{"product_id":"agate-slice-coasters","title":"Agate Slice Coasters - Set of 4, 8-10 cm, Dyeing Stated Per Colour","description":"\u003cp\u003eFour slices cut from natural agate and polished flat, 8–10 cm across and\nabout 120 g each. Agate forms in bands, so each slice shows a different pattern,\na different outline and a slightly different thickness. They are not cut to match\nand they will not match.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTwo of the four colours are natural and two are dyed, and we say which.\u003c\/strong\u003e\nWhite sand and amber are the stone's own colour. Blue and purple are dyed – agate\ndoes not occur in vivid blue or purple at this price, and any seller implying\notherwise is guessing or hoping you will not ask. A dyed slice is still real agate\nand still a good object; the problem in this category is never the dye, it is the\nsilence about it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHow to check it yourself: hold a slice up to a lamp. Dye soaks into the porous\nbands and stops dead at the dense ones, so the colour follows the banding in hard\nsteps. Natural colour grades instead of stopping.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWho this is for\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou want coasters that are objects rather than a matched set of discs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou like that each one is different and you are not going to be annoyed by it\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou want to know which colours were dyed before you buy, not after\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWho this is \u003cstrong\u003enot\u003c\/strong\u003e for\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYou want four that match.\u003c\/strong\u003e They are slices of different stones.\nBanding, outline and thickness all vary. This is the single most common complaint\nabout agate coasters and it is not a fault, it is what they are.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYou want a trivet.\u003c\/strong\u003e These are for drinks. Agate can crack from\nthermal shock – do not put a hot pan or a pot straight off the hob on one.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYou have a delicate table and will not use felt pads.\u003c\/strong\u003e These ship\nwith no backing. Polished stone is harder than a lacquered or waxed surface and will\nmark it if dragged. Stick-on felt dots cost almost nothing and solve it permanently.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYou want a perfectly flat, level disc.\u003c\/strong\u003e A natural slice has a\nslight thickness variation across it. A wine glass will sit fine; a full, brimmed\nglass may not sit dead level.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFour agate slices in the colour you choose, 8–10 cm across, approx. 120 g each\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFoam sleeved and boxed. No gift packaging, no felt pads\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eDetails\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNatural agate, sawn and polished. Round to oval, edges follow the stone\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e8–10 cm across, approx. 120 g per slice, approx. 480 g for the set\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhite sand and amber are undyed. Blue and purple are dyed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWipe with a damp cloth. Agate is quartz-family and hard, so a rinse does nothing\nto it – but dry it rather than leaving it wet on wood\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDrinks only. Not heatproof, no backing supplied\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDecorative stone. We make no claims about health, mood, luck or energy\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFAQ\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ch4\u003eAre these dyed?\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eTwo of the four colours are. White sand and amber are the stone's own colour; blue and purple are dyed. Agate does not occur in vivid blue or purple at this price.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eHow can I tell a dyed slice from a natural one?\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eHold it to a lamp. Dye soaks into the porous bands and stops at the dense ones, so the colour changes in hard steps that follow the banding. Natural colour grades instead.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eWill the four slices match?\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo. They are cut from different stones, so banding, outline and thickness all vary. That is what an agate slice is, and it is the most common complaint in this category.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eCan I put a hot pan on one?\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo. These are drinks coasters. Agate can crack from thermal shock, so keep pots and pans off them.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eWill they scratch my table?\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eThey can. There is no felt or cork backing, and polished stone is harder than a lacquered or waxed surface. Stick-on felt dots fix it for a couple of dollars.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eHow big are they really?\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003e8 to 10 cm across and about 120 g each - roughly the footprint of a mug base. The set of four weighs about 480 g.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eDo they absorb condensation?\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo. Polished agate is not porous, so a wet glass leaves the water on the stone rather than in it. Wipe it off; do not leave the slice sitting wet on wood.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eDo agate coasters do anything?\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eThey keep a glass off the table. We make no claims about health, mood, luck or energy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhich colours are dyed, and how to check: \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/agate-coaster-guide\"\u003eagate coasters, dyed or natural\u003c\/a\u003e – the lamp test, a colour-by-colour table, and what a slice survives.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWorried about dye generally? \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/real-or-fake-crystals\"\u003eHow to tell if a crystal is real\u003c\/a\u003e – five tests you can do by hand.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhy a slice is cheap and a sphere is not: \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/crystal-shapes-guide\"\u003ecrystal shapes explained\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWant a plated edge? \u003ca href=\"\/products\/agate-coasters-gold-edge\"\u003eAgate coasters with a gold edge\u003c\/a\u003e, set of 4 at $54.99. The rim is electroplated, not solid metal.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Earvia","offers":[{"title":"White sand - natural","offer_id":67969201209567,"sku":"1688-935089115561-white-sand","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Amber - natural","offer_id":67969201242335,"sku":"1688-935089115561-red","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Blue - dyed","offer_id":67969201275103,"sku":"1688-935089115561-blue","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Purple - dyed","offer_id":67969201307871,"sku":"1688-935089115561-purple","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0823\/7177\/2639\/files\/img_00_8a3e04b9-2cb3-42ca-b337-d20bf6c120ab.webp?v=1791771247","url":"https:\/\/earvia.co\/products\/agate-slice-coasters","provider":"Earvia","version":"1.0","type":"link"}