A natural white agate – safed aqeeq – of 21.30 carats, about 23.41 ratti, at Rs. 14,900 – Rs. 700 per carat.

The purest white of the eleven

"Milky white" is the claim, so here is the measurement behind it. Across the photograph this stone carries less colour cast than any other stone in this category – the least tint of the eleven, where the most strongly tinted carries roughly twice as much. It is also among the brightest of them.

In plain terms: where some of these stones lean cream and others lean faintly blue, this one is simply white. If you want a clean, even, milky stone with nothing pulling it one way or the other, this is the one in this tray.

It is a translucent white rather than a chalky opaque one – light enters the dome and glows rather than stopping at the surface, which is what separates a good white chalcedony from a dull one.

White agate and dye

The thing to know when buying aqeeq. Our own disclosures across the site: black agate is almost always dyed, strong green agate is usually dyed, yellow agate is often dyed, red agate is often heated or dyed.

White agate is usually untreated, because there is no commercial reason to dye a stone the colour it already is. That is the material, though, not a certificate for this piece: the treatment of this stone has not been tested and there is no laboratory report. We will arrange independent testing on request.

Hardness and wear

Agate is a chalcedony – cryptocrystalline quartz – at 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, roughly the hardness of the quartz dust in ordinary air. That is why agate keeps a polish where softer stones dull. At twenty-one carats and in a smooth dome, it is one of the easiest stones to live with in a ring.

Warm water, mild soap and a soft cloth. No harsh cleaners, no sudden heat.

One of a matched parcel

The eleven white agates in this category run 20.80 to 22.40 carats, all oval cabochons at about Rs. 700 per carat, close enough to have come from one lot. Ask us if you want a matching pair.

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 21.3 Carat. Its price is Rs. 14,900 — roughly Rs. 700 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-WH-0004 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.