Agate

From the Greek akhatês, agate takes its name from the Achates, a river in Sicily where it was once found in abundance. Today, it is commonly sourced from Brazil, Uruguay, Quebec and the United States. Agate appears in many varieties — blue lace agate, dendritic agate, fire agate and moss agate — and is widely used in jewellery and silversmithing, as well as in fields such as chemistry and ceramics thanks to its resistance to abrasion. Across different cultures, agate has long been associated with symbolic qualities. Some traditions believe that it encourages grounding and good fortune, supporting emotional, physical and intellectual balance. It is also thought by some to bring calm and resilience. Used by designers such as Anaconda and Talkative, agate exists in a rich palette of colours: green, red, yellow, blue and black.