A natural sulemani agate of 8 carats, about 8.79 ratti, at Rs. 5,600 – exactly Rs. 700 per carat. An oval cabochon.

The most balanced outline here

Of the sixteen stones in this group, this one is closest to a circle: its long axis measures about 1.13 times its short axis, where the most elongated stone here runs to 1.54. It is still an oval – a circle would measure 1.00 – but it reads as a compact, almost equant stone rather than a long one.

That matters practically. A near-balanced cabochon drops into standard ready-made settings far more easily than a long narrow one, which usually needs a mount built for it. If you are buying a stone to have set locally without a lot of custom work, this is the easiest shape in the tray to work with.

What agate actually is

Chalcedony: quartz grown in crystals far too small to see individually, laid down in layers inside a cavity in volcanic rock. The bands are those layers. Because the crystals are microscopic and interlocked, agate carves and polishes smoothly in any direction and has no cleavage planes to split along, which is why it has been worked into seals, beads and ring stones for thousands of years.

About 93% of this stone's face reads as a warm colour – browns, ambers and creams. If you were expecting the black-and-white sulemani that the name often brings to mind, this is not that; nothing in this category is black and white.

Hardness

Agate is Mohs 6.5 to 7. That is hard enough for a ring worn every day, and its lack of cleavage makes it genuinely tough against impact. Fine abrasion is the only real enemy: airborne dust is about as hard as agate, so the polish on a daily-worn cabochon softens over years. Re-polishing is quick and inexpensive.

What has not been tested

No laboratory report, and the treatment has not been tested. Sulemani agate is sometimes dyed to sharpen its banding. That is standard across the trade and not a defect, but it is not something we will assert either way without evidence.

Care and ordering

Warm water, mild soap, a soft cloth. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners, steam and 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 8 Carat. Its price is Rs. 5,600 — roughly Rs. 700 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-SU-0003 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.