Jasper Buying Guide

by Madhubandi Rudra

Jasper is a fine grained variety of Chalcedony. In the circle of jewellery trade, jasper is also recognized by the names as, Stone Canyon, Leopard Skin, Poppy and Opelite. In nature Jasper occur as microcrystalline quartz which are made up of over twenty percent of foreign materials. In fact, the color and the overall appearance of the stone are determined by the presence of these foreign materials.

Color is a powerful element ruling our responses to the environment throughout the life. Different colors have different impact on our existence. Blue is soothing, green brings freshness, yellow makes us happy, red implies jubiliation.Probably, because of these strong influences of color, the importance and use of colored gemstones in jewellery designing are ever rising. If you have had enough gold and diamonds, it is now the high time that you opt for the more colorful options of semiprecious gemstones. These alluring gemstones would definitely sprinkle a dash of color to your wardrobe, but without burning a hole on your pocket. Lately many semiprecious gemstones have emerged as the show stealer, but few among them retained a consistent position on the popularity chart. Jasper acquires a position of pride among these few. This is because; jasper is a gem that heightens your spirit, just like the vibrance of the stone itself. An energetic rhythm is part of this gemstone, so much so that, it is difficult to stay unmoved and not get overwhelmed by all its aplomb and stimulus. May be for this reason you feel so much alive and full of energy whenever you flaunt a piece of jasper, in any range of its color.

The multiple shades of jasper give the impression, as if the creator had stolen colors from rainbow in the time of its creation. Although red and yellow are the most commonly used colors in Jasper jewelleries, they are also found in the shades like, green, pink, grey and bluish purple. The gems and jewelleries are the reflection of the finer and softer sides of human psychology and therefore, their beauty always inspires poetry among the men with an artistic bend of mind. But these elements of color and beauty emanating there from are the result of complicated chemistry that has nothing to do with poetry or beauty. But the prospective buyers of any gemstone should know the tidbits of the background and properties of the stone of his or her choice.

First of all, Jasper is a fine grained variety of Chalcedony. In the circle of jewellery trade, jasper is also recognized by the names as, Stone Canyon, Leopard Skin, Poppy and Opelite. In nature Jasper occur as microcrystalline quartz which are made up of over twenty percent of foreign materials. In fact, the color and the overall appearance of the stone are determined by the presence of these foreign materials. As for instance, bright brick red which is the most common color of Jasper, owes its source to admixed hematite. If the crystals occur in clay admixed, then the stone acquires a yellow or brownish shade. It is an important point to note that, uniform distribution of color in Jasper is rare. Jasper is basically a multicolored stone with stripes and spots on it. During the time of the formation, various organic elements and mineral oxides got trapped into it that are responsible for rendering the stone, various kinds of unusual patterns. These patterns often take the forms of landscapes and thus the name; “picture Jasper” came into existence.

Jasper is not a translucent stone; it is only after a skilled polish that the beauty of this stone starts to radiate. Cut is also important to bring out the best look. Cabochon cut suits it most and they are most commonly worn as beads. Jaspers are rather hard recording a score of 6.5 to 7 in the Mohs’ scale of hardness.

When history and legend are added to the beauty of any gemstone, the demand for the stone increases. Although not very expensive, Jasper has been always admired for its mystical powers. It has been admired worldwide for its magical power of protection. The stone that finds reference in the ancient Assyrian, Hebrew and Greek literature, was believed to carry curative properties against snake or spider bites. In early mediaeval, it was believed that jasper causes rain. In the List of Birthstones, Jasper has been assigned as the birthstone for the Sun sign of Virgo. From pure astrological aspect, it gives protection to the star sign of Aries. While blood red Jaspers were regarded as the “mother” of all gemstones, the green variety was used to cure kidney and gall bladder ailments. In general, Jasper is prescribed in all stomach related problems.

Style is a way of life and that gets reflected in the manners how the hip and modern women of today present themselves. Fashion today is a minimalist affair and that is also true of the jewelleries and other accessories. The jewellery designers have done a phenomenal job by using the colored gemstones’ legacy to create an ambience of elegance. By using these semi precious gemstones with gold, sterling silver and even platinum, they have finely integrated cosmopolitan posh elements with conventional. The colorful jaspers with various innovative cuts receive a new dimension when set into bracelets, necklaces or earrings. The net result is the synthesis of unique style and glamour which become quite irresistible.