A natural yellow agate – zard aqeeq – of 17.35 carats, about 19.07 ratti, at Rs. 12,100 – roughly Rs. 697 per carat.

What "genuine" means here, and what it does not

The word is on the label, so it should be defined rather than left to do vague work.

What it does mean. This is natural agate – real chalcedony that formed in rock – not glass, not plastic, not a reconstituted powder-and-resin composite. Those imitations exist and they are sold as aqeeq. The weight is real and measured, the photograph is of this stone, and it is one piece sold once.

What it does not mean. It does not mean undyed. Yellow agate is often dyed – that is this site's own disclosure for the stone – and a dyed agate is still genuine agate; the colour is what has been added, not the stone. It also does not mean graded or certified: the treatment of this stone has not been tested and there is no laboratory report. Ask and we will arrange independent testing.

We would rather define the word than let it imply a guarantee nobody has given.

Colour and shape, measured

This stone is noticeably zoned rather than flat: measured, about 43% of its face carries a distinctly warmer orange tone against a softer yellow body – among the warmest of the twenty-two stones here, where several measure zero on that count. Overall it is one of the less saturated stones in this category, so the effect is translucent and layered rather than solid.

It is an oval cabochon about 1.34 times as long as it is wide, with its outline filling about 83% of its bounding box, a little fuller than the 78.5% of a perfect ellipse.

Hardness and care

Agate is a chalcedony – quartz – at 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, roughly the hardness of ordinary airborne dust, with no cleavage plane to split along. It holds a polish and tolerates daily wear. Warm water, mild soap and a soft cloth; keep it away from solvents, harsh cleaners and prolonged strong sunlight.

Ordering

One stone, sold once. Quote GS-YE-0014 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 17.35 Carat. Its price is Rs. 12,100 — roughly Rs. 697 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-YE-0014 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.