Sold loose and unset: a 45.45 carat moss agate — 49.95 ratti — at Rs. 31,800, about Rs. 700 per carat.

Buy the stone, then build round it

With a patterned stone this is not just tradition, it is the practical order of work. Every dendritic agate carries a different picture, and the setting ought to answer the stone rather than the other way round. Which way up the pattern reads best, whether the bezel should sit high or low, how much of the girdle to cover — none of that can be decided from a drawing. Hand your jeweller the actual stone and those choices make themselves.

What to tell the setter

Three things. Bezel rather than claws, because dendritic agate contains the fractures its dendrites grew along and the girdle wants continuous support. Set it cold — no torch work near a seated agate, since thermal shock finds those same fractures. And agree the orientation before anything is soldered: mark the top of the pattern with tape and check it on the finger, because a dendrite rotated ninety degrees stops looking like a tree.

The stone itself

An oval cabochon, translucent warm brown, with cream-white dendrites branching across the upper half and thinning to filaments at their edges. At forty-five carats it is large for a ring and comfortable as a pendant; either works, which is part of what makes it a sensible loose purchase.

Rate and care

About Rs. 700 per carat, the flat rate across this collection — the price simply follows the weight. Chalcedony at 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. Warm water, mild soap, soft cloth; no ultrasonic cleaner, no steam.

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

This particular stone

This listing is one natural moss agate, known in Urdu as Shajri Aqeeq, with a weight of 45.45 Carat. Its price is Rs. 31,800 — roughly Rs. 700 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000434 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.