Agate Gemstone Beads
Agate gemstones beads form from microscopic silica crystals. These conditions create the signature banded patterns that vary in color, opacity and translucence. This formation process makes Agate gemstones unique and distinct. Agates rank high in hardness which makes them popular in jewelry designs.
Facts: Agate gemstones have been popular throughout history. Dating far back to ancient civilizations who admired the fascinating patterns. Dakota Stones carries a large variety of Agate beads in different colors, patterns and cuts, sourced globally.
Metaphysical / Holistic: Agates are believed to promote inner stability, composure, and maturity. Their warm, protective properties encourage security and self-confidence, making these beads ideal for designers who appreciate both the visual and spiritual qualities of their materials.
Products: 271
Botswana Agate Natural 4X6mm Rondelle Faceted - Large Hole Beads
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsSilver Crazy Lace Agate 8mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Silver Crazy Lace Agate is a naturally occurring form of Crazy Lace Agate, a banded Chalcedony that is predominantly white with layers of brown, gr...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 6mm Natural Energy Prism Faceted - 15-16 Inch
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsSilver Crazy Lace Agate 6mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Silver Crazy Lace Agate is a naturally occurring form of Crazy Lace Agate, a banded Chalcedony that is predominantly white with layers of brown, gr...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 8x10mm Tri Cut Faceted Rondelle - 15-16 Inch
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 6x8mm Tri Cut Faceted Rondelle - 15-16 Inch
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsSilver Crazy Lace Agate 10mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Silver Crazy Lace Agate is a naturally occurring form of Crazy Lace Agate, a banded Chalcedony that is predominantly white with layers of brown, gr...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 8mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 10mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsSilver Crazy Lace Agate 4mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Silver Crazy Lace Agate is a naturally occurring form of Crazy Lace Agate, a banded Chalcedony that is predominantly white with layers of brown, gr...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 6mm Round - Large Hole Beads
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 8mm Round Faceted - Large Hole Beads
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsBotswana Agate Natural 6-7mm Table Cut Cube Bead - 15-16 Inch
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 6mm Round Faceted - Large Hole Beads
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsMexican Laguna Lace Agate 10mm Round - 15-16 inch
Mexican Laguna Lace Agate is one of the most prized agates in the world. It is a variety of banded Chalcedony with layers that may contain scarlet,...
View full detailsMexican Laguna Lace Agate 8mm Round - 15-16 inch
Mexican Laguna Lace Agate is one of the most prized agates in the world. It is a variety of banded Chalcedony with layers that may contain scarlet,...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 7x10 mm Table Cut Cube - 15-16 Inch
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 7x9-8x10mm Pebble - 15-16 Inch
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 6x8mm Triangle Cut Faceted Rice Bead - 15-16 Inch
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 10mm Round - 8-Inch
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 4mm Round - 8-Inch
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 6mm Round - 8-Inch
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 8mm Round - 8-Inch
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 7x8mm Faceted Round Nugget - 15-16 Inch
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsBotswana Agate 8mm Faceted Rondelle - 8-Inch
Botswana Agate displays highly defined parallel banding, usually in white on hues of brown, gray, pink, tan, apricot and purplish red. Botswana Aga...
View full detailsAbout this stone
Frequently asked questions
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What's the difference between agate and jasper?
Both are microcrystalline quartz (chalcedony). The diagnostic difference is translucence and banding: agate is typically translucent to semi-translucent with rhythmic crystalline bands, formed in cavities where silica-rich solutions deposited layer by layer. Jasper is opaque, colored by mineral inclusions (iron, manganese, organic matter), and typically lacks the rhythmic banding. The Mohs hardness (6.5–7), care profile, and underlying chemistry are essentially the same; the visual register is the buying decision. -
Is moss agate real agate?
Mineralogically, moss agate is dendritic chalcedony — it shares agate's chemistry but lacks the diagnostic banding. The trade has classified moss agate within the agate family for decades because the look, the polish, and the durability are essentially the same as banded agate. The trade name is what designers search; the technical name (dendritic chalcedony) appears on the variety page so designers know both terms. -
Are dzi beads real or ancient?
Authentic ancient dzi from the Tibetan plateau are essentially museum artifacts — they don't circulate in the commercial bead trade. Every dzi sold by every bead supplier today (Dakota included) is contemporary manufacture: agate or related chalcedony etched and dyed with the symbolic patterns from the original Tibetan tradition. These are beautiful beads with a meaningful aesthetic lineage; they are not 2,000-year-old artifacts. Sites describing modern dzi as "authentic" without clarifying provenance are conflating bead style with antiquity. -
Is agate dyed?
Most banded agates (Botswana, crazy lace, Lake Superior, Montana, Moroccan seam, terra) are sold natural — the bands are intrinsic. The exceptions in our catalog are dzi (universally dyed and etched) and druzy (frequently dyed). More broadly in the bead market, bright candy-color agates — electric blue, neon purple, magenta, fluorescent green — are dye signals; natural agate's palette is muted. Treatment should be disclosed per strand. -
How can I tell if an agate is dyed?
Three signals: color saturation (natural agate is muted earth/pastel tones — anything electric or neon is dyed), color uniformity (natural banding is irregular; dye that's too even is a tell), and dye creep at the drill hole (dye sometimes pools or migrates into the drill channel). The most reliable signal is buying from a supplier that discloses treatment per strand.