RUBYCA Grey Agate Natural Gemstone Beads Agate is the name given to numerous varieties of banded Chalcedony, a mineral of the Quartz family. Its name comes from the Achetes River in Sicily, where Agates were first found.Gemstone Jewelry Care and Cleaning: Gemstones can be cleaned very easily using warm soapy water and a soft brush. Keeping in mind about the stone's hardness and durability, be sure to not use any other objects that are harder than it for scrubbing or cleaning. As with most gemstones, you should not use any household chemicals when caring or cleaning your beads and should avoid any prolonged exposure to extreme of heat as it may cause permanent damage to the gemstone. Your Natural Gemstone Beads should be kept away from other gemstones and jewelry to ensure unnecessary damage or scratching from other harder gemstones.