A natural sulemani agate of 14.10 carats, about 15.49 ratti, at Rs. 9,900 – roughly Rs. 702 per carat, delivered anywhere in Pakistan.

What "genuine" means, precisely

Sulemani is among the most widely imitated stones sold in this country, so the word deserves content rather than reassurance. Three things turn up sold as sulemani aqeeq:

Dyed agate – real agate whose banding has been sharpened or recoloured in a dye bath. Sulemani agate is sometimes dyed this way; it is extremely common, essentially invisible, and not in itself dishonest. It only becomes dishonest when it is denied. Glass, moulded and often convincing from a distance; it warms quickly in the hand where agate stays cool, and may show small spherical bubbles under a loupe. And plastic or resin composites, which are light in the hand and warm instantly.

This is natural chalcedony, and that is what we stand behind. It is not a claim that it is undyed: the treatment has not been tested and there is no laboratory report. Those are separate questions and only a laboratory settles them. We will arrange a test on request.

This stone

One of the more elongated cabochons here, at about 1.53 times as long as it is wide, with an even olive-brown body and soft banding varying by roughly 41 units of lightness. About 94% of the face reads as a warm colour. It is not a black-and-white sulemani; nothing in this category is.

Agate, and why it lasts

Chalcedony is quartz grown in microscopic interlocked crystals. That interlocking is why agate has no cleavage planes and resists chipping better than many harder gems, and at Mohs 6.5 to 7 it is hard enough to survive daily wear. Household dust is about as hard as agate, so the polish softens gradually over years and is easily restored.

Care and ordering

Warm water, mild soap and a soft cloth. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners, steam and bleach. Cash on delivery across the country lets you look at the stone before you pay. One stone, sold once. Message us on WhatsApp for more photographs.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural sulemani agate with a weight of 14.1 Carat. Its price is Rs. 9,900 — roughly Rs. 702 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-SU-0014 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.