Black agate is one of the easiest stones in Pakistan to price and one of the hardest to buy honestly. Easy, because the rate barely moves: look across our black agate listings and you will find about Rs. 700 per carat whatever the size. Hard, because almost everything sold as black agate has had its colour helped along, and most sellers will not tell you.

This stone's numbers

27.30 carats, which is 30 ratti. Natural black agate — kala aqeeq. Rs. 19,100, about Rs. 700 per carat, reference GS-BL-0027.

Why the rate is flat

• Agate is abundant. It forms in volcanic cavities across the world in enormous quantity. There is no scarcity premium to charge at any size.
• Size adds nothing. A 30 carat agate is not meaningfully harder to find than a 10 carat one, so the per-carat figure stays level instead of climbing the way it does for sapphire.
• The cutting is simple. Cabochons and flat-tops for rings, not precision faceting, so less labour sits in the price.
• What varies is honesty, not rate. The real spread in this market is between sellers who disclose the dye and sellers who do not.

The dye question, answered properly

Black agate is almost always dyed. That is not a scandal and it is not a defect — it is standard for the stone type, and our specification sheet says so on every black agate we list rather than leaving you to find out later.

The process is close to two centuries old. Natural grey agate is soaked in a sugar solution, then in sulphuric acid, which carbonises the sugar inside the stone's pores and turns it black from within. The result is permanent, stable and does not fade or rub off. The material underneath is natural agate throughout.

What you should be wary of is not the dye but the silence. If a seller tells you black agate is naturally black with no qualification, they are either misinformed or hoping you are. Genuinely naturally black agate exists but is uncommon, and nobody sells it at Rs. 700 a carat. Our black agate buying guide goes through this, and spotting dyed and glass aqeeq covers the wider family.

What a fair quote looks like

Roughly Rs. 600 to Rs. 900 per carat is the honest range in Pakistan for solid dyed black agate of decent polish. Far below that, ask whether it is glass — glass shows round gas bubbles under a loupe and warms in your hand faster than stone does. Far above it, ask what justifies the premium: an exceptional polish, a documented natural colour, a lab report. Our black agate price guide and the general price guide set the rates out.

Can I have it tested?

A certificate of authenticity is available on request and independent laboratory testing can be arranged. Because you pay the rider on delivery, you can also take the stone to a laboratory of your own choosing inside the seven-day return window.

What size is 27.30 carats?

Large — a men's ring stone in the traditional style, or a substantial pendant. Shape and measurements have not been recorded for this piece; message us on WhatsApp at +92 308 887 3888 and we will measure it and photograph it against a scale.

Durability

Agate is 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale with no cleavage — well suited to a ring worn every day. Warm soapy water and a soft brush; no bleach and no ultrasonic cleaner. Water does not harm it, so wudu is fine; dry the ring afterwards.

Ordering

One piece only. Flat Rs. 500 delivery anywhere in Pakistan by insured, tracked courier, dispatched in one to two working days. Cash on Delivery, seven days to return it unused. More sizes in the black agate collection.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural black agate with a weight of 27.3 Carat. Its price is Rs. 19,100 — roughly Rs. 700 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-BL-0027 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.

Above twelve carats you are into collector territory. Pieces this heavy are usually set as pendants or kept loose, and they are prized for the size of rough they came from. If you do set it, choose a bezel or a heavy claw to protect the edges.

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.