Jasper is commonly shaped into beads in use in necklaces or bracelets. Because most jasper contains patterns and spots, jasper jewelry is often unique, with not two being exactly alike. Jasper gemstones can be used in different types of jewelry, whether chic and classic or boho and hippie. Depending on who you ask, the origins of this name can be either from Ancient Greek, Arabic, Hebrew, Latin or from Old French, although some even think that it just comes from the English name “Jasper”. The name Jasper means “spotted or speckled stone”. That’s probably because it’s not a precious gemstone, with its uses extending to other products such as such as vases, snuff boxes and seals. We’ll talk about Jasper types in more detail below.įunnily enough, jasper is often underappreciated outside of the jewelry industry. Some of the more famous types of Jasper gemstones to look for include Biggs Jasper, African Jasper, Brazilian Jasper, Imperial Jasper, Carrasite Jasper, Jasper Beads, Mookaite Jasper, Kambaba Jasper, Ocean Jasper, Noreena Jasper, Picture Jasper and Zebra Jasper. For example, the most famous jasper variety, red jasper, gets its hue from the presence of iron.īecause of their unique chemical makeup, Jasper gemstones can come in literally thousands of variations based not just on their color but also on their geographical origin, their patterns, their shape, and so on. It’s an opaque variety of silica and it usually contains up to 20% of foreign materials which are what give the Jasper gemstone its many color variations.

The Jasper gemstone is an aggregate of multigranular chalcedony or quartz – different specialists categorize it differently, especially when it comes to its multiple variations.

Zebra jasper