A 50.55 carat tree agate — 55.55 ratti — at Rs. 35,400, about Rs. 700 per carat.

Tree agate, shajri aqeeq, moss agate

Three names for stones of the same family, and the Urdu one is the most literal. Shajri aqeeq comes from shajar, tree — and that is exactly what the inclusions look like. The English trade settled on "moss agate", which suggests clumps rather than branches and is the less descriptive of the two. "Tree agate" sits between them and describes this stone well: the growths here branch from a trunk into limbs, not into mossy tufts.

One distinction worth knowing if you shop internationally. Some sellers reserve "tree agate" for an opaque white chalcedony with darker dendrites, and use "moss agate" only for translucent material. This stone is translucent, with a warm brown body you can see light through, so under that stricter convention it is moss agate. In the local market both names are used for it, and the stone is the same either way.

Reading the pattern

Cream-white dendrites spread through the upper half of the dome over a translucent brown body. The branching is fine rather than blotchy, with filaments thinning out at the edges. Each one of these is a one-off: dendrites grew along whatever fracture happened to be there, so no two stones in this collection carry the same picture, which is the single best argument for buying the stone you can actually see rather than one from a parcel.

Size and setting

Fifty carats suits a pendant or a substantial men's ring worn occasionally. Bezel-set rather than clawed — the girdle needs support on any stone carrying internal fractures, and dendritic agate carries them by definition.

Rate and care

About Rs. 700 per carat, the flat rate across this collection. Chalcedony, 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. Warm water, mild soap, soft cloth; no ultrasonic cleaner, no steam, no sudden heat.

Treatment has not been tested on this stone, and we record that plainly rather than describing it as untreated. No documented origin is held for it. Dimensions and clarity are not recorded yet — ask us and we will measure.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural moss agate, known in Urdu as Shajri Aqeeq, with a weight of 50.55 Carat. Its price is Rs. 35,400 — roughly Rs. 700 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000431 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.