A natural sulemani agate of 13.15 carats, about 14.45 ratti, at Rs. 9,200 – exactly Rs. 700 per carat.

A dark stone, and a flecked one

This is among the deepest-toned stones in the category, with an average brightness of about 69 on a 0-255 scale against 141 for the lightest here. Its face carries scattered dark flecks through a warm red-brown body – a natural inclusion pattern rather than a flaw, and part of what distinguishes one piece of banded agate from the next.

About 94% of the face reads as a warm colour. For anyone expecting the black-and-white stone the sulemani name often suggests: nothing in this category is black and white.

The size for a man's ring

At just over fourteen ratti this is a full-sized gents' ring stone, the kind that becomes the whole piece rather than a detail on it. Most buyers here think in ratti rather than carats, and one ratti is about 0.91 carats, which is where the figure at the top of this page comes from.

What a man's ring does to a stone

More than any other piece of jewellery. Desks, car doors, keys, tools. Agate copes better than it might sound: at Mohs 6.5 to 7 with no cleavage planes, it resists chipping well. What it does not resist is fine abrasion, because household dust is about as hard as the stone, so the mirror polish softens over years of daily wear.

Two practical answers. Ask for a bezel setting so a rim of metal meets the world instead of the stone's edge, and have the dome re-polished when it starts to look tired – it is quick and cheap, and the stone comes back looking new.

What has not been tested

No laboratory report, and the treatment has not been tested. Sulemani agate is sometimes dyed to deepen or sharpen its colour, which is ordinary trade practice and cannot be seen by eye. We will arrange an independent test on request.

Care and ordering

Warm water, mild soap and a soft cloth. No ultrasonic cleaner, no steam, no bleach. Take the ring off for heavy work. 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 13.15 Carat. Its price is Rs. 9,200 — roughly Rs. 700 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-SU-0010 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 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.