Judging quality
The best pieces have deep, even green and distinct scarlet flecks rather than brown smears. Solid, un-fractured material takes a mirror polish.
Chalcedony
Bloodstone
Dark green chalcedony flecked with red jasper. Also called heliotrope, it is one of the traditional March birthstones.
Care
Very durable. Wash with soap and water.
History & lore
Medieval lapidaries held that the red flecks were drops of blood fallen on jasper at the Crucifixion, hence the name.
Cultural history, recorded as tradition rather than as medical or scientific claim.
Common questions about Bloodstone
- What is Bloodstone?
- Dark green chalcedony flecked with red jasper. Also called heliotrope, it is one of the traditional March birthstones.
- How hard is Bloodstone and what is it made of?
- Bloodstone is a Chalcedony-family mineral with the composition SiO2. It crystallizes in the trigonal system and rates 6.5-7 on the Mohs hardness scale. It occurs in green, red.
- Where does Bloodstone come from?
- Notable localities for Bloodstone include India, Brazil, Madagascar.
- How do you tell good Bloodstone from filler?
- The best pieces have deep, even green and distinct scarlet flecks rather than brown smears. Solid, un-fractured material takes a mirror polish.
- How do you care for Bloodstone?
- Very durable. Wash with soap and water.
See it in person
Photographs only go so far
Both rooms are open six days a week, and there is always someone happy to pull pieces out of the case so you can compare them under the light.