A polished crazy lace agate sphere from Chihuahua, Mexico, patterned with looping bands of ochre, white, and soft grey. Agate is chalcedony, a form of quartz so fine-grained the crystals are invisible to the eye, and crazy lace is its most exuberant variety. The warm earthy palette here is entirely natural, coloured by iron and manganese present when the silica settled; the bright blues and pinks sometimes sold as crazy lace are dyed, but this piece keeps the tones the stone forms with.
Mineral: Crazy lace agate (chalcedony, SiO₂)
Crystal system: Trigonal (microcrystalline)
Origin: Chihuahua, Mexico
Hardness: 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale; durable and easy to handle
Treatment: None
Diameter: 5.45 cm
Weight: 220 g
Note: Acrylic stand included (not the stand shown in the photo)
You'll receive the exact piece photographed.