Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
Poppy jasper, ocean jasper, etc. are decorative terms that are somewhat subjective.
Neither term is mineralogically recognized.
Both are varieties of chalcedony, specifically, they are orbicular Jaspers formed by highly silicified rhyolite or tuff that has quartz and feldspar crystallized into radial aggregates of needle-like crystals forming orbicular (spherical) structures.
UPDATE: See ROM's explanation lower on the page for clarification of terminology!
In local market in Guangzhou, China. I do this business because I lover stones. I want to make it a pendent with 925 silver. But they do not do that for me because it will cost a lot of tiem, but get no profit....
Poppy jasper, ocean jasper, etc. are decorative terms that are somewhat subjective.
Neither term is mineralogically recognized.
Both are varieties of chalcedony, specifically, they are orbicular Jaspers formed by highly silicified rhyolite or tuff that has quartz and feldspar crystallized into radial aggregates of needle-like crystals forming orbicular (spherical) structures.
Tnak you very much for telling me so much about it. In China, most people call it ocean agate. I am confused for a long time.
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2006 1:20 am Posts: 2756 Location: Southern California, U.S.A.
Barbra Voltaire wrote:
Poppy jasper is often used when the stone is warm orange tones. Ocean jasper when the stone appears in cool tones. Neither term is mineralogically recognized.
No they're not mineralogically recognized. But those names are very well recognized among dealers.
The name "poppy jasper" is most often given (in the U.S.) to fine orbicular jasper displaying red "poppy" patterns that was mined near Morgan Hill, CA, south of San Francisco. Orbicular jaspers with somewhat similar coloration are found at several other points along the California coast.
"Ocean Jasper" was given its name because it's literally mined in the ocean at low tide off the coast of Madagascar. It can display warm tones of orange and yellow though red is rare. Its appearance is pretty distinctive.
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2006 1:20 am Posts: 2756 Location: Southern California, U.S.A.
Sure it's orbicular, Barbra. The word is an adjective meaning a pattern in the form of an orb -- spherical or circular. There are other types of orbicular jasper too, like the fine porcelain jasper stones trade-named Imperial Jasper from Mexico and similar types like Bruneau (pictured next) and several others:
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DCab 59a.JPG [ 16.06 KiB | Viewed 1975 times ]
I'm 99% certain the images in this thread are Ocean Jasper. It's quite distinctive. But it occurs in bright colors as well, like the image below (which I cannot make behave and take its proper position in the post!)
I agree that the names for such materials can be very subjective and confusing. They are often used regionally but within the trade for such items there's pretty good agreement about what's being discussed -- at least in the U.S.
The stone at the bottom is a pretty good example of the original Morgan Hill orbicular Poppy Jasper displaying red Oriental Poppy forms:
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Ocean Jasper.jpg [ 23.58 KiB | Viewed 1975 times ]
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2006 1:20 am Posts: 2756 Location: Southern California, U.S.A.
gingerkid wrote:
8) s-w-e-e-t!! more jasper cabs!!
wow, ROM, your bruneau jasper looks like it has a blue sky!!
It's just a trick of the light -- I need to re-shoot that image. It's definitely dark brown. Highly polished cabs are challenging to photograph. It's like taking a picture of a mirror without capturing your own or other reflections.
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