The glow of a true rock star

For those who admire the beauty of geological specimens, crystalline quartz and selenite lamps provide soft, refracted light -- but banded agate really puts on a colorful show. The richly veined, translucent stone, which crystal healers believe helps promote self-confidence and vitality, has already found favor as coasters and plates. Now, designer Patrick Dragonette has transformed the mineral into an artful table lamp. Mounted on a bronze base and armature, it has one bulb that illuminates the agate and two beneath the custom linen shades and is wired so that each bulb can be switched on separately. At just over 2 feet tall, the smallest of three sizes is $1,650. The largest, Le Grand Agate, shown here, is 3 1/2 feet tall and costs $3,500 at Dragonette Ltd., 711 N. La Cienega Blvd., L.A., (310) 855-9091, www.dragonetteltd.com.