooth polish and no chipped edges.
• Hardness: 3.5 to 4 on the Mohs scale, so it scratches easily.
• Finish: wax or resin polishing is routine for malachite; ask us what we know about this exact stone.
• Reference: quote AG-000327 on WhatsApp if you want extra photographs.

With Cash on Delivery you open the parcel and inspect the stone before you pay. A small malachite like this sits nicely in a silver pendant, and you can compare it with similar pieces in our malachite category.

Malachite shows its pattern even at this size, so it is a sensible way to see how the banding looks in hand before you consider a bigger stone.

Pay by Cash on Delivery: open the parcel in front of the rider, look at the stone, then pay. Karachi orders usually arrive in 1–2 working days, the rest of Pakistan in 2–4, and you have 7 days to return it unused. Read our malachite guide before you choose.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural malachite with a weight of 6.4 Carat. Its price is Rs. 1,350 — roughly Rs. 211 for each carat. Origin: Afghanistan. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference AG-000327 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.

From six carats up a stone becomes the centre of attention. It wants a broader shank or a secure claw setting and suits an occasion ring, a signet or a centre pendant. Clean natural material of this size turns up far less often, and the per-carat rate reflects that.

On the Mohs scale malachite rates 3.5 to 4. That makes it soft for a gemstone, better suited to pendants, earrings and rings for special occasions than to a daily ring. Keep it away from perfume, cleaning products, steam and ultrasonic cleaners, and polish it with a dry, soft cloth after wear.

Whoever you buy malachite 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 malachite for those three points before it is listed, 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. No lab report yet; independent testing welcome. As general background (not a statement about this stone): Malachite is commonly waxed or resin-polished to protect its soft surface. 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.