Orange carnelian is the colour most people picture when they think of ancient jewellery, and with reason: it is the shade that fills Egyptian, Roman and Mughal collections. In Pakistani markets it is sold under the same name as the deep reds — aqeeq — but the warmer, more translucent stones have a character of their own.

The stone

22.40 carats, which is 24.62 ratti. Natural carnelian agate. Rs. 15,700, about Rs. 701 per carat, reference GS-RE-0019. One piece only.

Orange against red

• Translucency. The orange end of carnelian is usually more translucent than the deep reds. Held to a light it glows rather than blocks.
• How it wears. Orange reads lighter and less formal, and it suits bright polished silver where a dark red wants oxidised metal.
• The iron. Both colours come from iron oxide; the difference is concentration and oxidation state, not a different mineral.
• Price. The same, in our listings. Across the whole agate family we charge about Rs. 700 per carat regardless of colour, because none of these colours is rarer than another.

The honest caveat about colour

Body colour is not recorded on this individual stone's specification sheet — the fields we have not measured are left blank rather than filled with plausible guesses. What is recorded is that it is natural carnelian agate from our red agate parcel. If the exact shade matters for a design you have in mind, ask us on WhatsApp at +92 308 887 3888 and we will photograph it under daylight and under indoor light so you can judge for yourself before it ships.

Treatment

Red and orange agate is often heated or dyed to deepen colour, and our specification says so rather than claiming this stone is untreated. Heating carnelian is an ancient practice — it has been done for thousands of years and the result is permanent and stable. Aggressive dyeing is the thing to check for: colour pooling inside surface cracks, a hard line where the colour stops near the base, and a flatness that looks printed. The checks are in our dyed and glass aqeeq guide and the red agate buying guide.

Can I verify it?

A certificate of authenticity is available on request and independent laboratory testing can be arranged. You pay the rider after the parcel is open, and the seven-day return window runs from delivery, so a second opinion is always possible before the sale is final.

What is 22.40 carats good for?

A men's silver ring in the traditional style, or a pendant where the translucency can be shown off against the light. Shape and measurements have not been recorded; we will measure it on request.

Care and ordering

Agate is 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. Warm soapy water and a soft brush; no bleach, no ultrasonic cleaner. Flat Rs. 500 delivery anywhere in Pakistan, insured and tracked, dispatched in one to two working days, Cash on Delivery, seven days to return it unused. More in the red agate collection.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural red agate with a weight of 22.4 Carat. Its price is Rs. 15,700 — roughly Rs. 701 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-RE-0019 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.