Agate, Chalcedony & Jasper – What's the Difference?
Over the years, people have brought all sorts of lovely stones into the shop, and one of the most common questions I get is, “Is this agate, chalcedony, or jasper?” It’s easy to see why they get mixed up – they all fall under the quartz family, and sometimes the lines between them are surprisingly blurry.
Let’s break it down simply.
All three – agate, chalcedony, and jasper – are forms of microcrystalline quartz. That just means the crystals are so tiny you can’t see them with the naked eye. They form in similar environments and often grow together, which adds to the confusion.
Chalcedony is the umbrella term for this group of stones. It’s the base material – a smooth, often waxy-looking stone that can be translucent or opaque. When people say “chalcedony” in a general way, they usually mean the bluey-grey translucent kind, but technically, agate and jasper are types of chalcedony too.
Agate is chalcedony that has banding – those beautiful curved lines and layers you see in slices and geodes. It can come in all colours, natural and dyed, and sometimes the banding is tight and fine, other times broad and dramatic.
Jasper, on the other hand, is more opaque and tends to have patterns like spots, streaks, or mottling, rather than clear banding. It usually has more impurities, which give it its earthy colours and interesting markings. Think picture jasper, brecciated jasper, or mookaite.
So why do they get muddled up?
A lot of it comes down to nature not always following strict rules. Some agates don’t show clear banding, some jaspers are a bit translucent, and there are stones that fall somewhere in between. Plus, names have changed over time depending on what’s popular, what’s being mined, or even what sounds nicer!
In the end, whether it’s labelled agate, jasper, or chalcedony, each piece is a unique little slice of the Earth’s creativity. That’s part of what makes collecting them so fun – and occasionally a little confusing!
Stones in Photo, Dendritic Agate that could be classed as a Dendritic Chalcedony, Crazy Lace Agate and Flame Jasper.
Please feel welcome to explore our website on all the Agates, Chalcedony and Jasper we have available to purchase.
