So far one of the most beautiful stones in the collection, its colors are really amazing, to think that nature can create certain works of art by mixing its own elements is simply wonderful.
The blue agate is a sub-variety of chalcedony quartz, it's presented in concentric layers that alternate between white and blue, the latter very intense.
It is generally formed in the cavities of volcanic rocks in which hot solutions rich in silica are filtered.
The variations in the impurities of the solutions and the conditions in which the minerals are deposited give rise to the different layers.
If the cooling time of the solution is slow, micro quartz crystals can be produced in the central zone, while if it is fast, the crystals will be microscopic.
Many of those that can be found on the market are immersed, under vacuum, in a dye solution that penetrates the tissue of the micro quartz crystals in greater or lesser quantities, depending on the porosity of the mineral layers.
The best way to differentiate natural blue agates from those treated is to observe the uniformity and sharpness of the blue coloration, properties that appear more defined in natural agates.
The agate, especially the blue one, is a gem very appreciated in China and India thanks to the decorative importance that this stone has in Buddhism and Feng Shui (ancient art of divination by means of the earth, called geomantic, Taoist of China).
In the West it was a gem much appreciated during the Renaissance, from this period come came cameos (jewels made through the engraving of a layered stone) of blue agate, made with delicate carvings whose aesthetic value has been maintained to this day.
It is a microcrystalline variety of quartz that forms in volcanic rocks. The blue color of this stone is due to the small amounts of manganese oxide contained in the form of inclusions in quartz crystals.
There are some that are obtained artificially, for this purpose we use agates that are not very conspicuous, in which a blue coloring solution is vacuum-packed into the thin weave of quartz crystals.
The results are so good that it is not always easy to distinguish artificial blue agates from authentic ones, it is one of the most used gems in gems therapy, being associated with serenity and tranquility.
It is often used as a decorative element in working environments. This one comes from Brazil and its blue color is natural. Observing it carefully, you can admire the white and brown streaks or veins that surround it and that can be of different thickness.
Actually, has streaks of a wide range of colors and, in some cases, the chromatic contrasts that shine on the same specimen make it a stone of particular beauty thanks to the serenity it infuses and its beauty.
Together with other blue gems such as lapis lazuli or sapphire, it is also used in the treatment of throat infections and to keep feverish states under control.
