"Gemstones of Pakistan: Buying Safely in Gilgit and Peshawar"

Pakistan's gemstones come mainly from the mountains of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: ruby, aquamarine, topaz, tourmaline, spinel, emerald and some of the world's finest peridot. The two big markets for travellers are the gem streets of Namak Mandi in Peshawar and the bazaars of Gilgit, with Mingora the place for Swat emeralds. To buy safely, know which treatments and fakes go with which stone, spend only what you could afford to lose, and have anything expensive tested at a recognised laboratory before you pay in full.

This guide is a stone-by-stone buyer's briefing for the whole country. For shop-floor tips in Gilgit itself, see our beginner's guide to buying gemstones in Gilgit.

Which gemstones does Pakistan produce?

Pakistan mines a long list of gem minerals. The country's gem trade is centred on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and, increasingly, Gilgit-Baltistan, and the stones visitors are most likely to be offered are these:

• Ruby. Found in marble in the Hunza valley, and in Azad Kashmir, which has large proven reserves but, as of 2017, only one working mine, at Chitta Katha, for lack of investment.
• Aquamarine. Hunza is one of the most gem-rich valleys in Gilgit-Baltistan, with aquamarine mined at sites including Chumar Bakhoor and Sumayar.
• Peridot. Pakistan's best-known stone among collectors. The Sapat area of Kohistan produces large, top-quality crystals, and the Gemological Institute of America cites cut Pakistani stones of more than 60 carats.
• Emerald. Mined in Swat, around Mingora. Our guide to the Swat emerald mines covers where they are and how the Mingora trade works.
• Topaz, tourmaline, spinel and garnet, plus quartz, kunzite and morganite, often sold as rough crystals or mineral specimens rather than cut stones.

Not everything on a Pakistani counter was mined in Pakistan. Stones from neighbouring countries and imported cut stones are sold alongside local ones. That matters only if the shop claims an origin and charges for it.

Where are the main gem markets?

Peshawar: Namak Mandi

Wikivoyage points visitors to the gems street of Shah Qabool in Namak Mandi, in the old city, where shops sell loose stones, mineral specimens and jewellery. Expect to bargain hard: the first price is a starting point, and a common rule in Peshawar's bazaars is to offer about half and work up.

Gilgit and Hunza

In Gilgit, gem shops cluster in the central bazaars and around NLI Market, selling aquamarine, topaz, tourmaline and garnet loose and set in silver. Prices here can be good for rough and semi-precious material, but quality varies from one shop to the next. Our Gilgit-Baltistan destination page helps if you are fitting a shopping stop into a Hunza trip.

Mingora, Swat

Mingora is where Swat's emeralds are sold. It is a specialist market for one stone, and the main risk is oiled, resin-filled or glass imitations.

Is it safe to shop for gems in Peshawar?

The UK government advises against all travel to Peshawar and Swat (advice updated 22 September 2026), and militant attacks on police have continued in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this year, including at Kohat Police Lines on 18 September. Pakistani visitors still shop in Peshawar's old bazaars in daylight, but check local news and current police advice before going, keep the visit short, and go with someone who knows the city. Foreign visitors should read their own government's advice, which may say not to go and can void travel insurance. Our guide to whether Peshawar is safe has the full picture. Gilgit-Baltistan is not on the UK's list.

How do you spot fake or treated stones?

Each stone has its own usual tricks. Some treatments are standard in the trade and fine if disclosed; the problem is paying an untreated price for a treated stone.

• Ruby. Most commercial rubies are heated, which is accepted. The bigger risk is lead-glass filling, where fractures are filled with glass to make a poor stone look clear. Under a 10x loupe, look for gas bubbles in cracks and cavities. Red spinel, garnet and coloured glass are sold as ruby, and synthetic rubies can show curved growth lines and bubbles.
• Emerald. Most emeralds are oiled to hide surface cracks, often with cedar oil. Cheaper stones are filled with epoxy resin. Synthetic emeralds have essentially the same properties as natural ones, so only a lab can separate them reliably.
• Topaz. Natural deep blue topaz is rare; most blue topaz is irradiated and heated pale stone. "Mystic" topaz with a rainbow sheen is coated, and the coating can wear off.
• Aquamarine. Heating to reduce yellow tones and give a purer blue is common, and naturally blue stones fetch more than heated ones.
• Peridot. Silky, rod-like inclusions are common in Pakistani peridot, so seeing them is normal. A perfectly clean, bright green stone at a low price is more likely to be glass.

Coloured glass is the cheapest imitation of almost every stone on this list, and round gas bubbles under the loupe are the usual giveaway.

Where can you get a gemstone tested in Pakistan?

The Pakistan Gems and Jewellery Development Company (PGJDC), a state-owned non-profit under the Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation, runs gemstone identification laboratories that grade and certify stones. It has centres in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Gilgit, Muzaffarabad and Sargodha, and runs permanent gem exchanges in Peshawar and Quetta. Contact PGJDC before relying on a particular centre, since services vary between cities. For an expensive stone, ask the dealer to let you have it tested before paying in full, and be wary of one who refuses.

A certificate from a lab you cannot look up is worth little. Ask which lab issued it, and check the report number with that lab directly.

How to buy gemstones safely in Pakistan

1. Decide your budget before you walk in. Buy for pleasure at a level you could lose.
2. Know the stone's usual treatment from the list above, and ask directly: "Is it heated, oiled, filled or coated?"
3. Look with a loupe and a torch for bubbles, glassy fillings and inclusions.
4. Compare at least three shops for similar stones before buying.
5. Get a written receipt naming the stone, its weight, any treatment and the price.
6. Test anything expensive at a recognised lab before paying in full.
7. Pay in cash for small buys, and for large ones, use a method you can trace.

Is it worth buying gemstones in Pakistan?

For a modest piece, yes. A small aquamarine from Gilgit, a peridot from Kohistan or a mineral specimen from Peshawar is a distinctive keepsake, and prices at source can be fair. For a large sum, it is a gamble unless you know gems or have the stone tested first. If you only want a souvenir, buy a set piece from a shop that will write the details on the receipt. More ideas for your trip are on our experiences page.

Frequently asked questions