In Pakistan most gemstones are bought and sold under their Urdu or traditional trade names — neelam, pukhraj, yaqoot, zamurd, feroza, aqeeq — while lab reports, international sellers and search results use the English mineral names. This table maps one to the other, explains what each stone actually is, and links to the pieces we currently have in stock.
Urdu to English gemstone names
| English name | Urdu (script) | Urdu (transliteration) | What it is | At Pure Gems |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Sapphire | نیلم | Neelam | Blue corundum; the most searched gemstone in Pakistan. Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Kashmir and Madagascar are the classic origins. | 162 in stock, from Rs 5,000 |
| Yellow Sapphire | پکھراج | Pukhraj | Yellow corundum. The name is also used loosely for yellow topaz, so check the lab report for "corundum". | 42 in stock, from Rs 13,500 |
| Ruby | یاقوت | Yaqoot | Red corundum. Burma (Myanmar), Mozambique and Madagascar are the main sources sold in Pakistan. | 61 in stock, from Rs 8,500 |
| Emerald | زمرد | Zamurd | Green beryl. Swat (Pakistan), Panjshir (Afghanistan), Colombia and Zambia emeralds are all traded locally. | 4 in stock, from Rs 20,000 |
| Turquoise | فیروزہ | Feroza | Opaque blue-green stone; Nishapuri (Iranian) feroza is the most prized. | 4 in stock, from Rs 3,100 |
| Agate / Carnelian | عقیق | Aqeeq | Yamni (Yemeni) aqeeq is the reddish carnelian type; Sulemani aqeeq is the banded black-and-white agate. | 4 in stock, from Rs 3,500 |
| Pearl | موتی | Moti | Natural or cultured pearl; Basra pearls are the traditional benchmark. | 10 in stock, from Rs 2,800 |
| Red Coral | مرجان | Marjan / Moonga | Organic gem from the sea; Italian (Mediterranean) coral is the classic source. | — |
| Lapis Lazuli | لاجورد | Lajward | Deep-blue rock with golden pyrite flecks; the finest comes from Badakhshan, Afghanistan. | 4 in stock, from Rs 3,000 |
| Peridot | زبرجد | Zabarjad | Olive-green olivine; Kohistan (Pakistan) produces some of the best peridot in the world. | 15 in stock, from Rs 2,500 |
| Najaf Quartz (clear quartz) | درنجف | Dur-e-Najaf | Colourless quartz traditionally sourced near Najaf, Iraq; usually worn in silver. | 17 in stock, from Rs 3,500 |
| Jade | سنگ یشب | Sang-e-Yashab | Nephrite or jadeite; green is the most common colour in the local market. | — |
| Hematite | سنگ حدید | Sang-e-Hadeed | Metallic grey-black iron-oxide stone. | — |
| Amethyst | جامنیا | Jamunia | Purple quartz; Brazilian and Zambian material dominates. | 37 in stock, from Rs 6,000 |
| Aquamarine | بیروج | Beruj | Sea-blue beryl; Shigar valley (Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan) is a famous source. | 32 in stock, from Rs 3,300 |
| Cat's Eye (Chrysoberyl) | لہسنیا | Lehsunia | Shows a sharp moving band of light (chatoyancy). | 1 in stock, from Rs 8,000 |
| Hessonite Garnet | گومید | Gomed | Honey-brown to reddish garnet. | 4 in stock, from Rs 6,500 |
| Tourmaline | ترملی | Turmali | Comes in every colour; pink and green tourmaline from Afghanistan/Pakistan are common. | 6 in stock, from Rs 3,600 |
| Opal | اوپل | Opal | Known for play-of-colour; Ethiopian and Australian opal are the usual sources. | 88 in stock, from Rs 4,000 |
| Moonstone | سنگ ماہ | Sang-e-Maah | Feldspar with a floating blue-white sheen (adularescence). | 32 in stock, from Rs 3,500 |
| Amber | کہربا | Kehruba | Fossilised tree resin; light and warm to the touch. | 2 in stock, from Rs 3,600 |
| Black Onyx / Black Agate | سنگ موسیٰ | Sang-e-Musa | Opaque black chalcedony popular for men's rings. | — |
Names that cause confusion
- Pukhraj is used for both yellow sapphire (corundum) and yellow topaz. They are different minerals with very different prices — a genuine lab report will say "natural corundum" for sapphire.
- Neelam strictly means blue sapphire, but blue topaz, iolite and blue glass are sometimes sold under the name. Sapphire is much harder (9 on the Mohs scale) and noticeably heavier for its size.
- Yaqoot means ruby, yet red spinel and red garnet are often passed off as yaqoot. Ruby is red corundum; a report should state that.
- Aqeeq covers a whole family of chalcedony/agate: Yamni (Yemeni) aqeeq is the prized reddish carnelian, Sulemani aqeeq is banded black-and-white agate, and green, white and yellow aqeeq are also traded.
- Zamurd is emerald (green beryl). Green tourmaline, green quartz and glass are the usual substitutes; real emerald almost always shows natural inclusions ("jardin").
Which name should you search for?
Use the Urdu name to talk to local dealers and the English name when reading lab reports or comparing international prices. On puregems.pk every product page shows both, together with carat weight, origin and a per-stone price, so you can compare like with like. If you are unsure what a stone you own actually is, send us a photo on WhatsApp — we will tell you what to look for and what a fair price would be.
