A natural red aqeeq of 15.05 carats, about 16.54 ratti, at Rs. 10,500 – roughly Rs. 698 per carat. This is an engraved oval: the face has been hand-carved with Arabic calligraphy rather than left as a plain polished dome.

The engraved aqeeq ring

This is the form most people in Pakistan picture when they think of a men's aqeeq ring: a red agate in a silver band, carved with script. It is one of the oldest continuous traditions in jewellery anywhere. Agate holds a fine engraved line better than almost any other affordable stone, which is why seal rings were cut from it across Persia, Central Asia and the subcontinent for centuries, and the practice carried straight into religious and personal ring stones.

The measurements separate this stone from the plain cabochons in the same tray without any need to take our word for it: its share of sharply detailed surface measures 34% and its fine line work 2.3%, where the smooth domes in this tray fall as low as 6% and to effectively nothing at all.

About the inscription

We are not transcribing or translating the engraving on this page. Reading a religious inscription off a studio photograph and publishing a guess would be the wrong thing to do. Message us on WhatsApp and we will send high-resolution photographs of the face so that you, or someone you trust, can read it properly before you commit to buying.

Size and setting

At just over fifteen carats, a little over sixteen ratti, this is a full-sized men's ring stone that will sit across a good part of the finger. For an engraved stone, ask your jeweller for a bezel rather than claws: a rim protects the carved face at its most vulnerable point, the edge, and claws placed over the engraving would hide part of the work.

Hardness and wear

Agate is chalcedony at Mohs 6.5 to 7 with no cleavage planes – hard enough to hold a line, tough enough not to split while being cut. An engraved face does wear differently from a plain one, though: the raised surfaces between the grooves take the abrasion, so detail softens gradually over many years of daily wear. Taking the ring off for heavy work is the single best thing you can do for it.

What is not established

No laboratory report, and the treatment has not been tested. Red agate is often heated or dyed. We are also not dating the engraving or naming its maker, because a photograph cannot establish either. No origin is recorded for this stone.

Care and ordering

Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush worked gently along the grooves. Never a stiff brush, never an ultrasonic cleaner or steamer, never bleach. One stone, sold once. Message us on WhatsApp for detailed photographs, and we deliver across Pakistan.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural red agate with a weight of 15.05 Carat. Its price is Rs. 10,500 — roughly Rs. 698 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-RE-0013 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 red 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 red 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 red 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): Red agate is often heated or dyed to deepen its colour. 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.