A natural white aqeeq of 21.15 carats, about 23.24 ratti, at Rs. 14,800 – Rs. 700 per carat.

Aqeeq, hakik, agate – the same stone

Worth settling, because the names cause real confusion. Aqeeq is the Arabic and Urdu name, hakik a common variant, and agate the English. They are one material: a banded chalcedony, which is quartz grown in microscopic fibres rather than in a single crystal.

Safed aqeeq is simply the white one. Aqeeq rings have been worn on the hand in this region for a very long time, and white is among the traditional colours asked for. We sell it as a stone and leave the rest to you.

The most strongly tinted of the eleven

Measured across the photograph, this stone carries more colour than any other in this category – a cream-and-honey cast where the light passes through the dome, rather than the cool blue-white some of the others show. It is not the warmest stone here, since another carries more of that particular cast, but it is the one with the most tint in it overall.

In the hand that reads as a softer, older-looking white. Against yellow gold it sits much more comfortably than an icy stone would; against silver it is warmer and quieter.

Treatment, which is the question that matters with aqeeq

Agate takes dye readily and most coloured agate has had help. Our own disclosures: 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.

White agate is usually untreated. Nobody dyes a stone the colour it already is. But that is the material, not this piece: the treatment of this stone has not been tested and there is no laboratory report.

Hardness and wear

At 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale agate is a quartz, about as hard as ordinary dust, so it keeps its polish through daily wear. A cabochon has no sharp edges to chip. Warm water, mild soap, a soft cloth; keep it away from harsh cleaners and sudden heat.

One of a matched parcel

All eleven white agates here are oval cabochons between 20.80 and 22.40 carats at about Rs. 700 per carat. Ask if you want two that sit closely together.

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 21.15 Carat. Its price is Rs. 14,800 — roughly Rs. 700 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-WH-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.

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.