A natural sulemani agate of 10.95 carats, about 12.03 ratti, at Rs. 7,700 – roughly Rs. 703 per carat. An oval cabochon with crisp parallel banding.

Why polish matters so much on agate

More than on most stones, and it is worth understanding why. A transparent faceted gem gets most of its life from light bouncing around inside it and coming back out at the eye. Agate is opaque to barely translucent, so almost everything you see is happening at the surface. A properly finished dome reflects cleanly and makes the bands look deep and wet; a tired polish makes the same stone look flat and chalky.

It also means polish is the one quality that can be restored. Colour and pattern are fixed when the stone is cut, but a dulled surface can be brought back by any lapidary for very little, which is worth knowing for a stone you intend to wear daily.

The banding

This one shows clear parallel stripes running across the dome. Measured, its lightness varies by about 43 units between one end and the other, and about 94% of its face reads as a warm colour – amber and brown over cream. It is not a black-and-white stone, and nothing in this category is.

Hardness

Agate is chalcedony at Mohs 6.5 to 7, with no cleavage planes, which makes it tough against impact and a sensible choice for a ring worn every day. Airborne dust is about as hard as agate, so a daily-worn cabochon loses a little of its mirror finish over years.

What has not been tested

There is no laboratory report for this stone and its treatment has not been tested. Sulemani agate is sometimes dyed to sharpen the contrast between its bands, which is ordinary trade practice and invisible to the eye. We make no claim either way and will arrange a test on request.

Care and ordering

Warm water, mild soap and a soft cloth. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners, steam and bleach, which attack the polish you are paying for. One stone, sold once. Message us on WhatsApp for more photographs, and we deliver across Pakistan.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural sulemani agate with a weight of 10.95 Carat. Its price is Rs. 7,700 — roughly Rs. 703 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-SU-0006 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.

From six carats up a stone becomes the centre of attention. It wants a broader shank or a secure claw setting and suits an occasion ring, a signet or a centre pendant. Clean natural material of this size turns up far less often, and the per-carat rate reflects that.

On the Mohs scale sulemani 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 sulemani 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 sulemani 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): Sulemani agate is sometimes dyed to sharpen its banding. 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.