More than you ever wanted to know about Bloodstone

This edition of my ongoing series of blog posts about gem and mineral fact, fiction and lore, features bloodstone.

Heliotrope is sometimes called bloodstone or blood jasper in the jewelry trades. However, heliotrope is not jasper at all. It is a dark green chalcedony with red spots. Hornblende needles impart the green color and the red spots are colored by iron oxide. Hematite is often called blood stone as well because when its being cut it turns the lubricant bright red.

Lore

“Because it is green, it is utilized in wealth, money, and business spells. A bloodstone kept in the cash register draws money. Carried in the pocket or purse, or worn, it also attracts wealth. In this regard, since food and money are magically connected, it was a farmer’s talisman in the Middle Ages, worn during planting to increase the yield of crops.” 1

“Other beliefs concerning this common stone abounded in the Middle Ages. Rubbed with the juice of the herb heliotrope, the stone would make the wearer invisible.” 2

“A bat, represented on a heliotrope or blood stone, gives the wearer power over demons and helps incantations.” 3

“[Bloodstone]. . . is a general healing stone and stimulant. Carry it to enrich iron-poor, tired blood or to help balance other blood-related disorders. Hold bloodstone against a bleeding would to staunch the flow of blood.” 4

In ancient times stones with the color red in them were thought to work as antidotes to poison.

Blood stone is a birth stone under the sign of Aries; and is a birthstone for the month of March.

1) Bruce G. Knuth “Gems in Myth Legend and Lore“ pg. 53

2) George Frederick Kunz “The Curious Lore of Precious Stones” pg. 133

3) Marguerite Elsbeth “Crystal Medicine (More Crystals and New Age)“ pg. 153

4) Scott Cunningham “Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic“ pg. 92

More than you ever wanted to know about Bertrandite

This edition of my ongoing series of blog posts about gem and mineral fact, fiction and lore, features bertrandite.  Opalized flourite

Bertrandite, sometimes called tiffany stone or ice cream opalite, is beryllium silicate hydroxide, in everyday language you’d call it opalized fluorite. It is only recently that it has come on scene in the mainstream jewelry industry. Once you have seen it’s easy to see why it is gaining in popularity. Bertrandite does look like ice cream, blueberry. I don’t think I’d take a bite though; it’s an ore of beryllium.

I do not know the date of its discovery; however, it is not listed in my 1915 copy of “Dana’s Manual of Mineralogy”, the standard mineralogy text of its day. Scanty information is available on the internet.

Bertrandite’s hardness is about 4; which makes it unacceptable for use in rings but fine for pendants and earrings.

Lore

Said to be called tiffany stone because some stones look like the patterns in tiffany glass. Some think that it is a reference to Tiffany Co., the New York jewelry store.

Because of its recent (in historical terms) discovery one has to look to the minerals that combine to make bertrandite to better understand its metaphysical properties.

Bertrandite “. . . can assist one in conservatism in judgment, in generosity with respect to favour, and in stimulating the growth of appreciation” 1

A number of the references say that bertrandite is a stone for business and business success. Most agree that it has a beneficial effect on the third eye chakra. It is also said that bertrandite can boost the sex drive and enhance sexual experience.

1) A. Melody "Love is in the Earth- A Kaleidoscope of Crystals" pg. 79