Moss agate is a clear to milky chalcedony filled with green, mossy-looking tendrils. Here is the fun part: there is no actual moss involved, and technically it is not even a true agate, since it lacks banding. The greenery is mineral, mostly chlorite and hornblende, that crept into the silica as it hardened, freezing tiny forests and meadows in stone. India is the classic source, with more material from the USA, Australia and Brazil. Eighteenth-century farmers in Europe considered it a lucky stone for good crops.
With chalcedony's hardness of 6.5 to 7 and no cleavage, moss agate is an easy, durable choice for rings, pendants and beads. It is cut in cabochons, slices and gentle freeforms, since the point is to look into the scene rather than watch light sparkle. Each stone is a one-off landscape, which makes choosing one a pleasure. Care is simple: warm, soapy water and a soft cloth, and it will keep its tiny garden green for a lifetime.
Lodolite is its quartz cousin with similar garden scenes locked inside.
