How to clean it
Warm soapy water. Durable and low-maintenance.
Banded, in almost any colour
Agate
The birthstone for May.
Properties
Composition
Banded chalcedony formed in volcanic cavities
Hardness (Mohs)
6.5–7
Crystal system
Trigonal
Colour
Banded, in almost any colour
Mined in
Brazil, India, Germany, Mexico, Botswana
Worth knowing
The bands record successive deposits of silica in a gas bubble — each line is a separate episode of mineral-rich water passing through.
History
Named after the Achates river in Sicily, where Theophrastus recorded it around 300 BCE.
Practical
Caring for Agate
How to tell it is real
Dyed agate in unnatural colours — bright blue, magenta — is everywhere and usually undisclosed. Natural agate colours are earth tones; a neon slice was dyed.
One general rule covers most mistakes: never store stones loose together. Diamond at 10 on the Mohs scale scratches everything else you own, and it does not need much contact to do it.
What that hardness means in practice
Softer than household dust. Better in earrings or a pendant than in a ring, where it takes constant knocks.
Traditional associations
Agate is traditionally associated with steadiness and gradual, unforced progress. In chakra systems it is placed at the Varies by variety, and in elemental correspondence it is assigned to Earth.
These are cultural associations recorded across various traditions, not claims about physical effects. The composition and hardness above are measurable; this paragraph is folklore, and worth reading as such.
Questions
What is Agate made of?
Banded chalcedony formed in volcanic cavities, crystallising in the trigonal system.
Which month is Agate the birthstone for?
May.
Where does Agate come from?
Brazil, India, Germany, Mexico, Botswana.
How do I clean Agate?
Warm soapy water. Durable and low-maintenance.
How can I tell if Agate is real?
Dyed agate in unnatural colours — bright blue, magenta — is everywhere and usually undisclosed. Natural agate colours are earth tones; a neon slice was dyed.
Can I wear it every day?
At 6.5–7 on the Mohs scale, not in a ring. Keep it to pieces that take fewer knocks.