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Polka Dot Agate
Polka Dot Agate is silicate (chalcedony), SiO2 (cryptocrystalline). In the hand, it rates 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, and it runs cream to caramel ground and red. Opaque creamy chalcedony peppered with crisp round dots of red, chocolate, and black, like a candy-spotted cookie.
The geology.
Polka Dot Agate carries the formula SiO2 (cryptocrystalline). It belongs to the trigonal (cryptocrystalline) system. The trade files it under silicate (chalcedony).
It sits at 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. The surface reads waxy to vitreous on polish. Light behaviour is translucent to opaque. Specific gravity runs 2.58 to 2.64. The streak is white. It breaks with conchoidal fracture.
Opaque creamy chalcedony peppered with crisp round dots of red, chocolate, and black, like a candy-spotted cookie.
Common cuts are cabochons, polished slabs or rough.
The origins.
Priday Ranch area near Madras, Jefferson County, Oregon, USA; fee-dig claims supply the trade.
On value, the database notes: mid-range; blue-zoned Oregon material runs higher.
Traditional associations.
In energy work traditions, associated with lighthearted joy and scattering worry.
Included for completeness. Tradition is worth knowing about, and it is worth keeping separate from the mineralogy.
Spotting the real thing.
Opaque creamy chalcedony peppered with crisp round dots of red, chocolate, and black, like a candy-spotted cookie.
Not faked; name confusion with Dalmatian stone is the main retail mix-up.
| Looks like | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|
| Dalmatian stone | Dalmatian stone is an igneous rock with black tourmaline spots and softer feldspar ground; polka dot agate scratches glass everywhere |
| Leopard skin jasper | Leopard skin shows ringed eye-spots and rosettes; polka dot agate dots are solid filled circles |
| Ocean jasper | Ocean jasper orbs have concentric rings; polka dots are plain spheres without rings |
At-home tests.
These checks cost nothing. Daylight, a 10x loupe and a little patience are the whole kit for polka dot agate.
| Test | What you should see |
|---|---|
| Scratch check | Scratches glass (Mohs 6.5 to 7) |
| By eye | Dots are spherical through the stone, not surface paint |
| Under UV | Cream ground glows faintly translucent at edges |
Stop short of anything that leaves a mark. A gemologist can answer the rest without damaging the stone.
Care & handling.
At 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale it handles careful wear but scratches against quartz and dust. Store it separately and take rings off before rough work.
It breaks with conchoidal fracture, which is worth knowing before you set it or drop it.
Skip the ultrasonic. Lukewarm water, mild soap and a soft cloth handle routine cleaning without risk.
A deeper look.
Extended detail on composition, sourcing, authentication and market value.
The physical record
The formula on record is SiO2 (cryptocrystalline). Crystal system: Trigonal (cryptocrystalline). Specific gravity: 2.58 to 2.64. Streak: White. Cleavage and fracture: Conchoidal fracture.
How it reaches the market
Priday Ranch area near Madras, Jefferson County, Oregon, USA; fee-dig claims supply the trade.
What it gets confused with
Dalmatian stone: Dalmatian stone is an igneous rock with black tourmaline spots and softer feldspar ground; polka dot agate scratches glass everywhere. Leopard skin jasper: Leopard skin shows ringed eye-spots and rosettes; polka dot agate dots are solid filled circles. Ocean jasper: Ocean jasper orbs have concentric rings; polka dots are plain spheres without rings.
What it is worth
Mid-range; blue-zoned Oregon material runs higher.
Where buyers get caught
Not faked; name confusion with Dalmatian stone is the main retail mix-up.
One more thing
The dots are tiny spherulites of iron and manganese bearing silica that crystallized like suspended droplets in the gel before it hardened.
An education-first guide.
We do not carry polka dot agate. This page exists because the question comes up and the honest answer is worth writing down, whether or not there is anything here to sell you.
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