Bloodstone

by Julie Lee of Julie's Jewelry Design, LLC.

    Bloodstone is the gem for the astrological sign Aries and is an alternative birthstone for the month of March.

    Bloodstone, also known as Heliotrope, is an opaque dark green chalcedony with red spots. Included hornblende needles produce the green color and the red spots are caused by iron oxide.

    As you may remember from last month's article, chalcedony is a gemstone species named for the ancient seaport of Chalcedon. There are many varieties of chalcedony and it is found in every country. It's wide ranges of colors and markings and low cost make it a popular gemstone choice.

    Bloodstone is one of the many varieties of chalcedony. It is used often as a seal in men's rings and for other ornamental objects. The primary sources of bloodstone are Australia, Brazil, and India.

    The red spots in this stone lead to many blood-related legends. Early Christian legends held that the red spots were from Jesus' blood that fell on a piece of jasper at the foot of the Cross.

    The spots suggested its use as yet another cure for bleeding. Like many red stones, it was said to check the flow of blood. Among the legends is the case of author Giorgio Vasari (1514-1578). While painter Luca Signorelli was placing one of his pictures in a church, Vasari, who was present, was seized with a violent hemorrhage and fainted away. Without hesitation Signorelli took from his pocket a bloodstone amulet and slipped it down between Vasari's shoulder blades. The hemorrhage is said to have ceased immediately.

    Another legend is of a gentleman in London who was much afflicted with nosebleeds. A gentlewoman sent him a bloodstone, directing him to wear it suspended from his neck. From the time he put it on he was no longer troubled with his malady. It recurred however if he removed the stone.

    The Indians of New Spain used bloodstone, often cut into heart shapes, as a remedy. It was believed to have worked best to check hemorrhages when the stone was first dipped in cold water and then held by the patient in his right hand.

    Other benefits said to be related to bloodstone are that it could magically smooth discord, soothe the wrath of kings, and mixed with honey would remove tumors. It was also thought to foretell the future and dye water red. From this arose the notion that bloodstone turned the sun blood-red and caused violent storms.

    Bloodstone is available to you from us in dark green with red to brownish spots in medium dome cabochons and buff top cuts. We currently carry it in round, oval, octagon, and cushion shapes. Also available are oval scarabs cur and carved from bloodstone. The scarabs are available in 8x6, 10x8, 12x10, and 14x10 mm sizes.

Julie Lee is a web designer and founder of Julie's Jewelry Design, LLC.  Julie's Jewels is a Texas based retail jewelry company specializing in high quality, affordable jewelry pieces created to be treasured for a lifetime. 

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