Agate

Agate is my absolute favorite stone because every single one is unique. Found all around the world, its differences in color and pattern are what set one piece of Agate apart from another. A geode that is 3 to 4 inches in size can run anywhere from $3 to $6,000, depending on its patterns and colors – its shine, how many colors it contains, how many stripes, whether it has a swirl pattern, whether it has rainbows, which are very expensive, and which colors, such as dark orange often being the most expensive from Brazil.

Agates can have wonderful shapes. My favorite, coming from Soledade, Brazil, looks like gnarly Swiss cheese with holes throughout the outside and dark colors in the inside. Agates also can be perfectly round, which are ideal for polishing and turning into bowls, cheese trays, slabs, and bookends. Some have Quartz centers or sheets of crystals inside and those are perfect to transform into functional decor like table tops.

Some have Chalcedony roses attached to them that create beautiful little rings when polished. I call them turtles because it’s usually a shape of a Tortoise shell and I use these great Agates by polishing them on the outside to expose the Chalcedony rings and I work with clients to place them outdoors as sitting rocks. They are absolutely gorgeous.

Red carnelian Agate looks like a radiating sun when the light shines through so I love to slice those thinly to let it shine and brighten up anyone that looks at them. Others have blue rings, eyes, flowers, and flame patterns, which makes this the most fun stone to select. I love to see the fire of color going through the gorgeous Agate geodes and slabs as I hand-pick each one in Brazil or wherever I find them.
Unlike the mining of Quartz and other crystals, Agate is found closer to the earth’s surface, often on farmland. In Brazil, we work with farmers who have come across Agate as they hoe the land. Large holes are dug, the Agate is unearthed, and then the land can go back to planting crops or cattle. In Uruguay they are mined out with the Amethyst.

In Brazil, Agate comes in a wide range of colors – honey brown, light gray, white, “carnelian,” which is dark orange, “natural color,” which is dark gray-black with red, and even purple. Blues usually come from the Amethyst mines. In Uruguay, they are beautiful and primarily gray-blue and white, sometimes with Amethyst also.

Healing Properties

Agate balances the mind, body, and spirit while helping people find their truth in this confusing world. It cleanses, stabilizes, and harmonizes. It has been used for centuries all over the world to ward off negative energy, evil, and bad weather. It is said that if you bring Agate with you into the desert you will be less thirsty, perhaps because it cleanses the lymphatic system. It’s fascinating how the stone and the body are so in sync and not surprising that Agate is a popular crystal for energy healing work. It is also said to improve your ability to communicate openly and clearly, which makes sense if you are more balanced.

The variations in color of Agate affects its healing properties. Blue agate is calming, some reds and browns are inspiring and energizing, greens are especially healing and focusing, white eases stress and anxiety, and marbled “Crazy Lace” Agate brings optimism.

Being a mother of twins and a business owner, I continuously utilize my extensive collection of these balancing, stress-relieving stones. It is said to improve relationships, especially those between family members, by shifting the focus to the positive. It is linked to the crown chakra, so it has a cleansing, centering quality. Anyone looking to slow down and go through life with more ease would be wise to add Agate to their collections.

Agate is the first crystal many people collect – a gateway crystal if you will. Remember that the stone picks you, you don’t pick the stone. So when selecting your Agate geode, see what catches your eye first and which stones you naturally gravitate towards.

Placement

Because of its variety and hardness – a 7 on the hardness scale, so very durable and strong – Agate is perfect for use in decor. It is made into coffee tables, accent tables, sconces, lamps, jewelry, belt buckles, key chains, cheese and sushi trays, place settings, buffet presentations, trivets, and more. Of course, Agate also makes a popular addition to meditation tables and altars in the home.

Agate can easily be dyed a wide variety of colors – teal, black, red, pink, purple, or blue to match decor. However, note that dyed pieces are UV sensitive, especially the pink, purple, and teal, so be careful to keep them out of direct sunlight. These colors can also bleed out if Agate gets wet, ruining its look, so it’s important to know whether a piece has been dyed if it is used in a setting where it might get wet.

I am so blessed to be able to select the most amazing pieces from the thousands of kilos of Agates I come across. I always pick the most unique and rarest stones, confident that each is one of a kind. Turning Agate into Natures Art DecorTM is always my ultimate goal and one of my favorite things to do.