A natural white agate – safed aqeeq – of 20.80 carats, about 22.86 ratti, at Rs. 14,600 – roughly Rs. 702 per carat. It is the smallest and the least expensive stone in this category.

The truest oval of the eleven

"Oval cabochon" is written on almost every domed stone, so it is worth earning. Measured properly – by comparing this stone's width at every row against the width a true ellipse of the same proportions would have there – this is the closest of the eleven stones in this category to a real ellipse, by a clear margin over the next.

Its outline fills about 78% of its bounding box, where a perfect ellipse fills 78.5%, and it measures about 1.30 times as long as it is wide. In practice that means it drops into a standard oval mount without a jeweller having to adjust anything, which on a stone this size saves real money on the setting.

White agate is the agate colour you do not have to worry about

This is the single most useful thing to know when buying aqeeq, and it is in this stone's favour.

Agate takes dye readily, and most of the coloured agate on the market has had help. Our own disclosures say it plainly: black agate is almost always dyed, strong green agate is usually dyed, yellow agate is often dyed, and red agate is often heated or dyed to deepen its colour.

White agate is usually untreated. There is no commercial reason to dye a stone the colour it already is. So of all the aqeeq on this site, the white is the one where the honest answer and the flattering answer are the same.

That said: it is a statement about the material, not a certificate for this piece. The treatment of this stone has not been tested and there is no laboratory report. Ask us and we will arrange independent testing.

What it looks like

A translucent milky white with a cool, faintly blue sheen where the light bounces off the dome, and a warmer glow where it passes through. That combination is normal in good translucent chalcedony and it is what makes a white cabochon worth looking at rather than merely pale.

Hardness and wear

Agate is a chalcedony, a cryptocrystalline quartz, and sits at 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. That is hard enough for a ring worn daily – about the hardness of ordinary airborne dust, so it keeps its polish well. A domed cabochon with no sharp edges is also the most forgiving shape there is for knocks.

Warm water, mild soap and a soft cloth. Avoid harsh cleaners and sudden heat.

One of a matched parcel

The eleven white agates in this category run from 20.80 to 22.40 carats and are all oval cabochons at about the same rate per carat. They are near enough identical in size and shape to have come from one lot of material. If you want a close pair for earrings or cufflinks, this is the category to ask about.

Ordering

One stone, sold once. Message us on WhatsApp for more photographs or a video, and we deliver across Pakistan.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural white agate with a weight of 20.8 Carat. Its price is Rs. 14,600 — roughly Rs. 702 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-WH-0001 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 white 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 white 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 white 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): White agate is usually untreated. 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.