The Crazy Lace
Agates ("Laguna Lace") may be one of best well-known
agates coming from a main mining site surrounded by many
smaller claims (different lace names) in northern
Mexico for they are widely used in many lapidary arts since
1950s. The name "Crazy Lace" refers to the irregular and
geometric patterns resulting from agates encrusting and
later replacing the large pointy calcite crystals lining the
fissures within the limestone hosts. Since the miners tend
to break up the Crazy Lace agate veins into clunks with
explosives and heavy machinery, any agates with whole
patterns are somewhat scarce. The typical colors are white
and gray, but but they can come in a wider spectrum of
colors (I have yet to see blue and purple color) and often
come with excellent shadowing effects. Recently, they have
been passed as "Laguna Lace" even they came from the same
pit with no relationship with the true Laguna Agates found
hundreds of kilometers away (marketing tactic that I
personally disapprove of). Since the agates tend to be
broken into clunks, it's not easy to obtain any agates with
whole patterns.
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Rough Appearance: Broken clunks with crazy banded
agates is a dead giveaway
Agates typically white, gray and yellow, but can come in
quite a spectrum of colors