Jasper Cabochons

Jasper cabochon stones are Chalcedony gemstones.

Chalcedony (kal SED' nee) is any form of microcrystalline quartz, where the crystals are too small to be seen without high magnification.

However, in the rock world, only the translucent or transparent, single color types are sold as "chalcedony stones". Most of the other semi precious stones fall under the Agate or Jasper category.

Jasper is considered a semi precious stone.

Where Agates tend to be at least slightly translucent and generally have a banded or defined pattern, Jasper usually refers to an opaque stone, with a solid color or an irregular display of colors caused by various mineral impurities.

Also Agates tend to be fibrous and Jaspers tend to be more granular.

The name Jasper is derived from the Greek word iaspis that means “spotted stone”.

Jaspers are found all over the world, with certain colors or patterns unique to particular localities.

The colors in Jaspers are caused by impurities present when it formed, most notably hematite, limonite, goethite and chlorite.

Banded Jaspers usually display colors in layers, Eye Jaspers have orbs or "eyes" and Landscape Jasper is another term for Picture Rock, or rock that displays a landscape scenery.

Often times the name Jasper is given to stone materials that aren't really jasper, but may be a rhyolite or a chert.

True Jasper cabochons have a hardness of 6.5 to 7 and they take an excellent polish, are trouble free to care for, and perfect for use as jewelry stones.

Most Jasper stones are named after their colors or their appearance, for instance Poppy Jasper (orbs or flowers), Dalmatian Jasper (white with black spots), or Zebra Jasper (black and white striped).

Sometimes Jasper is named for where it comes from, for instance Mookaite Jasper (Mooka Station in Australia), Bruneau Jasper or Owyhee Jasper.

Jasper was a favorite in the ancient world, and can be traced back in Hebrew, Assyrian, Persian, Greek & Latin. People of the 4th century called it a "rain-bringer". It was used to drive away evil spirits and protect against snake and spider bites.

Jasper is one of the oldest names of known minerals, and was even mention several times in the Bible.

Metaphysical Properties of Jasper Cabochons:

Jasper cabochons are said to have a stabilizing effect, and help one take all one's energy and use it in a balanced manner. Jasper in general is also said to be a stone that helps in all areas of survival, and is a very protective stone.

Learn more about Agate Stone Cabochons.

At BarlowsGems we specialize in rare and unique Jasper cabochons. We travel the world looking for striking patterns and bright colors. We personally orientate each Jasper cabochon to get the best possible pattern. Each Jasper cabochon is hand cut and polished. Please check out all the cabochons we have by exploring our store.

For more information about a specific Jasper click on the category or you can search for a jasper cabochon by name and you can search by shapes or colors.