The facts
What poppy Jasper actually is
Poppy Jasper is classified as brecciated and orbicular silicified volcanic rock with red and yellow orbs in a darker ground, with the composition SiO2 chalcedony and quartz with hematite, goethite and clay. It crystallises in the aggregate system.
Colour comes from hematite for red, goethite for yellow-orange, arranged in radial and brecciated patterns, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.53-1.54 (spot). Specific gravity around 2.55-2.70. Cleavage: none. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where poppy Jasper comes from
Poppy Jasper is produced at Morgan Hill, Santa Clara County, California, USA - the classic locality, now largely on private and closed land, Oregon, USA (related orbicular jaspers) and Indonesia and Madagascar (similar material sold under the name).
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How poppy Jasper is treated
Untreated; low-grade material is stabilised. Classic Morgan Hill material is old-stock and prices reflect that; much current 'poppy jasper' is Indonesian or Madagascan orbicular jasper. Not CITES; California collecting sites are largely closed to the public.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What poppy Jasper is confused with
In the trade poppy Jasper is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Brecciated jasper generally, Ocean jasper, Leopard skin jasper or Indonesian imitations sold as Morgan Hill.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.53-1.54 (spot) and specific gravity 2.55-2.70 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What poppy Jasper is used for
Demand for poppy Jasper comes from jewellery, carving and sculpture, mineral collecting and decorative objects, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the carat, by the block or by the specimen.
Durability and care
Poppy Jasper is 6.5-7 on the Mohs scale, with none cleavage.
With no cleavage plane to worry about, the practical limit is abrasion rather than breakage, and it takes daily wear well.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What poppy Jasper costs
As a guide, poppy Jasper trades around $5-40 per kilogram rough; genuine old Morgan Hill material $50-250 per kilogram; cabochons $15-150.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is poppy Jasper treated, and how?
Untreated; low-grade material is stabilised. Classic Morgan Hill material is old-stock and prices reflect that; much current 'poppy jasper' is Indonesian or Madagascan orbicular jasper. Not CITES; California collecting sites are largely closed to the public.
Where does poppy Jasper come from?
Morgan Hill, Santa Clara County, California, USA - the classic locality, now largely on private and closed land, Oregon, USA (related orbicular jaspers) and Indonesia and Madagascar (similar material sold under the name). Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is poppy Jasper hard enough to wear every day?
Yes. At 6.5-7 on the Mohs scale with no cleavage plane, it handles daily wear well. The practical limit is gradual abrasion rather than chipping.
How much does poppy Jasper cost?
Indicatively $5-40 per kilogram rough; genuine old Morgan Hill material $50-250 per kilogram; cabochons $15-150. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is poppy Jasper confused with?
Most often Brecciated jasper generally, Ocean jasper, Leopard skin jasper and Indonesian imitations sold as Morgan Hill. A refractive index of 1.53-1.54 (spot) and a specific gravity near 2.55-2.70 separate it quickly.
What is poppy Jasper used for besides jewellery?
carving and sculpture, mineral collecting and decorative objects. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for poppy jasper?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about poppy jasper