What is agate?

For specific information about agate, take a look at: cbgc/culture/content?Pub_ID=195&iArt_ID=4326 Take a look at some other information about agate! It is said that because the shape of the original agate stone is similar to that of a horse brain, it is called "agate".

Whether in the Old Testament or Buddhist scriptures, there are records of agate’s deeds. In the East, it is one of the seven treasures and treasures.

Agate can be divided into chalcedony and agate. Raw stones with uncomplicated colors are called "chalcedony", while rough stones with straight parallel stripes are called "striped agate" (cut agate).

According to the color of the original stone, it is also called sardonyx, crimson agate, etc. Recently, dyed black agate is generally referred to as agate.

The legend of agate says that when Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, was sleeping in the shade of a tree, her son Eros, the god of love, secretly cut off her shining nails and rejoiced. Fly into the sky with your nails. Eros, who was flying in the air, accidentally lost his fingernails, and the claws that fell to the ground turned into stones, which were agates.

Therefore, some people believe that owning agate can strengthen love and adjust the relationship between oneself and his lover. In Japanese mythology, the piece of crescent-shaped green agate dedicated to Amaterasu by the Tamazu Kushimei was one of the three sacred artifacts in Japan! Agate identification knowledge Upload time: 2005-2-18 Number of clicks: 252 Agate (Agate) The chemical composition of agate is SiO2; it can contain elements such as Fe Al Ti Mn V, showing various colors, concentric circles and regular strips Banded, can be divided into sardonyx, striped agate, moss agate, fire agate, onyx, etc.

Among them, red agate is the top grade of all kinds of agate, so there is a saying in "Gegu Essentials" that "Agate without red agate will be poor forever". Agate can be classified as follows: (1) According to color 1. Red agate Red agate is the ancient red jade.

Red agate is divided into eastern red agate and western red agate. The former refers to the red agate formed after heating treatment of natural iron-containing agate, also known as "red agate", which includes bright red and orange-red.

East red agate is named after this kind of agate came from Japan in the early years. The latter refers to natural red agate, which includes dark red ones and bright red ones. The agates unearthed in ancient China are all western red agates. Most of these agates come from the West, hence their name.

2. Blue agate refers to blue or blue and white agate. This is a kind of agate with a very beautiful color. The larger pieces are good materials for jade carving.

High-quality ones are dark blue in color. The second one is lighter in color.

The blue and white ones are also very beautiful. When they have a fine stripe structure, they belong to the sardonyx variety. Most of the blue agate products currently on the Chinese market are artificially dyed, and their color is dense and uniform, making it easy to distinguish from natural products.

3. Purple agate Purple agate. Most of them are single purple, and the high-quality ones are as bright as amethyst.

The second one is light in color or not bright enough, commonly known as "boring". Purple agate is rare in nature and can also be dyed.

4. Green agate Green agate is not found in nature. At present, the green agate on the Chinese jewelry market is almost all artificially colored. Its color is dark green, and some are like jade, but some Experiencers can easily distinguish it from jade. Green agate is "thin" in color, has no jade-like texture, and is brittle; jadeite is "thick" in color, has jade-like texture, and has high toughness.

5. Black agate Black agate. Black agate is rare in nature. Currently, the black agate on the Chinese jewelry market is artificially colored. Its color is dark and easy to mix with other black jade.

Its hardness is greater than obsidian. 6. White agate is mainly white or five-color agate.

Among them, the so-called white chalcedony produced in Liaoning Province in the northeast is actually white chalcedony, which is mostly used to make beads and then artificially colored. Into blue, green, black and other colors. Large pieces of this kind of white agate are also used as raw materials for jade. At the same time, they are partially dyed into beautiful colors for use.

However, nature also produces some white agates. Due to their incorrect color, especially those that are off-white, they are generally not popular. However, they can also be used to make some cheap and low-end tourist products or tourist souvenirs. . 7. Agate of other colors Agate of other colors can be named according to different colors.

What is agate?

The English name of agate is Agate, which comes from the Greek Latin word, which is the name of the Latin River Agate in Sicily. This was the first time that Theophrastus in Italy (Theophrastus period) Where agate is found.

The word agate comes from Buddhist scriptures, and its original name in Sanskrit is "Asmagapo", which means "horse brain". The word agate was used earlier in China.

