00Why patterns matter
Every AK-47 | Case Hardened · Blue Gem has the same paint_index — but the pattern seed (0–999) controls exactly how the dye lands on the blade. Two listings can have the same wear and float but look dramatically different.
The cards below compare a typical Unranked roll (seed #279) against the Tier-1 hero we picked (seed #661). Same skin, same phase, same wear band — pattern is the only difference.
Unranked Pattern#279
Tier 1 Pattern example#661
About Blue Gem patterns
AK-47 Case Hardened draws its colour from a marbled steel-bluing finish. The pattern seed decides how much deep blue lands on the visible play side of the magazine and receiver — most seeds read mostly gold and silver, but a small minority are dominated by blue. Those are the "Blue Gems".
Tiers rank seeds by how much clean blue covers the play side: Rank 1 seeds carry the most blue with the least gold bleed, and lower ranks progressively show more gold and silver. Seed #661 is the singular apex — the most blue-saturated AK-47 Case Hardened in the game and one of CS2's most valuable skins.
01Tier 1 — Best patterns
The best patterns in this skin. Tightest symmetry, deepest coverage, and the visual hallmarks that separate top-shelf examples from everything else.
Search all T1 patterns on the marketplaces02Tier 2
Very strong patterns — close to T1 quality but with one or two visual compromises (off-axis tip, slightly less coverage, or a less symmetric back).
Search all T2 patterns on the marketplaces03Tier 3
Above-average patterns. Recognisable as "good" but with a clear weakness compared to T1/T2 — useful for buyers who want a hint of pattern premium without paying T1 prices.
Search all T3 patterns on the marketplacesThe remaining ~904 paint_seeds fall outside the curated tiers. They make up the bulk of Phase 1 supply on every marketplace and don’t carry a pattern premium — what you see is what you get, like the baseline reference (seed #279) we used at the top of this guide. If a seed isn’t listed in T1–T4 or BTA above, treat it as Unranked.
Pattern tier classification originally compiled by korenevskiy & Krieke (Steam Community Guide).
Pattern renders are independently generated from live marketplace listings.
This page combines public-domain pattern data with our own renders, live pricing, and cross-marketplace listing search.