Terra Agate Gemstone Beads

Frequently asked questions

• Is terra agate dyed?

  Most of our current terra agate strands are dyed, and most have also been heat-treated to set the color — the vivid blues, reds, and greens in this collection are dye-derived rather than natural to the rock. A smaller share of stock is natural earth-tone banded agate (cream, brown, ochre, tan), labeled "natural" on the product page where applicable. Treatment status is disclosed per strand.
• Where does terra agate come from?

  Our current terra agate stock is China-sourced banded agate across all active strands. "Terra agate" is a trade name rather than a deposit-specific label, so the same trade name can in principle apply to material from other origins, but the modern commercial bead market under this name is dominated by Chinese-sourced material that has been dyed and heat-treated.
• What's the difference between natural terra agate and dyed terra agate?

  The simplest test is the palette. Natural banded agate sits in a muted earth-tone range — cream, brown, ochre, tan, soft gray, soft rust. Anything in the vivid range — electric blue, saturated red, neon green, fluorescent purple — is dyed. Both are true agate at the mineral level (microcrystalline quartz, Mohs 6.5–7); the dye is a surface treatment that changes color without affecting the underlying chalcedony.
• How durable is terra agate, and how should I care for the dyed strands?

  Mohs 6.5–7, the standard for the chalcedony family — durable enough for any jewelry application including rings. For dyed strands, mild-soap-and-soft-cloth care preserves dye stability best; avoid ultrasonics, steam cleaning, and prolonged solvent exposure. Sustained UV can fade some dyed lots over years, so store finished pieces out of direct sunlight when not worn. Natural earth-tone strands have no treatment-specific care concerns.
• What sizes and cuts are available?

  Current stock spans 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 14mm, 25mm, and 30mm — the wider size distribution at the top end (25mm and 30mm) indicates focal and specimen beads alongside the standard strand sizes. Cuts include round and faceted; specifics are listed per product. The 16-inch strand is the default; check the product page for per-strand bead count and drill size.