One thing I love about Agate is that it can be found in Texas and I can’t help but be partial to anything that can be found in the Lone Star State. After all, I live in Katy, Texas…work in the Galleria area in Houston, Texas and grew up in Sugarland, Texas. These are my peeps. This is where I do business and buy and sell the most jewelry and diamonds, so I love that Agate can be found all over this state.
I don’t know if you have ever seen Agate, but it such a pretty stone, and the perfect start to the gemstone guide. It has these bands of colors and truly it looks like you are looking at the sunset or a landscape painting. Stunning and common and relatively inexpensive! It has everything going for it that makes it a winner!
The History and Lore of Agate
The ancient Egyptians used Agate as adornment and also in amulets and talismans. They believed it provided the wearer with a bold heart and pleasant dreams. Agate is also believed to discern truth, accept circumstances, and is a powerful emotional healer. Legend says that Agate improves memory and concentration, increases stamina and encourages honesty and that it is said to be particularly beneficial to people born under the sign of Gemini as it helps them to remain calm and focused.
Agate is an excellent stone for rebalancing and harmonizing body, mind and spirit because it stabilizes the aura and balances the ying-yang energy and eliminates and transforms negative energies. It is a cooling stone; it reduces fever, quenches thirst, soothes and calms by healing inner anger or tension and creates a sense of security and safety. Its cleansing effect is powerful at the physical and emotional levels.
Placed on the heart, it will heal the emotional disease that prevents acceptance of love. Placed on the abdomen or taken as an elixir, Agate stimulates the digestive process and relieves gastritis. It heals the eyes, stomach, and uterus; it cleanses the lymphatic system and the pancreas; it strengthens blood vessels and heals skin disorders.
Characteristics of Agate
Agate is fine-grained chalcedony quartz and is actually one of the first gem materials ever known. What sets Agate apart from other chalcendonies are the curved or angular stripes of color. The markings on the stones can vary in color and translucence, and the patterns can also vary from looking like an entire landscape to just stripes.
Sources of Agate
Agate is fairly plentiful and can be found throughout most of the United States, as well as Brazil, India, Madagascar, Mexico and Uruguay
Varieties of Agate
Moss agate, eye agate, plume agate, fire agate and iris agate
Mohs Scale
6.5 – 7
Treatments
Heat and Dying Common
Care and Cleaning
Warm Soapy water recommended
