Fifty-one carats of green-patterned stone for Rs. 3,000: this shajri aqeeq turns the usual logic of gem buying upside down. The rate is about Rs. 59 per carat, and what you pay for is pattern, not sparkle.

Moss agate is a chalcedony, which makes it a microcrystalline quartz with a hardness of 6.5 to 7. The "moss" is made of green inclusions that look like tiny branches or ferns drifting through the stone, and no two pieces are alike. This one weighs 51.15 carats, so it is a large piece. Think of it as a pendant, a stone for a desk, not a delicate ring stone.

Moss agate is normally sold as it was found, and we can tell you what we know about this particular stone if you message us with GS-00097-1-1-1.

Care is easy: warm soapy water, a soft cloth, no long soaks and no harsh chemicals. Because it is large, keep it wrapped so edges do not knock against harder stones. Belief links it with growth and nature; treat that as tradition. More stones sit under moss agate.

Cash on Delivery is available across Pakistan, so you inspect the stone before paying, and returns are accepted within 7 days of delivery. Before you choose, read our moss agate guide.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural moss agate, known in Urdu as Shajri Aqeeq, with a weight of 51.15 Carat. Its price is Rs. 3,000 — roughly Rs. 59 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-00097-1-1-1 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.