Lucky elephant — Crazy lace agate

A festival of reds, creams and whites coiled into disordered swirls — the most exuberant of the agates.

A piece carved from the solid block and then hand-polished; the motif follows the natural veins of the stone, so no two examples fall the same way on the design.

In tradition. Nicknamed "the laughter stone", tradition links it to joy and to lightness regained.

The symbol. The elephant, trunk raised, is a motif of luck and long memory shared by India and South-East Asia.

In practice. A piece for a cabinet, a desk or a shelf, it stands on its own. Dust with a dry cloth; avoid water on pieces with soft veining.

• It comes almost exclusively from northern Mexico, where volcanic flows folded its bands.
• A natural piece: shade, veining and dimensions vary from one example to the next

A decorative object for personal practice. It is no substitute for medical advice or treatment.