With the Armory update in Counter-Strike 2, Valve introduced one of the most visually striking limited skins in recent years: the AK-47 | Aphrodite. While the artwork itself is fixed, the overall look of the weapon heavily depends on its pattern seed – and that’s where rarity and overpay begin.

This guide breaks down:

How the pattern system works
Which pattern categories are considered desirable
What makes certain seeds valuable
What to check before buying

Availability & Limited Status

The AK-47 | Aphrodite is not a case skin. It was available for a limited time through the Armory progression system, meaning:

No standard case unboxing
No regular drop pool
Supply capped by the event period

Because of this structured supply limit, differences in pattern seeds carry significantly more weight compared to mass-produced skins.

How the Pattern System Works

Like many pattern-based skins, the Aphrodite uses 1000 possible pattern seeds (0–999). The seed determines:

Placement of color zones
Balance between purple, gold, pink, and bronze tones
Size and continuity of dominant color areas

The artwork itself does not change – but the color dominance and distribution across the receiver, magazine, and stock can vary dramatically.

Float Impact on Appearance

Float affects:

Brightness and saturation
Sharpness of fine details
Contrast between artwork and base color

Factory New and strong Minimal Wear versions usually display the most vibrant contrast. From Field-Tested onward, many patterns appear darker and lose visual intensity. When evaluating a seed, always consider float in combination with pattern.

Established Pattern Categories

While Valve does not officially categorize seeds, the trading community has established several informal tiers.

Purple Gem

Characteristics:

Large, connected purple areas
Strong saturation on the receiver
Minimal fragmentation

Purple Gems are currently among the most desirable versions because they visibly stand out from standard distributions.

Gold Gem

Characteristics:

Dominant gold/bronze tones on the main body
Clean, continuous gold sections
Strong visual clarity on the player side

Gold Gems tend to feel more “premium” and structured. Seeds with heavy gold presence on the visible player side often command noticeable overpay.

Pink Line / Pink Dominant

Characteristics:

Clear pink stripe along the body
Or large connected pink sections
High contrast against darker surrounding areas

These variants are rarer than balanced distributions and are particularly popular among collectors building bold loadouts.

Bronze / Balanced Patterns

Characteristics:

Earthy, darker tone distribution
No strong dominance of a single color
More “neutral” overall appearance

These make up the majority of the market supply. While typically cheaper, strong floats can still make them visually appealing.

What to Check Before Buying

1. Player-Side Visibility

Always inspect the first-person view. A seed may look impressive from the backside in inspect mode but appear average from the actual in-game perspective. Dominant colors on the visible side matter most.

2. Surface Continuity

Not all high-percentage color distributions are equal. Evaluate:

Are the color areas connected?
Are they interrupted by dark transitions?
Does the weapon look cohesive or fragmented?

Large, clean surfaces generally drive higher demand.

3. Float + Pattern Combination

A mid-tier seed in 0.01 float can look stronger than a rare seed in 0.25 float. The Aphrodite loses vibrancy relatively quickly as float increases, making low-float examples significantly more desirable for collectors.

Market Perspective

For limited skins like the AK-47 | Aphrodite, price differences are primarily driven by:

Recognizable “Gem” category
Visual strength and clarity
Community demand trends

Strong Purple or Gold dominant seeds can achieve significant overpay compared to standard patterns. However, long-term pricing stability will depend on sustained collector interest and trading volume.

Pattern tier list:

