Abstract paintings, landscapes, and sunsets? Cherry Creek Jasper!

Cherry Creek Jasper, also called Red Creek Jasper, is a beautiful stone that is almost immediately recognizable. Shades of mustard yellow, olive & sage green, burnt red, blue-grey and deep orange are arranged in patterns resembling abstract paintings, landscapes, and sunsets. Although it has only been available for a short time, it has nonetheless become immensely popular due to its striking patterns.

Selection of Cherry Creek Jasper Cabochons, Artisan Jewelry Creations

Although a recent discovery, in China in 2010 not a lot of detailed information is available. Legend says miners looking for turquoise stumbled upon an outcrop of this stone. It is produced from the Cherry Creek Mine, whose name derives from the creek that flows nearby.

Jasper is an opaque, variety of microcrystalline quartz which consists of very tiny quartz crystals colored by various mineral impurities. It can have a single solid color or, more commonly, combinations of patterns in what look like to be scenes or images. The stone typically originates as sedimentary or volcanic ash deposits. The original material becomes fractured or distorted after deposition. Silica rich fluids help replace some of the original material, and various impurities introduce other colors of material into the developing rock. This results in a large diversity of patterns and color combinations. Although jasper can be found all over the world, these geologic conditions sometimes result is jaspers that are unique to a specific locality.

Jaspers are often named from either their location or appearance. In this case, Cherry Creek or Red Creek Jasper are both names used after its location.
Interestingly, “jasper” is often used for stones that are not true jaspers. Cherry Creek is one of those. This stone is not entirely silica, but also has a strong dolomite component. This suggests the origin of the stone may have been a shallow sea bottom.

The use of jaspers in jewelry or decorative objects goes back thousands of years into the early history of civilization. It has been found in archaeological sites dating back to the Neolithic period. Besides jewelry, it was also used as a tool for cutting and engraving and as a material for ceremonial objects.