In this article
GemStore team — written by the people who list and pack every stone.
Reviewed on
Aqeeq is the name most Pakistani buyers use for agate and carnelian, especially the warm red and brown stones worn in rings for generations. Because aqeeq is inexpensive to begin with, the problem is rarely an expensive forgery. It is ordinary agate dyed to look like a better colour, or glass sold as aqeeq at a natural-stone price. A few minutes with a torch tells you which you have.
First, know what genuine aqeeq looks like
Agate is a form of chalcedony, microcrystalline quartz that grew in layers inside cavities in rock. Those layers are why natural aqeeq shows curved bands, cloudy patches and slight changes of tone. Hold it up to a bright light and good carnelian glows from inside with a warm, uneven orange-red. Perfect, flat colour from edge to edge is the first warning sign.
Dyed aqeeq: the most common surprise
Agate is porous enough to absorb dye, and the trade has dyed it for a very long time. Dyeing is not fraud if it is disclosed, but it should be priced as dyed stone. Clues include:
- colour that is brighter or more saturated than any natural agate you have seen;
- bands that are unnaturally even, all with the same sharp contrast;
- colour that collects in tiny cracks or around the drill hole of a bead;
- a cotton bud with a little acetone picking up colour from an inconspicuous spot (ask the seller to do this, not you).
Glass and plastic imitations
Glass aqeeq is easier. Under a loupe or phone macro lens, look for small round gas bubbles and swirl marks, which natural agate never has. Glass also tends to look glassy rather than waxy, and plastic feels warm and light and can be dented with a fingernail.
How hard-wearing is it?
At 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, aqeeq handles daily ring wear well. A sharp knock can still chip an edge, so a bezel setting is worth considering for a ring you will wear at work.
Why aqeeq is worn
Aqeeq has a long tradition in the Islamic world, where it is worn for protection and calm, and many families pass aqeeq rings down. These are traditional beliefs rather than guaranteed outcomes. If you are buying on an astrologer's advice, our rashi guide sets out the common pairings.
Questions to ask any seller
- Is it natural agate, and has it been dyed or heated?
- Is the weight quoted the weight of the stone alone?
- Is the photograph of this exact stone?
We answer all three in the listing. Each stone in our aqeeq collection is inspected and photographed individually, treatments are disclosed where known, and you can open the parcel before paying cash on delivery. You may also like citrine or lapis lazuli. Urdu and English names are on the names page, with delivery to Lahore, Karachi and every other city.
References
