A natural red agate of 5.75 carats, about 6.32 ratti, at Rs. 4,000 – roughly Rs. 696 per carat. An oval cabochon, and it carries the dark name for a measured reason.

This is the darkest stone in the tray

We did not pick the word from the photograph by eye. Measured across all eighteen red agates in this category, this one has the lowest average brightness of any of them, with about 93% of its face reading as dark. That is why it carries the dark name and the brighter stones in the same tray do not.

What that looks like in practice: indoors it reads as a near-black stone with a red edge where light catches the dome. Held up to daylight it opens into a deep claret. Some buyers want exactly this – a sober stone that does not shout from the hand – and others find it too closed. It is worth knowing which you are before ordering, and we are happy to send more photographs under different light.

Size and setting

At 5.75 carats, a little over six ratti, this suits a silver ring worn every day. A bezel setting flatters a dark cabochon, because a rim of bright metal around a dark dome gives the eye a contrast it otherwise lacks. Claws work too but leave more of the stone exposed at the edge.

Hardness

Agate is chalcedony, Mohs 6.5 to 7, with no cleavage. That combination makes it tougher against knocks than many harder gems, while slightly vulnerable to the slow polishing-down that airborne dust causes over years. Neither is a reason to keep it in a drawer.

What is not established

No laboratory report, and the treatment has not been tested. Red agate is often heated or dyed to deepen exactly the kind of colour this stone shows, so the question is a fair one to ask, and we will not answer it with a guess. No origin is recorded for this stone either, so this page names none.

Care and ordering

Warm water, mild soap, soft cloth. No ultrasonic cleaner, no steamer, no bleach. Single stone, sold once. WhatsApp us for more photographs, and we deliver across Pakistan.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural red agate with a weight of 5.75 Carat. Its price is Rs. 4,000 — roughly Rs. 696 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-RE-0004 when you message us about it. The picture is a representative photograph of this type of stone, not of this individual piece, so the stone you receive will differ in its markings and outline. Its weight and price above are this stone's own, and we will send photographs of the actual piece on WhatsApp before you buy.

Between two and six carats is the range most people choose for a gents' ring or a noticeable pendant. Here colour drives the price more than size does, which is why two stones of near-identical weight can be priced very differently.

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.