From the cut section, you can see concentric circles, corrugations, layers or parallel strips composed of gray, white, red, green, light brown, light blue and other different colors. . There is a saying that "there are thousands of kinds of agate and thousands of kinds of jade".

In the gem industry, cryptocrystalline blocks with concentric layers, irregular bands, and wire-wrapped structures are called agate. The chemical composition of agate is mainly SiO2, and often contains trace elements, such as iron, manganese, nickel, etc.

The crystal form is cryptocrystalline, with granular and fibrous structures. The *** bodies are often stalactite-shaped, kidney-shaped, tubercular, and dense and massive. Agate has a fat or waxy luster, is translucent, and has a shell-shaped fracture.

The hardness is 7-7.5, and the texture is hard and wear-resistant. There are many types, including striped agate, moss agate, water gall agate, cut agate, etc. Agate is one of the jade stones that is widely distributed in nature, has tough texture, bright color and beautiful decoration.

Agate has many uses. It can be used as medicine, gemstones, jade, jewelry, handicraft materials, grinding tools, instrument bearings, etc.

Agate is a kind of gemstone. <>Volume 8 of the Ministry of Epigraphy records: Horse brain, named agate. It is light red in color and resembles a horse's brain, so it is called agate pearl. It belongs to the jade category and is a valuable treasure.

Agate is hard and requires a lot of work to grind. The color is flawless and can be used as various decorations.

Historical records record that wearing agate crafts is not only for decoration, but also can make people clear-headed, energetic and improve work efficiency. Agate contains: iron, zinc, nickel, chromium, cobalt, manganese and other trace elements, which are beneficial to health when used for a long time.

The traditional Chinese medicine community believes that agate is pungent in taste, cold in nature, and non-toxic. It can be used for patients with eye diseases. Grinding agate into powder and biting it has a very good effect. Medicinal agate fragments are what is left of carved gemstones.

Agate is one of the first gem materials that people are familiar with. It has been regarded as a rare treasure in the world since ancient times. It is said to bring joy and confidence to the wearer, and to be endowed with God's mercy, as well as to ensure them victory and strength.

The Samerians, the earliest inhabitants of the Mesopotamia region of Egypt, seem to be the first to use agate to make tokens, rings, beads, seals and other gemstones. They used agate to make axes. The artifact is now housed in the National Museum of American History in New York. The most unusual agate object is a wine glass with two handles, holding more than a pint.

The cup's exterior is intricately carved with images of Bacchus, the god of sprinkling. According to historical records, this cup was made for the Roman Emperor Nero. It was later owned and preserved by many people, and finally became the cup used at the coronation reception of the King of France. The French consider this cup to be one of the most valuable souvenirs in history.

Agate is mainly produced in fissures and cavities of volcanic rocks, and also in sedimentary rock formations. The world's most famous producing areas include India, Brazil and other places.

my country’s agate production areas are widely distributed in almost every province, mainly in Heilongjiang, Liaoning, Hubei and other regions. The "Yuhua Stone" produced in Nanjing Yuhuatai is a kind of agate.

There is an ancient legend that agate is condensed from the so-called "ghost blood", which is just a legend. Agate has been used for decoration since ancient times due to its beautiful patterns.

Among the unearthed jade articles, strings of agate beads are common, mostly as necklaces. There are many records about agate in ancient Chinese books.

In historical books before the Han Dynasty, agate was also called "Qiongyu" or "Red Jade". "Guangya" has the sayings of "agate stone and jade" and "jade red first jade".

The word agate comes from Buddhist scriptures. The Sanskrit original name "Asmagapo" means "agate". It can be seen that after Buddhism was introduced to my country, Qiongyu or Chiqiong was renamed "Agate" in my country.

In addition to chalcedony, the fine minerals that make up agate are sometimes found in small amounts of opal or cryptocrystalline granular quartz. Strictly speaking, if it does not have the characteristics of patterns and patterns, it cannot be called agate, but can only be called chalcedony.

Some chalcedony without patterns on the market today is also called "agate", which is inconsistent with the meaning of ancient agate. Pure agate is white. Because it contains other metal elements (such as Fe, Ni, etc.), it appears in gray, brown, red, blue, green, emerald green, pink-green, black and other colors. Sometimes several colors are mixed or alternate.

