A 73.7 carat moss agate — 80.99 ratti — at Rs. 51,600, about Rs. 700 per carat.

Why this weight belongs on a chain

Seventy-four carats is too much stone for a finger. Set in a ring it would stand proud enough to catch on every cuff and door handle, and the dome would take knocks that a 6.5 to 7 Mohs material does not need. On a chain the whole weight hangs clear and the stone is seen flat-on, which is the only way to read a dendritic pattern properly. A ring shows you the edge of the picture; a pendant shows you the picture.

Setting a large cabochon

Ask for a bezel rather than claws. It supports the girdle all the way round, which matters on a stone with internal fractures — and moss agate has them by definition, since the dendrites grew along fractures in the first place. A plain silver bezel with a wide bail suits the warm brown body without competing with it. Keep the back open if you can: this material is translucent, and light entering from behind lifts the whole stone.

The pattern

Cream-white dendrites branch across the upper part of the dome, thinning into fine filaments at their edges, over a translucent brown body that darkens toward the base. The growths are manganese and iron oxides that crystallised along hairline cracks in the silica — mineral, not botanical, though the fern shapes are convincing enough that the stone has been called moss agate for centuries.

Rate and care

At about Rs. 700 per carat this sits on the same flat rate as every stone in this collection, so the price follows the weight and nothing else. Clean it with warm water, mild soap and a soft cloth. No ultrasonic cleaner, no steam, no sudden temperature changes.

Treatment has not been tested, which we record rather than describing the stone as untreated. We hold no documented origin for this piece, so we do not claim one. 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 73.7 Carat. Its price is Rs. 51,600 — roughly Rs. 700 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000435 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.