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Agate is the work horse of the semi precious family of stones. No other stone has been carved, cut and polished into so many shapes, items and jewels. A member of the chalcedony family, the many colors and forms of agate make it an ideal stone of the artisan. It’s strength (8.5 on the Mohs scale) makes it ideal for vessels of use, such as bowls and cups. The striations and color lend itself to the carving of cameos and signet rings. And it’s stability made it a favorite of sculptors for centuries. In China, the wise and accomplished Emperor Kwo Kam (to whom later historians have justly given the title "Profound") sat upon a throne carved from a single piece of agate.
Myths speak of winged Griffins guarding nests of agate eggs; Alexander the Great was said to have had griffins pulling his chariot, which was carved from agate. Stability, protection, strength - all these attributers are present when one wears agate as jewelry. Agate comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns - from Picasso agate with it’s many matrices to green moss agate, my favorite, which resembles verdant green moss fronds frozen into slabs of clear chalcedony. Beautiful, versatile and stable, this is a stone you will pass down in your family.
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