A natural sulemani agate – sulemani hakik – of 14.40 carats, about 15.82 ratti, at Rs. 10,100 – roughly Rs. 701 per carat. Sold loose.

The warmest stone in the category

Measured across the photograph, about 95% of this stone's face reads as a warm colour – the highest proportion of all sixteen, where the lowest is 61%. In practice that means a stone almost entirely given over to amber, orange and brown, with very little pale or neutral area breaking it up, and a few small dark flecks scattered through the body.

Its banding varies by about 54 units of lightness, so the pattern is strong without the stone ever leaving the warm range. For anyone picturing the black-and-white stone the sulemani name often brings to mind: that is not this, and nothing in this category is black and white.

Hakik and aqeeq

Hakik, also written haqiq, is the name used across the subcontinent for agate; aqeeq is the Arabic and Urdu form of the same word. Sulemani specifies the banded kind. One material, three names, no difference in grade between them.

Buying loose

Unset you see the whole stone, including the sides and base that a setting would cover. On banded agate that is worth more than it is on most materials, because the pattern continues around the stone and how the bands meet the girdle is part of what you are choosing. You also pick the metal and the maker rather than inheriting someone else's decisions.

Hardness

Agate is chalcedony at Mohs 6.5 to 7, with no cleavage planes – tough against knocks, hard enough for everyday wear. Airborne dust is about as hard as agate, so a daily-worn cabochon slowly loses a little of its mirror finish; any lapidary restores it cheaply.

What has not been tested

No laboratory report, and the treatment has not been tested. Sulemani agate is sometimes dyed, and strong warm colour like this is among what dyeing produces as well as what good natural material looks like. We claim neither and will arrange a test on request.

Care and ordering

Warm water, mild soap and a soft cloth. No ultrasonic cleaner, no steam, no bleach. 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 14.4 Carat. Its price is Rs. 10,100 — roughly Rs. 701 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-SU-0015 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.