Buying a stone without holding it first is the part that stops most people, and reasonably so. This page is less about the gemmology of black aqeeq — covered across our other listings — and more about how you actually get one safely when the seller is on a screen.

The stone

11.65 carats, which is 12.80 ratti. Rs. 8,200, about Rs. 704 per carat, reference GS-BL-0019. One piece only, photographed as it is.

How buying works here

1. You see the actual stone. Every listing is one specific piece, photographed without colour correction. What arrives is what is in the picture.
2. You pay after you open the parcel. Cash on Delivery to every city. The rider waits while you look at the stone.
3. You have seven days. Unused and in its original packing, it goes back if it is not right.
4. Delivery is a flat Rs. 500. Insured and tracked, dispatched within one to two working days, with most addresses receiving the parcel inside about seven working days.
5. Nothing is hidden in the specification. Treatment, measurements and anything not recorded are stated as such, including the dye question below.

What to check when it arrives

Weigh it if you have a jeweller's scale — it should read 11.65 carats. Hold it to a strong light at the edges to see how evenly the colour runs. Check the polish for dullness or scratches, which is most of the quality in a plain black stone. Look at it edge-on for any straight joint line that would suggest an assembled piece. Then, if you want certainty, take it to a laboratory — the return window gives you time.

The dye

Black agate is almost always dyed, and we say so on every black agate listing rather than letting you assume. Natural grey agate is soaked in a sugar solution and then in acid, which carbonises in the pores and blackens the stone from within. Close to two centuries old, permanent, and natural agate underneath. Our black agate buying guide covers it fully, and spotting dyed and glass aqeeq covers the checks across the family.

Is the price right?

Around Rs. 700 per carat is the honest range for solid black agate in Pakistan, and you will see that rate across our whole black agate collection regardless of size — agate is abundant, so weight carries no scarcity premium. Our black agate price guide explains it stone by stone.

What size is this?

11.65 carats suits a standard men's silver ring or a pendant. Shape and measurements have not been recorded; ask on WhatsApp at +92 308 887 3888 and we will measure it before your jeweller starts.

Care

Agate is 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale with no cleavage. Warm soapy water and a soft brush; no bleach and no ultrasonic cleaner.

Ordering

A certificate of authenticity comes on request and independent laboratory testing can be arranged. More in the black aqeeq collection.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural black agate with a weight of 11.65 Carat. Its price is Rs. 8,200 — roughly Rs. 704 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-BL-0019 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 black agate rates 6.5 to 7. That is middle-of-the-road hardness: comfortable in pendants and earrings, and in rings worn with some care. Store it apart from harder stones so it does not pick up scratches, and wipe it with a damp cloth rather than scrubbing.

Whoever you buy black agate 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 black agate for those three points before it is listed, a certificate is available on request, 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. Certificate available on request. As general background (not a statement about this stone): Black agate is almost always dyed — it is standard for the stone. 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.