Agate

Agate

Widely known for it’s glossy, opaque aesthetic, agate is a striped chalcedony. It typically forms in volcanic rock or lava and is made of silicon dioxide. It’s common for agate to be artificially colored, however, the banding, as well as the translucent structure, make this gemstone a sight to behold. The stone received its name from Theophrastus, a Greek philosopher who discovered it on the shores of the river Achates. It is commonly used for the art of hardstone carving and has been discovered at a variety of different archeological sites around the world. There is a range of types of agate including Mexican agate, coldwater agate, and Brazilian agate.