3 Characteristics That Determine The Price Of Fire Agate
Fire agate is a specific type of gemstone that is very rare. It is made out of various layers of chalcedony quartz and gets its name from its reddish-brown look. If you are interested in purchasing some fire agate, it is helpful to know the characters that give this gemstone its value.
#1 Color
The first way to determine the value of fire agate gemstone, and to make sure that you are purchasing the right rock, is by looking at its color. Fire agate has a really deep color that borders on blackish-brown. It has almost a chocolate-colored tone to it.
When light hits the rock though, the color is transformed. Light brings out a range of colors, ranging from red to gold to green to blue and sometimes even violet. The wide range of colors is because of the layered nature and creation of the gemstone.
#2 Clarity
Second, you can determine the value of a fire agate gemstone by looking at the clarity of the gemstone. When you look at the rock, it should look like it is almost waxed, but yet still has kind of a dull luster to it. The color is usually more on the opaque to translucent side. It has an understated clarity and appearance.
#3 Cut & Shape
The next thing that you need to pay attention to is the cut and shape. When you purchase a fire agate gemstone, it can come in a variety of different sizes. People who prepare the stone, though, tend to cut it down into all sorts of shapes. Sometimes the stone is cut so that you can see the inside. Other times, the stone is ground and polished so that you can see as much of the beautiful layers inside of the stone as possible.
Unlike other gems, there is not one shape that you are looking for, like you might with a diamond. Fire agate is a gemstone that usually starts out quite large and is cut down in size for what it needs to be used for.
That means, though, that you should have a lot of freedom to find a gemstone that fits the exact purpose that you want it for. You may also be able to find someone who is willing to shape the stone to the size that you want it. Look either for private sellers or for pawned jewelry.
Just be careful that the stone is not too cut up. If the stone gets cut up too much, you'll lose some of the layers that make the stone so unique and the end result will be a dull stone that doesn't shine with a rainbow of colors when it is hit by light.