The question arises: how does the primary pattern of tree agate rings come into being?
In response to this question, it is essential to note that when silica crystals exist in a gel-like state, manganese dioxide grows dendritically, crystallizes, and then the silica gel state solidifies. This delay in crystallization between the two structures leads to the creation and preservation of these patterns inside the stones. Subsequently, the gem cutter, by discerning the path and layers of the pattern, engages in cutting the stone. Here, the expertise and artistic flair of the lapidary come into play, extracting beautiful patterns from within the stone and enhancing its beauty.
The formation process involves manganese dioxide and silicon dioxide crystallizing and freezing within close pH ranges. Manganese dioxide crystallizes slightly faster than the silica crystal network.