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GemStore team — written by the people who list and pack every stone.
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Bloodstone, also called heliotrope, is dark green chalcedony scattered with red spots of iron oxide. It is one of the more affordable natural stones you can buy in Pakistan, which makes a different kind of buying problem from neelam or yaqoot. Nobody is going to lose a fortune on a bloodstone. The risk is paying a good-stone price for a dull, patchy or dyed piece, simply because two stones of the same weight can look very different and the seller quotes them the same.
This post explains what actually moves a bloodstone's price, shows the current range from our own listings per stone, per carat and per ratti, and sets out how to compare quotes from different shops so you are comparing like with like.
Bloodstone prices from our listings
The table below is built from the bloodstones GemStore has listed and is refreshed each month. It shows the lowest, typical and highest price per stone, and the same figures per carat and per ratti so you can compare stones of different sizes.
| Weight | Weights | Stones | Per carat | Per ratti |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Bloodstone in stock | 18.6 – 26.8 ct | 7 | Rs 180 – Rs 220 | Rs 160 – Rs 200 |
Read the table as a guide to the spread rather than a fixed rate card. A stone at the top of the range is not overpriced if it has the colour and spotting that justify it, and a stone at the bottom is not a bargain if it is grey and spotless. For the wider picture across all stones, see our monthly gemstone prices in Pakistan guide.
What sets the price of a bloodstone
Bloodstone has no clarity grade in the way transparent gems do, and it is rarely sold with a certificate. Its price comes almost entirely from what you can see.
1. The green
The base colour is the first thing buyers judge. The most valued stones are a deep, even forest or bottle green, dark enough to look rich but with enough life that it does not read as black. Greyish, olive or muddy greens sit lower. Patchy stones, where one side is dark green and the other pale or brownish, also cost less.
2. The red spots
The spots are what make a bloodstone a bloodstone, and they move the price more than any other factor. Buyers look at:
- Colour: bright, true red spots are worth more than brownish or orange ones.
- Amount: a good scattering across the face is preferred. A stone with only one or two small spots, or almost none, is closer to plain green chalcedony in value.
- Distribution: spots spread across the visible face look better than spots bunched at one edge or hidden under the setting.
Some stones also carry yellow or white patches. A little is normal; heavy patches lower the price.
3. Polish and lustre
Bloodstone takes a glassy polish when it is well cut. A dull, waxy or scratched surface makes even a good stone look cheap, and re-polishing costs money. Look for a clear reflection of a light on the surface.
4. Translucency
Most bloodstone is opaque. Some pieces let a little light through the edges, which gives a slightly glowing look and can add a premium.
5. Size and shape
Bloodstone forms in large pieces, so size matters less than with rare gems. The price per carat does not climb steeply with weight the way it does for sapphire. What matters more is a usable, well-proportioned shape. Smooth oval and cushion cabochons for rings are the most common; flat tablets are traditionally used in men's signet rings and seals; carved pieces and beads are priced on workmanship.
6. Origin
India has long been a classic source, and stones also come from Madagascar, Brazil, Australia and elsewhere. Origin is not usually a strong price factor for bloodstone in Pakistan; colour and spotting count far more. Where we know the source we state it, as with this 19.65 carat Madagascar bloodstone.
7. Treatment and imitations
Natural bloodstone is generally sold untreated, though some pieces are waxed or resin-filled to improve the surface. The real price risk is dyed jasper or green stone with painted or dyed red dots. Those spots tend to be too round, too evenly spaced and sitting on top of the surface. Natural spots are irregular, vary in size and blur slightly at the edges. Our bloodstone care guide covers this check in more detail.
Per carat and per ratti: how bazaar pricing works
In Pakistani gem bazaars ring stones are usually quoted per ratti, and bloodstone is no exception, though for affordable opaque stones many sellers simply quote a price for the piece. Before comparing any per-ratti quote, check which ratti is meant:
- the standard gem ratti used in Pakistan is 0.91 carat (about 0.182 g);
- the jeweller's sunari ratti is smaller, about 0.61 carat (about 0.1215 g).
The same stone weighs more ratti on the sunari scale, so a per-ratti rate on that scale looks lower than it really is. Always convert to carats before comparing. Our carat to ratti converter does this in seconds.
Per-ratti pricing also has a quirk with bloodstone: because large stones are common, a seller may quote a low rate per ratti on a heavy, thick stone. You end up paying for weight hidden underneath the setting rather than for a better face. For a ring stone, compare the visible face size in millimetres as well as the weight.
How to compare quotes from different sellers
- Convert everything to carats. Ask for the weight in carats or convert using the right ratti.
- Compare the face as well as the weight. Ask for length and width in millimetres. A shallow, wide stone looks bigger in a ring than a deep, narrow one of the same weight.
- Look at the actual stone. A photo or video of the exact piece, in daylight, tells you more about the green and the spots than any description.
- Ask about treatment and dye. Get the answer in writing on the invoice.
- Check what is included. Some quotes include the setting or a certificate; others are for the loose stone. Compare loose stone with loose stone.
- Factor in the return terms. A slightly higher price with a clear return window is often better value than a cheap stone you cannot send back.
When it is worth paying more
Because bloodstone is affordable across the range, the step from an ordinary stone to a good one is small in money and large in what you see on your hand. It is usually worth moving up when:
- the stone is for a ring you will wear every day, where the face will be looked at constantly;
- the cheaper option has spots only at one edge, which a bezel will hide;
- the cheaper stone has a dull or scratched polish that would need re-cutting;
- you want a matched pair for cufflinks or earrings, where even colour across two stones is harder to find.
It is not worth paying more for extra weight that sits under the setting, or for an origin name that the seller cannot support. A shallow, well-spotted stone of modest weight often makes a better ring than a heavy, thick one.
Budget tiers by filter
You can browse the whole shop by budget. These filters cover all stones, so pair them with the bloodstone category or use them to see what else sits at the same level.
- Under 5,000 rupees: a starting point for a first ring or a small gift.
- 5,000 to 20,000 rupees: a useful band for comparing mid-range stones side by side.
- 20,000 to 50,000 rupees: larger or finer pieces, and a wide range of other gems.
- Over 50,000 rupees: mainly the precious stones such as sapphire and ruby.
Our bloodstones themselves are all in the bloodstone collection. Two examples to compare: this 18.55 carat bloodstone and this 23.50 carat bloodstone. Look at how the spotting and green differ between them as well as the weight.
Similar stones at similar prices
If you like bloodstone's dark green but want a different look, several neighbours sit in a comparable range. Green agate is smoother and more even in colour; see the green agate collection and the planned green agate price guide. Jasper offers earthy patterns in reds and browns in the jasper collection. Bloodstone is also one of the March birthstones, alongside aquamarine; our March birthstones post compares the two.
Buying bloodstone from GemStore
Every bloodstone we list is photographed on its own, so the stone you see is the stone you get. We deliver anywhere in Pakistan with Cash on Delivery: open the parcel, check the green and the spots in daylight, and only then pay the rider. Dispatch is within one to two working days, delivery usually takes about seven working days by insured tracked courier, and you have seven days to return a stone. A certificate is available on request.
If you have a quote from elsewhere and want to know whether it is fair, send us the stone's weight, size and a photo on WhatsApp on +92 308 887 3888 and we will tell you plainly how it compares with what we see in our own listings.
Shop the stones: bloodstone.
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