This 5.10 carat red agate is a small, easy stone. Here are the points we would check, and would encourage you to check, when it arrives.

• Size: 5.10 carats.
• Hardness: 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, fine for a ring with sensible care.
• Colour: view it in daylight, not under a shop bulb, since red agate shifts tone with the light source.
• Treatment: red agate is frequently heated or dyed, so ask us what we know about stone AG-RE-0002.
• Surface: run a fingertip over it and look for chips along the edge.

Small red agates like this suit a ladies' ring or a slim silver band, and the name Surkh Aqeeq will be familiar to anyone who has shopped for aqeeq in Pakistan. Because it is so light, it also works as a small drop pendant, where a thin silver loop is all the mounting it needs.

Photographs flatter or dull colour, so trust your own eyes once it is in your hand. Find other sizes in the red agate section, or message us on WhatsApp for a closer look before ordering. Before you choose, read our red agate guide.

Cash on Delivery covers all of Pakistan: Karachi usually 1–2 working days, other cities 2–4, and 7 days for returns.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural red agate with a weight of 5.1 Carat. Its price is Rs. 770 — roughly Rs. 151 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference AG-RE-0002 when you message us about it. The photographs show this exact stone, so what arrives at your door is the piece you chose on screen.

Between two and six carats is the range most people choose for a gents' ring or a noticeable pendant. Here colour drives the price more than size does, which is why two stones of near-identical weight can be priced very differently.

On the Mohs scale red agate rates 6.5 to 7. That is middle-of-the-road hardness: comfortable in pendants and earrings, and in rings worn with some care. Store it apart from harder stones so it does not pick up scratches, and wipe it with a damp cloth rather than scrubbing.

Whoever you buy red agate from, make sure of three things: the stone is natural rather than lab-grown, glass or glass-filled; any treatment is stated in writing; and the weight quoted is the weight of the finished stone. We check every red agate for those three points before it is listed, and because you pay on delivery you can look at the stone — or have it tested — before any money changes hands.

We sell natural stones only and inspect each one before it is listed. Treatment for this stone: Treatment not tested. No lab report yet; independent testing welcome. As general background (not a statement about this stone): Red agate is often heated or dyed to deepen its colour. Ask us on WhatsApp and we will tell you what we know about this exact stone; independent lab testing is available on request.

A certificate of authenticity is available on request for this stone, and independent laboratory testing can be arranged. Because you pay on delivery, you can also take the stone to a lab of your choice within the 7-day return window. Read more on our authenticity page.