Type	Tier	Pattern
Pink Gem		904 948 567 587 426 370 880 542 117 764 354 356
Purple Gem	1	308 885 530 297 781 695 16 69 263
Purple Gem	2	66 67 96 148 259 324 341 347 461 490 674 704 723 772 790 792 843 990
Purple Gem	3	48 111 159 273 321 482 517
Gold Gem	1	0 1 2 3 19 25 44 58 60 106 108 115 119 125 138 145 185 201 204 237 245 253 267 271 279 299 309 315 371 405 408 410 440 435 456 460 649 512 584 588 596 633 661 664 687 722 747 758 761 808 821 861 835 836 864 895 922 930 962 964 965 977 979 992
Gold Gem	2	5 12 21 27 36 54 62 71 72 85 86 99 107 122 123 127 147 163 165 169 190 213 215 219 222 228 229 233 234 275 290 291 294 307 327 340 358 397 419 421 430 436 437 439 458 469 477 479 496 503 516 520 528 535 538 550 552 553 575 595 605 612 617 676 703 706 711 714 718 731 734 740 742 745 750 751 767 795 822 845 861 873 874 896 928 929 955 978 985 986 989 991 997
Gold Gem	3	18 23 29 31 33 68 73 88 94 95 109 112 113 116 134 142 146 160 170 174 175 176 180 206 211 217 220 221 224 232 235 244 250 262 265 272 283 284 287 295 300 304 305 317 322 330 333 338 339 343 364 372 379 384 389 390 400 402 404 411 414 423 444 448 455 472 481 486 487 488 502 511 524 533 537 540 559 561 565 572 582 589 593 598 601 606 609 614 621 622 627 636 646 650 652 653 667 668 671 678 681 683 700 707 713 716 728 732 748 749 768 775 776 777 788 789 791 793 804 805 809 817 832 842 848 862 863 866 870 871 876 878 879 884 892 897 898 899 906 925 926 926 931 934 938 961 969 971
Gold Gem	4	13 15 34 35 43 46 51 56 65 77 82 89 92 104 105 121 133 136 137 140 154 156 161 166 172 191 193 200 216 236 242 242 249 254 255 293 298 310 331 345 349 363 368 380 388 391 395 416 434 446 462 463 468 498 509 529 532 548 554 585 599 600 642 644 655 666 669 672 688 697 710 717 727 741 743 763 766 773 778 780 800 806 811 812 815 816 818 825 827 839 850 851 858 865 886 890 908 912 913 917 940 944 952 988
Bronze Gem	1	8 9 22 24 64 74 79 81 87 103 143 144 149 150 151 152 155 181 183 195 208 252 258 268 278 289 302 328 335 417 422 429 450 471 476 493 495 500 505 519 543 547 590 602 616 619 620 657 658 665 719 774 823 828 834 844 847 869 889 894 910 916 923 924 937 947 968 980 981 983 994 996
Bronze Gem	2	6 28 30 37 39 40 55 83 102 124 182 183 187 192 218 227 247 256 277 292 303 318 325 353 366 374 403 413 428 449 451 459 475 485 492 544 563 574 576 577 580 586 641 647 659 675 684 686 691 698 738 746 759 769 770 779 784 794 799 829 833 837 852 868 911 932 936 939 941 949 959 974 975 982 1000
Bronze Gem	3	4 10 11 17 32 41 42 50 57 59 75 76 78 80 84 90 93 126 129 131 139 141 157 167 171 186 189 194 198 203 209 209 238 240 248 281 285 286 301 306 319 326 329 334 336 337 350 351 357 359 360 362 367 369 394 399 452 453 464 467 470 506 527 549 558 569 573 615 623 626 628 631 635 637 638 645 679 692 694 715 729 736 737 762 771 796 798 802 813 830 831 853 855 872 883 887 891 893 902 905 915 918 957 960
Bronze Gem	4	14 26 38 45 47 49 52 63 70 82 97 98 100 101 118 128 130 132 135 164 173 177 178 179 188 196 199 205 223 226 230 231 241 243 246 257 264 270 274 276 296 312 313 320 352 355 373 376 377 378 382 383 385 387 398 401 412 415 418 427 443 445 447 466 474 484 494 497 499 501 504 507 518 522 523 526 531 534 536 545 546 551 555 560 564 566 568 570 581 583 583 597 604 608 610 613 618 629 630 632 634 640 654 660 662 663 670 677 682 685 690 699 702 702 708 709 712 720 733 735 739 753 754 783 786 787 801 803 807 810 814 819 824 827 841 849 853 854 859 875 877 881 903 907 909 914 919 920 921 935 943 945 954 956 958 963 966 984 993 995
Pink Dust		20 110 153 162 197 207 210 212 214 261 269 282 314 323 342 361 381 392 396 406 409 420 424 425 431 442 454 457 473 480 491 508 513 515 541 556 578 579 594 624 656 693 724 726 744 755 756 757 765 782 838 867 888 901 920 933 950 972 973
Top Pink Line	1	820 158 441 953 673 900 611 433 386 856 120 288 643 168 591 365 946 344 114 846
Top Pink Line	2	7 53 202 251 260 266 280 316 346 407 465 483 489 510 514 521 525 557 607 689 701 797 976 999
Top Pink Line	3	61 225 239 332 348 375 539 562 571 592 639 648 680 696 721 725 730 752 826 840 860 942 951 967 970 987 998