Did you know Jade came in colors other than green? Green is certainly the best-known color of Jade, but Jade is also available in Red, Yellow, Orange, Blue, Purple, Black and White.
Which color of Jade is most valuable? What do the different colors of Jade mean?
How can you tell if the gemstone you're holding is Jade?
A general internet search brings about these questions and so many more on the gemstone, Jade. Do you know your Jade?
In China, it is considered “The Stone of Heaven” and thus, very lucky. It has held a powerful influence in Chinese culture for 8,000 years and holds the same high rank as gold and diamonds do in the West.
Here's Ricky from Dakota Stones to show you some of his favorite Jade gemstones!
True Jade (Jadeite or Nephrite) can be translucent, but I’ve never seen transparent Jade, and because of its make up, it can’t be transparent
August 24, 2021 at 12:26pm
Jill Nielsen
Is true jade, either nephrite or jadeite, ever transparent or translucent? I always thought true jade was opaque. Just curious. Thanks Jill
August 16, 2021 at 16:08pm
Ken Rogers
Your Jade beads are beautiful, but here are a couple of facts that are not generally known about Jade..
The ancient Jade of China was Nephrite. For thousands of years it was treasured and carved into numerous objects and shapes. Old Chinese Nephrite Jade pieces can be worth a fortune. In the mid 19th century, the Chinese started importing Jadeite Jade from Burma. Like the old Nephrite Jade, the Chinese treasure Jadeite, too. Currently, some craftsmen in China are recreating some of the ancient Nephrite Jade pieces in Jadeite, and are claiming their pieces to be, ancient Jade treasures. These Jadeite forgeries are being sold to unknowing buyers and collectors, all around the world. So, if the “ancient Jade antique (or beads)” you are looking at is Jadeite, and claimed to be over 150 years old, it is probably a beautiful forgery. It is important that one buying ancient Jade pieces understand the difference between Jadeite & Nephrite.
Jade of both types are found in small quantities all over the world. Some of the notable locations include: N.W. Canada (which produces some of the finest Nephrite Jade); Big Sur, along the California coast (SCUBA divers dive under the waves to find it); Near Barstow California, there is a small deposit of black Nephrite Jade with Magnetite crystals growing in it. (some people cut cabochons from this material and then gold plated the Magnetite crystals for a spectacular gemstone.); Wyoming, famous for it’s Nephrite Jade, from apple green to midnight black; Guatemala is the source of the Jadeite used by the Mayan empire to create beautiful jewelry & religious pieces, and wonderful implements & weapons; Turkey, is famous for its purple Nephrite, “Turkiyenite”; New Zealand Jade is a green Nephrite, and highly prized in Maori culture (I understand true New Zealand Jade is no longer allowed to be exported, so the current Maori craftsmen must get their Nephrite from Canada); Siberia and Kazakhstan produce some beautiful chatoyant Nephrite; Japan; and a few other countries also have Jade mines.
One important quality of Jade is, its “toughness”. Though slightly less hard than a Diamond, Jade is so tough, that you can make a Jade axe and chop down a tree, and then another tree, and the axe will keep its edge. A Diamond would have shattered with the first blow.
