Identification guide · Quartz Family
How to Identify Bloodstone
Bloodstone is usually dark green with red spots with a waxy luster and is opaque. It has a Mohs hardness of 7. It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file. Its streak is white. It is most often confused with Jasper, Agate, and Tiger's Eye; the tests below separate them.
Bloodstone identification checklist
| Color | Dark Green with Red spots | Look at a clean, dry surface in daylight. Color zoning, banding or spots are as diagnostic as the hue. |
|---|---|---|
| Luster | Waxy | Compare a fresh surface with glass and metal; this luster is softer than either. |
| Transparency | Opaque | Hold a thin edge up to a bright light and note whether light passes through. |
| Mohs hardness | 7 | It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file. |
| Streak | White | Drag a corner across unglazed porcelain (the back of a bathroom tile) and check the powder color. |
| Cleavage | None | |
| Fracture | Conchoidal | Broken surfaces show smooth, curved, shell-like scoops. |
| Specific gravity | 2.6 | Ordinary rock-like heft (specific gravity about 2.6), similar to quartz. |
| Crystal system | Hexagonal |
Bloodstone look-alikes and how to tell them apart
Both sit near Mohs 7, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Bloodstone vs Jasper →
Both sit near Mohs 7, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Bloodstone vs Agate →
Both sit near Mohs 7, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Bloodstone vs Tiger's Eye →
Both sit near Mohs 7, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead.
Is my Bloodstone real?
- Hardness: real Bloodstone sits at Mohs 7. Glass imitations are about 5.5, so genuine Bloodstone scratches glass while a glass fake cannot.
- Bubbles: round gas bubbles under a 10x loupe mean glass or resin, never a natural stone.
- Color: dyed material concentrates color in cracks and pores; look for pigment collecting at the edges of fractures.
- Temperature: natural crystals feel cool and take longer to warm in your hand than plastic or resin.
Field tips
- Check whether the specimen's color and texture match typical Bloodstone examples.
- Use hardness, streak, luster, grain size, and locality together; no single trait is enough for every specimen.
Bloodstone identification FAQ
How can you tell if a rock is Bloodstone?
Check the color (dark green with red spots), the waxy luster, a Mohs hardness of 7 and a white streak. Photographing it with the StoneSnap app gives a match in seconds.
What is the hardness of Bloodstone?
Bloodstone has a Mohs hardness of 7. It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file.
What is the difference between Bloodstone and Jasper?
Bloodstone (Mohs 7, waxy luster) and Jasper (Mohs 7, vitreous luster) look alike, but hardness, streak and heft usually separate them. See the full Bloodstone vs Jasper comparison for a side-by-side table.
How do I know if my Bloodstone is real?
Real Bloodstone matches the hardness listed above, shows no round gas bubbles under magnification, and does not concentrate dye in cracks. Glass and resin fakes fail at least one of those checks.
Is Bloodstone worth anything?
Entry-level Bloodstone specimens sell for around $5, typical collector pieces about $25, and premium examples $150 or more depending on size, quality and locality.
What color is Bloodstone?
Bloodstone is most often dark green with red spots. Color varies with impurities and locality, so confirm with hardness and luster rather than color alone.