Agate blocks are available in transparent, translucent and opaque forms, with glassy to waxy luster. Hardness 6.5~7, specific gravity 2.65.

There are many varieties of agate according to the thickness and shape of its patterns. Those with "onyx"-shaped bands are called "onyx". Among them, those with red bands are the most precious and are called "red onyx".

In addition, there are "banded agate", "city walled agate", "night agate", "moss agate", "brocade red agate", "zygote agate", "sauce spotted agate", " Varieties such as "cypress agate", "quyu agate", "water gall agate" (see Li Shizhen's "Compendium of Materia Medica"). Among the "chalcedony" without patterns, there are also many jade raw materials.

According to different colors, there are "carnelian", "chrysoprase" (also known as inkar stone), "green chalcedony", "blood chalcedony" (also known as blood stone) and "Jasper" etc. Agate, like nephrite, is also a traditional jade stone in my country.

Among the jades unearthed from sites such as Beiyinyangying in Nanjing are agate cups and agate beads. Among the large number of agate beads, there is one that is shaped to ward off evil spirits and is 1.7 centimeters long.

Agate beads have also been discovered in the Qijia Cultural Site of Dahezhuang in Yongjing, Gansu, the Spring and Autumn Tombs in Dadian, Junan, Shandong, and the Eastern Jin Dynasty Tombs in Xiangshan, Nanjing.

In ancient times, agates were tributes from the Western Regions, India, Persia, Kang, Japan and other countries, and some were produced in mainland China.

Such as Fuyu and Yilou in the northeast. The former is governed in Siping City, Jilin today; the latter is the name of an ethnic group that lives in the north of Changbai Mountain, in the lower reaches of Songhua River and Heilongjiang. It has been famous for its "red stone" since ancient times (see "Book of the Later Han·Biography of Dongyi"). In addition, Yuzhou (now Yu County) Jiukong Mountain and Xuanfu (Xuanhua) and Sijiao Mountain (see "Tiangong Kaiwu"), Gansu and Ningxia areas (see "Museum Overview"), Shaanxi Yan'an Prefecture Shenmu and Fugu areas (see "Guangyu Ji"), Chiling Town of Ruzhou (see "Song History"), Bobai County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (see "Bobai County Chronicle"), Nanjing Yuhuatai (see "Continued Examination of Treasures") and other places, All produce agate.

Today, there are many geologists in my country in the northwest, north, northeast, southwest, and south China.

What is agate?

It is said that because the shape of the original agate stone is similar to that of a horse brain, it is called "agate". Whether in the Old Testament or Buddhist scriptures, there are records of agate's deeds.

In the East, it is one of the seven treasures and treasures. Agate can be divided into chalcedony and agate. Raw stones with uncomplicated colors are called "chalcedony", while rough stones with straight parallel stripes are called "striped agate" (cut agate). According to the color of the original stone, it is also called sardonyx, crimson agate, etc. Recently, dyed black agate is generally referred to as agate.

The legend of agate

It is said that Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, was sleeping in the shade of a tree when her son Eros, the god of love, secretly made her sparkle. She cut off her nails and flew into the sky with her nails happily. Eros, who was flying in the air, accidentally lost his fingernails, and the claws that fell to the ground turned into stones, which were agates. Therefore, some people believe that owning agate can strengthen love and adjust the relationship between oneself and his lover. In Japanese mythology, the piece of crescent-shaped green agate dedicated to Amaterasu by the Tamazu Kushimei was one of the three sacred artifacts in Japan!

Agate

The chemical composition of agate is SiO2; it can contain elements such as Fe Al Ti Mn V, showing various colors, concentric circles and regular strips , can be divided into sardonyx, striped agate, moss agate, fire agate, onyx, etc. Among them, red agate is the top grade of all kinds of agate, so there is a saying in "Gegu Essentials" that "Agate without red agate will be poor forever".

What is agate?

Many holes are formed when the air bubbles become sealed in the rock as it freezes. After a long time, the holes are immersed in a solution containing silica and condensed into silica gel.

The soluble components of the iron-containing rock enter the silica gel, and finally the silica crystallizes into agate. In mineralogy, it belongs to the chalcedony group, which is stone marrow with different colors and distributed in rings.

