Bloodstone Value, Price, and Jewelry Informa on

“Sterling silver ring with bloodstone inlay” by Jessa and Mark Anderson. Licensed under CC By 2.0.

Also known as heliotrope, bloodstone is the tradi onal March birthstone. This dark green, opaque chalcedony with red to orange spots is a variety of plasm
gemstone.

Bloodstone Value
The Interna onal Gem Society (IGS) has a list of businesses offering gemstone appraisal services.

Bloodstone Informa on
DATA VALUE

Name Bloodstone

Is a Variety of Chalcedony

Crystallography  Hexagonal, microcrystalline.

Refrac ve Index  1.530-1.543

Colors  Dark green body with red to orange spots

Luster  Waxy.

Polish Luster  Dull to vitreous.

Fracture  Conchoidal
DATA VALUE

Hardness  6.5-7

Specific Gravity  2.55-2.70

Birefringence  0.003 to 0.009

Cleavage  None

Dispersion  None.

Wearability  Good

Transparency  Opaque.

Birthstone  March (tradi onal).

Pleochroism  None.

Op cs  Uniaxial (+)

Etymology The red spots may look like drops of blood. The name “heliotrope” is from the Ancient Greek helios and tropein for "sun" and "turning." According to the anci
natural historian Pliny the Elder, this stone gives a red reflec on when turned to face the sun while immersed in water.

Inclusions  Ac nolite, hornblende needles, iron oxides.

Sterling silver necklace with five 8 x 10 mm cushion-cut bloodstones. © CustomMade. Used with permission.
 “Polish Heliotrope, polished, Gmina Mieroszów” by Adam Ognisty. Licensed under CC By 3.0.

Comments
Although bloodstones can be faceted, they are more o en cabbed or carved. Like other members of the quartz family, the stone’s hardness makes it an exc
choice for a jewelry stone. The combina on of deep green and blood red results in a visually striking material.
 A German snu ox, ca 1740, made from bloodstone and gold. 3.8 x 8.3 x 6.4 cm. Gi of Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, 2008. Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New York. Public Domain. (Cropped to show detail).

Bloodstones have developed a rich folklore throughout the centuries, par cularly through sympathe c associa ons with blood. For example, the mineralog
folklorist George F. Kunz relates how these gems have been considered par cularly effec ve against hemorrhages. They have also come to symbolize brave
perhaps through their associa ons with blood, vitality, and the Roman god Mars. Bloodstone is the tradi onal birthstone for March, the month named a er
god of war. During the Middle Ages, Chris ans also associated the gem with martyrdom and the crucifixion of Christ.

This page from A Christmas Ring, an American book on birthstones from 1879, extols the courageous virtues of March’s “tutelary gem,”
bloodstone. No known copyright restric ons.

Iden fying Characteris cs

Bloodstone’s body color is darker than fellow green chalcedonies such as chrysoprase and prase. Bloodstone’s opacity is caused by inclusions of ac nolite o
hornblende needles.
The red to orange spots dis nguish bloodstones from plasma gemstones. The presence of iron oxides, such as hema te, cause these spots. However, some
bloodstones may have few or no such spots.

This cup was carved from bloodstone in 1557 by the Milanese ar st Gasparo Miseroni. “Cup in the
Form of a Shell by Gasparo Miseroni (Kremlin exhibi on, Moscow 2011)” by shakko. Licensed under CC
By-SA 3.0.

Synthe cs
Although no synthe c bloodstones are known, gem buyers may encounter imita ons or simulants. In par cular, glass pieces can mimic bloodstone’s colors.
example, the Japanese glass manufacturer Iimori has produced a green “maple stone” with red “flowers” that resembles bloodstone. However, despite appe
glass and bloodstones have very different proper es. A microscopic analysis reveals the “flowers” differ significantly from bloodstone spots.

Sources
Currently, India is the largest producer of bloodstones. Many locali es in the United States produce this gemstone, principally in California.

Other notable gem-quality sources include the following:

Australia; Brazil; Bulgaria; Canada; Czech Republic; Germany; Italy; Romania; Slovakia; South Africa.

“Italy, Florence, Holy Virgin and Jesus Christ, Heliotrope, ca 1560” by sailko. Licensed under CC By-SA
3.0.

Trade Names
Please note that chicken-blood stone and bloodstone are dis nct gem materials.
Blood Jasper
Although opaque, single color, oxide-stained chalcedonies are usually considered jaspers, bloodstone isn’t typically included in that category. It lacks the gra
structure also characteris c of jaspers.

“Mys c Journey” by Laura. Licensed under CC By 2.0.

Oriental Jasper
See the previous entry. Unfortunately, you can find many examples of this misleading naming prac ce that a empts to “exo cize” a familiar gem name.

Care
With no cleavage, a hardness of 6.5 to 7, and tough tenacity, bloodstones make excellent gemstones for any jewelry type. Thus, this gem requires no specia
and can handle mechanical cleaning. Nevertheless, mild detergent, warm water, and a so brush are a good choice for cleaning.
 Stone-set signet ring in 14k white gold with bloodstone and inset 1-ct princess-cut diamond. Also, a replica in sterling silver and cubic
zirconia (CZ ) to wear for ac vi es that might put the real thing at risk. (The bloodstone, however, needs no such “stunt double”). ©
CustomMade. Used with permission.

by Joel E. Arem, Ph.D., FGA, Interna onal Gem Society

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