Agates in Jewelry - Common and Cheap - But Beautiful!

Agates are found all over the globe and are commonly used to make sterling pendants, brooches, other jewelry. Agates are a form of silica with crystals that are so tiny that they cannot be seen by the naked eye or even under moderate magnification. Impurities within the silica matrix give the stones interesting colors and patterns. They are found in many colors and patterns, with blues and greens being some of the less common colors. Agates from Botswana are famous for their very bright colors and intricate patters. While they are more expensive than other less colorful agates, Botswana agates are still relatively inexpensive when compared to other gemstones. The presence of iron oxide in silica gives the stone orange to brownish-orange colors. These specimens are called fire agates and are commonly found in South America and Mexico.