A natural yellow agate – zard aqeeq – of 18.75 carats, about 20.60 ratti, at Rs. 13,100 – roughly Rs. 699 per carat.

Please read this before you order

The photograph on this listing is not unique to this stone. The same image file is used on another listing in this category, for a stone of a different weight, so the two cannot both look like it. We do not know which of the two was photographed, and we are not going to describe this stone's colour, banding or outline from a picture that may be of the other one.

What we can stand behind is the weight, the price and the reference. Message us on WhatsApp and we will photograph and film this exact stone, GS-YE-0016, before you commit to anything. We would rather lose the sale than describe a stone from the wrong picture.

This is being corrected; if you are reading this after the image has been replaced, the photograph above is this stone.

What a stone this size suits

Nearly nineteen carats is a substantial stone, and in women's jewellery that points away from a solitaire ring and towards a pendant, a brooch or a statement cocktail ring. Agate is not a dense material, so a pendant of this scale sits comfortably on an ordinary chain rather than dragging at the neck.

A cabochon is also the practical choice for a piece meant to be worn rather than kept in a box: a smooth dome catches light from any angle and has no facet edges to chip.

Dye, said plainly

Yellow agate is often dyed. That is this site's own disclosure for the stone. Agate is porous enough to take colour readily and a great deal of the bright yellow material on the market has had help; disclosed, that is a normal and old practice rather than a deception, and the colour is stable with sensible care.

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

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 keeps its polish through regular wear, and it has no cleavage plane to split along. Warm water, mild soap and a soft cloth; no solvents, no harsh cleaners, and keep it out of prolonged strong sunlight.

Ordering

One stone, sold once, at a flat category rate of about Rs. 700 per carat. Quote GS-YE-0016 when you message us – and do ask for its own photograph first. We deliver across Pakistan.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural yellow agate with a weight of 18.75 Carat. Its price is Rs. 13,100 — roughly Rs. 699 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-YE-0016 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.