Usually, the colloid of silica is gradually filled toward the center along the peripheral walls of the cavities or gaps in the rock, forming concentric layered or parallel layered blocks. It is generally translucent to opaque, has a hardness of 6.5 to 7 degrees, a specific gravity of 2.55 to 2.91, and a refractive index of 1.535 to 1.539.

Agate can form in various strata throughout geological history, from both igneous and sedimentary rocks. Therefore, there are many agates, and the color varies greatly.

According to its different patterns and colors, it has names such as onyx agate, moss agate, and jasper agate. Agate is used as a gemstone or craft product because of its rich color and beauty. It can also be used to make bearings for precision instruments, agate bodies, agate mortars and other industrial supplies.

What is agate?

Agate is also a member of the crystal family. It is a cryptocrystal. Its six-sided crystal shape is so small that it must be seen clearly through a microscope. According to color and texture, agate can be divided into striped agate, sardonyx, moss agate, breccia agate, leopard agate, water agate, moss agate, red agate, onyx, etc. Agate is a colorful gemstone with strong energy and great healing properties. Ancient people have used agate as a talisman to protect against epilepsy and mental disorder. Agate is also used to treat injuries after being stabbed by poisonous objects. It can strengthen the strength of the lower body, alleviate imbalances, make people cherish the body, strengthen courage, endurance, and strengthen the will. It can bring people's complicated thoughts back to the "original point", sharpen their thinking, balance their attitudes and details, and make their actions faster, better and more efficient. Let’s give a brief description of the following types of agate with powerful effects: Moss-grained agate contains moss-like substances, like a green field, which can connect people with nature and teach us to cherish and appreciate nature. Indians especially like it. . People who live in nature regard it as a god. It has special effects on physical weakness, nervous system disorders and heart disease. Onyx is black or black and white and has strong energy. The Greeks and Romans valued it and often wore it as a talisman. Strengthen and protect eyesight, promote the recovery of body vitality, and be closely connected with heaven and earth. But onyx should not be worn with other gemstones. Sardonyx has dark brown lines with white lines. It has been highly regarded since ancient times and is a good companion for treating spiritual trauma and fighting depression.

It can give people strength, courage and confidence, make people speak their true feelings, bring good luck, and attract honest and straightforward people. Moss agate is milky white and translucent, and the inner covering is black or brown, fern-shaped, and branch-shaped, like a plant growing inside. It is one of the most healing stones. In an emergency, it can be placed anywhere on the body to balance positive and negative energy. It has a balancing effect on both the cathodic male and the anode female, eliminating excitement, tension and any ongoing stress.

Reference:

What is agate made of? Why is it so expensive?

Agate is a kind of chalcedony mineral. It is often a band-shaped block mixed with opal and cryptocrystalline quartz. It has a hardness of 7-7.5 degrees, a specific gravity of 2.65, and a very layered color. Available in translucent or opaque. It is often used as an ornament or as a gift. Strings of agate balls can often be seen among ancient funerary objects.

Agate is divided into: red agate, onyx, agate, purple agate, moss agate, agate, dyed agate.

Red agate: Natural red agate has distinct colors and very obvious bands. The colors are mostly red, orange-red, and brown-red. If you look closely, you can see a dense arrangement of tiny red particles at the red strip. Origin: Brazil and Yunnan, China

Onyx: with straight strips, natural blue is produced in Brazil. Origin: Brazil and Yunnan, China

Purple Agate: Natural purple agate is preferably grape purple.

Moss agate: Agate contains a thin film of manganese oxide or iron oxide, which is shaped like branches and moss. This kind of agate is generally only used as an ornamental stone. Origin: India and the United States

Agate: There are closed cavities in agate that contain water.

Dyeing agate: Gray-white agate can be heated and dyed into various colors with dyes. Origin: Gray-white agate comes from Iceland, India, the United States and China.

Basis for agate grading and evaluation:

Special grade agate: red, blue, purple, pink. translucent. No impurities, no sand core, no cracks. The block weighs more than 4.5 kilograms.

First-grade agate: red, blue, purple, pink. translucent. No impurities, no sand core, no cracks. The block weighs more than 1.5 kilograms.

Secondary agate: red, blue, purple, pink. translucent. No impurities, no sand core, no cracks. The block weight is between 0.5-1.5 kg.

Third-grade agate: red, brown, light purple, transparent, slightly cracked, and weighing more than 0.5 kg.

