A natural yellow agate – zard aqeeq – of 14.90 carats, about 16.37 ratti, at Rs. 10,400 – roughly Rs. 698 per carat.

The most golden stone of the twenty-two

"Golden" is the claim on the label, so here is what stands behind it.

Measured across the photograph, this stone's hue sits further towards orange than any other stone in this category, and about 58% of its face carries a distinctly warm, golden-orange tone – the most of any stone here. Several stones in this tray measure zero on that same count: they are flatly, coolly yellow. This one is not. It is a deep amber-gold rather than a lemon.

It is also among the less saturated stones in this category, and that combination is the point: warm hue plus moderate saturation reads as rich and translucent rather than as a solid block of poster-yellow. Against yellow gold it is the natural pairing in this tray; against silver it reads warm and a little antique.

Shape

An oval cabochon, about 1.26 times as long as it is wide, with its outline filling about 80% of its bounding box where a perfect ellipse fills 78.5%. At nearly fifteen carats it is a stone with real presence, and a standard oval bezel will take it.

Dye, said plainly – and especially here

Yellow agate is often dyed. That is this site's own disclosure for the stone, and on a listing sold on the strength of its colour it belongs at the top rather than in the small print.

Agate is porous enough to take colour readily, and a great deal of the strongly coloured yellow and golden agate on the market has had help. That is not fraud when it is disclosed – dyeing agate is a centuries-old practice, and the colour is stable if the stone is kept away from solvents and prolonged strong light. But you are entitled to know it before you pay, particularly for a stone this richly coloured.

The treatment of this stone has not been tested and there is no laboratory report. Ask us and we will arrange independent testing before you commit.

Hardness and care

Agate is a chalcedony – quartz – at 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, about as hard as the dust in ordinary air, so it holds its polish through daily wear, and it has no cleavage plane to split along. Warm water, mild soap and a soft cloth; no solvents, no acetone, no harsh cleaners, and keep it out of prolonged strong sunlight.

Ordering

One stone, sold once. Quote GS-YE-0012 when you message us. Message us on WhatsApp for more photographs or a video, and we deliver across Pakistan.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural yellow agate with a weight of 14.9 Carat. Its price is Rs. 10,400 — roughly Rs. 698 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-YE-0012 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 yellow 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 yellow 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 yellow 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): Yellow agate is often dyed. 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.