Agate is tough, durable and hard – three properties that made it challenging to cut in ancient times. As stonecutting techniques have advanced however, agate’s toughness, durability and hardness are what guaranteed its place in the handmade jewellery and lapidary world.

Achat

From the Greek naturalist Theophrastus, we know that the term ‘achat’ or ‘agate’ was used to describe the stones found along the river Achates in Sicily. Traditionally agate referred to stones of multi-coloured layers or bands of the quartz known as chalcedony.

As agate deposits were discovered around the globe, agate evolved to encompass a huge variety of patterns and types of this gemstone. Banded agate (often called fortification agate because it resembles the perimeter of an ancient fortress) is now just one of the many patterns recognised by the name.

Popular in the Past

As technology developed to allow artists to shape and polish hard stones, agate became a medium for not only handmade jewellery but for ornaments and art objects too. Agate is so tough that it can be ground thin enough to reveal its colourful translucence. It is reported that King Mithridates, who reigned Pontus in Asia Minor from 119-63BC, collected thousands of agate bowls. During the Renaissance collecting agate bowls was quite popular.

The mining and stonecutting history of the Nahe River Valley dates to the late 14th Century. Craftsmen in this region used hydropower to run giant sandstone cutting wheels to cut the abundant deposits of agate. They answered the demand for agate beads, cabouchons, objects, vessels, paper knives, seals, and even ink wells. By the early 1800s the agate deposits in this area were largely depleted.

When large deposits of agate were discovered in Brazil in the 19th Century, German immigrants in that country used it as ballast in the ships that transported them back to Germany. This influx of inexpensive Brazilian agate breathed new life into German factories and cutting shops. It also prompted the development of highly guarded methods of heat-treating and dyeing bland coloured agate in an effort to meet the world’s desire for items made from this stone.

Diversity

As numerous deposits of colourful agates are discovered around the world, the choices of agate patterns, types and colours get more exciting each year. The sheer diversity of colours, cutting styles, usability for all types of handmade jewellery, and availability in all price points makes agate a favourite for the jewellery maker and wearer alike.