Agate

The quartz with the different colored patterns

overview

Name: The agate was named by the Greek philosopher Theophrastus after the place where it was found in the Achates River in Sicily, which today bears the name Dirillo.
Mineral group: Agate belongs to the mineral group of quartz.
Color: Agate exists in a vast range of color variations. In addition, each individual gemstone has a unique and distinctive pattern.
Cut: The agate looks best in a cabochon cut.
Special feature: A special feature is the rainbow agate, which has an iridescent play of colors.

Color

The color palette includes yellow, orange, red, brown, green, gray, blue, black and white tones.

carat

The 4Cs determine the value of every gemstone: colour, clarity, cut and carat. The carat number (ct) indicates the weight of a gemstone. One carat corresponds to 0.2 grams.

purity

The popular gemstone with a Mohs hardness of 7 can be both opaque and transparent.

cut

The agate is usually processed into a cabochon because this is the best way to show off its color banding.

Agate in History

Agate was already known 3000 years ago and in ancient Egypt it was used, among other things, to make vessels.
For a long time – until the beginning of the 19th century – Idar-Oberstein was considered one of the most important deposits, but it has since been exhausted. There are, however, numerous deposits spread all over the world, one of the largest in southern Brazil.

Special Agate Gemstones

The Greatest

The largest agate found to date weighs 61,090.2 kg.

Special occasions

birthstone

Agate is considered the birthstone for September.

wedding anniversary

Traditionally, an agate gemstone or a piece of jewelry set with agate is given as a gift on the 12th and 14th wedding anniversaries.

occurrence of agate

Agate is mainly found in Brazil, but it can also be found in many other countries such as Mexico, Uruguay, the United States, India, Madagascar, Botswana and Germany.

jewelry with agate

Are you interested in a piece of jewelry with agate? At RENÉSIM, we will be happy to create a completely unique piece of jewelry for you, according to your wishes.