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One of my first pieces of jewelry was a bloodstone pendant, my father gave me, set in a simple four prong silver mounting. The piece was particularly special because the red specks formed two dancers beneath a glowing orange moon. For me, this stone symbolizes freedom of expression, beauty of nature, and the ability to just "let go"!
We have a special love for bloodstone here at Market Square because of its rich historical significance in antique jewelry and the way it creates pictures with its forms and colors.
Here at MSJ, we have a love for all stones that display themselves as art, like bloodstone. We find beauty/art/pleasure in so many gemstones that the earth has given us to enjoy!
View our current bloodstone collection here, and keep reading to learn about the history and characteristics of this fascinating stone.
Often found in Victorian era jewelry from the turn of the century, bloodstone's deep green color looks fantastic against the luster of the rose gold of the era. We will sometimes find original Victorian pieces with bloodstone, but often these gemstones are scratched, damaged or broken and they need to be replaced. Our collection of German cut bloodstone has been used to replace these stones to bring the antique pieces back to their original condition.
We also have a fantastic gem polisher, who can re-polish and buff nicks and scratches from worn stones. Read about our repair services here.
The most beautiful bloodstone is material that has a dark green solid background with a high contrast of blood-red specks - this is the kind of material we are always looking to purchase. Our stash has dramatically decreased since we came online in 2013 - bloodstone has an unbelievable following.
Bloodstone is a jasper calcedony, meaning it belongs in the same family as onyx, carnelian, sardonyx, etc. The finest material is opaque, but it can be identified as semi-translucent.
Though our best gem-grade bloodstone is set into fine gold, we do have sterling silver pieces with bloodstone. These larger cabochons often have other colors in addition to the red and green, such as brown and orange. To view our sterling silver pieces with bloodstone, stop into one of our brick and mortar locations.
Red inclusions of iron oxide, or red jasper, dispersed throughout the stone can range from red to brown in color. It is the bright red, drop shaped inclusions that give the stone the name "bloodstone". Some varieties of bloodstone contain ‘plasma’, or bluish-gray to yellow streaks and spots; however the finest bloodstone is a deep, nearly black shade of green with distinct red flakes.
Bloodstone is an ancient gem, regarded throughout history as having assorted powerful metaphysical powers. Once the only birthstone for March, bloodstone remains an alternative to aquamarine, and is the primary zodiac stone for the sign of Aries.
The original name for bloodstone is heliotrope, or ‘Sun Turner’ in the original Greek. Pliny the Elder, a Roman naturalist, used a mirror made of bloodstone to view solar eclipses nearly 2000 years ago!
Bloodstone has long been used in symbolic and talismanic jewelry. One of the most significant gems of the Christian scriptures, one story states that the red drops formed as the blood of Christ dripped from the cross and fell upon the ground. This legend has prompted the use of Bloodstone in many Christian cameos, intaglios and signet rings, especially during the turn of the century.
Other thoughts on Bloodstone include the belief that wearing it makes one courageous and wealthy, while metaphysical attributes include: clairvoyance, to guard against deception, to aid in decision making and to aid blood in clotting, specifically after a wound. It is said that those who wear bloodstone receive respect and that "all doors are open to the wearer". Sounds like a good stone to keep around and wear often! I think it's time I pull out my moon-lit dancers from my jewelry box and wear them for a while!
To view these and all of our other bloodstone jewelry, click here.
