Red Jasper: An Earthy, Everyday Stone

Jasper is a variety of chalcedony — microcrystalline quartz — colored by iron oxides and mineral impurities. Red jasper's warm brick tone comes from hematite inclusions. The Mindat entry covers the mineral chemistry.

At a glance

• Family: Chalcedony (microcrystalline quartz)
• Mohs hardness: 6.5–7
• Color: brick red, sometimes with cream or black veining
• Sources: global — India, Brazil, US, Australia

Why it's a great daily stone

• Nearly opaque — hides fingerprints and skin oil
• Uniform hardness — no soft spots to worry about
• Warm tone plays well with every metal
• Historically associated with grounding and stamina

Care

Warm water and mild soap. Jasper tolerates almost anything short of ultrasonic cleaning. See the cleaning walkthrough for the routine.

Styling

Red jasper anchors a warm-toned layering stack. Pair with tiger's eye and mahogany obsidian for a full earth-tone set — or wear alone as a single grounding pendant.