A natural yellow agate – zard aqeeq – of 21.80 carats, about 23.96 ratti, at Rs. 15,300 – roughly Rs. 702 per carat.

What "premium" 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 a large stone with a deep, even colour: measured across the photograph it is among the more strongly saturated stones in this category, and at nearly twenty-two carats it is big enough to carry a piece on its own. It is an oval cabochon about 1.36 times as long as it is wide, filling about 81% of its bounding box against 78.5% for a true ellipse – a conventional, easily-set proportion.

What it does not mean. Its rate is Rs. 702 per carat, which is what everything else here costs; across all twenty-two stones the rate runs from about Rs. 695 to Rs. 708, flat within rounding. You are paying more in total because the stone is bigger, not because anybody has graded it finer. It is not the largest stone in the category either – three stones here are larger – so if size is what you are after, look at those before this one.

And it does not mean certified. No stone in this category has a laboratory report, this one included.

Dye, said plainly

Yellow agate is often dyed. That is this site's own disclosure for the stone, and on a listing carrying the word "premium" it had better appear near the top. Agate takes colour readily and a great deal of the strongly coloured yellow agate on the market has had help. Disclosed, that is a normal and old practice rather than a deception, and dyed agate holds its colour well if kept away from solvents and strong light.

The treatment of this stone has not been tested and there is no laboratory report. We will arrange independent testing on request, and on a stone at this price it is a reasonable thing to ask for.

Hardness and care

Agate is a chalcedony – cryptocrystalline quartz – at 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, about as hard as the quartz in ordinary airborne dust, with no cleavage plane to split along. At this size it suits a broad gents' ring, a large pendant or a cufflink, and will want a mount made for it. 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. Quote GS-YE-0019 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 21.8 Carat. Its price is Rs. 15,300 — roughly Rs. 702 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-YE-0019 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.