Under normal circumstances, the price of special-grade materials is 3.5 times that of third-grade materials.

Function:

1. Agate is one of the seven treasures of Buddhism and has been used since ancient times. It is used as an amulet and amulet to ward off evil spirits, symbolizing friendly love and hope, and helps eliminate negative energy such as stress, fatigue, and turbidity.

2. Place an appropriate amount of agate under the pillow to help you sleep peacefully and bring good dreams every night.

3. Agate can demagnetize and charge some crystal jewelry, such as rings, pendants, earrings, bracelets, etc., but please wrap it with paper or cloth to avoid being scratched.

4. In Western magic, people are taught to write their wishes on a piece of paper, fold it, wrap it up, meditate quietly, and then put it into an agate cornucopia. Leave it for at least a day and night to let the energy Stir and strengthen it. After taking it out, burn it and use the power of fire to transmit your wishes into nature, and all your wishes will come true.

5. Children who study often come into contact with water-bearing agate, which can absorb the characteristics of water and make them smart, flexible, well-behaved, strong in learning, and adaptable.

6. Wearing water-bearing agate can strengthen your affinity, be flexible and versatile, and help your career grow and make you rich.

7. Decorating water-bearing agate in the couple’s room will help to harmonize the couple’s relationship.

8. Wearing agate in summer is not only fashionable and beautiful, but also can cool down and prevent heat stroke.

9. Agate can improve endocrine, strengthen blood circulation, and improve complexion. Orange-colored red agate can be effective on the rectum and gastrointestinal tract, activate internal organs, prevent constipation, and help eliminate toxins. It has a soothing effect on liver disease, rheumatism, neuralgia, varicose veins, etc. For women, long-term wearing of agate can make the skin smooth, cheerful, enhance blood circulation, make the lips rosy, and the eyes bright and energetic.

What material is agate made of?

The main component of agate is silica, which often forms repeated layers due to alternation with hydrated silica (silicic acid). Because it is mixed with oxidized metals, its color can range from very light to dark. Using iron, cobalt, nickel and other salts, allowing them to naturally penetrate into the silicic acid gel, "agate" can be artificially made. Natural agate may also be generated under similar circumstances.

The history of agate is very remote. About 100 million years ago, underground magma erupted in large quantities due to changes in the earth's crust. When the lava cooled, steam and other gases formed bubbles. The air bubbles become sealed as the rock freezes, creating holes. After a long time, the holes are immersed in a solution containing silica and condensed into silica gel. The soluble components of iron-containing rocks enter the silica gel, and finally the silica crystallizes into agate.

Extended information:

1. Maintenance methods

First of all, be careful not to hit hard objects or drop them. When not in use, they should be stored in a soft place. Inside the jewelry box.

Try to avoid contact with perfume, chemical solutions, soap or human sweat to prevent corrosion and affect the brightness of agate.

Secondly, be careful to avoid heat sources, such as sunlight, stoves, etc., because agate will expand when heated, and the molecular gap will increase, which will affect the jade quality. Continued exposure to high temperatures will also cause agate to burst. Agate should be placed away from sunlight as much as possible. Wipe it frequently to keep it clean. If possible, soak it in pure water occasionally to replenish moisture. Maintaining humidity will make agate more beautiful.

It is best to store small jewelry in a dark and humid place when not being worn. A storage environment close to the original ecology of agate is the best, especially since there is natural water in agate during its formation period. If it is currently surrounded by If the environment is very dry, it will cause the natural moisture inside to evaporate, thus losing the artistic and economic value of the collection.

2. Economic value

People generally use naked eye identification as the main means to judge the quality and economic value of agate. Although modern science and technology are developed, there are many various jade identification instruments. , but the use of these instruments in the transaction process is firstly very inconvenient, and secondly, it cannot solve the problem. The reason is very simple. It will be limited by the environment. If the quality and economic value of agate are judged, the instruments will be useless.

It is impossible to carry out complex instrument operations at the transaction site, so visual identification is always an extremely important method. There are many types of agate, known as "thousands of agates and thousands of jade", so there are many identification methods. Usually, the grading standards are based on banding, color, transparency, cracks, impurities, sand core and block weight, except for water gall agate. In addition to being rare, they are generally made with harmoniously matched and pretty colors.