A 44.9 carat moss agate — 49.34 ratti — at Rs. 31,400, about Rs. 699 per carat.

White moss, not a white stone

Worth being precise, because the name can be read two ways. The body of this stone is translucent brown. What is white is the moss — the dendritic inclusions, which here are a soft cream rather than the dark brown or near-black that manganese oxides usually produce. That is the unusual thing about this material and the reason it carries the name.

If you are expecting a pale, milky stone, this is not it. If you are after dendrites that stand out sharply instead of disappearing into a dark body, it is exactly it.

Why most dendrites are dark and these are not

The branching growths in agate are metal oxides deposited from groundwater. Manganese oxides dominate and they run black to deep brown, which is why the classic moss agate reads as dark pictures in a pale ground. Paler dendrites point to a different mix — more iron and silica, less manganese — crystallising under different conditions. The result inverts the usual arrangement: here it is light growths over a darker, warmer body.

What that does for a setting

Light-on-dark holds up better at a distance than dark-on-light. Fine dark filaments vanish into a shadowed body once a stone is on the hand and no longer under a lamp, whereas cream dendrites keep their contrast. For a ring worn in ordinary light rather than admired in a display case, this is the more practical arrangement.

Rate and care

This stone is about Rs. 699 per carat; every stone in this collection sits between Rs. 698 and Rs. 701, so the price follows the weight and nothing else. Chalcedony, 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. Warm water, mild soap and a soft cloth; no ultrasonic cleaner, no steam, no sudden heat, since the dendrites grew along fractures that are still in the stone.

Treatment has not been tested on this piece, and we record that rather than calling it untreated. No documented origin is held for it. Dimensions and clarity are not recorded yet; ask and we will measure.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural moss agate, known in Urdu as Shajri Aqeeq, with a weight of 44.9 Carat. Its price is Rs. 31,400 — roughly Rs. 699 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-00097-1-1 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 moss 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 moss 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 moss 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): Moss agate (shajri aqeeq) is usually untreated. 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.