Diamonds On Us! Free 1/2 carat gold Solitaire Necklace on a spend of $3,000.00 or more. Free 1 carat gold Stud Earrings on a spend of $5,000.00 or more.
An Informative Guide To Identifying & Buying Jade
An Informative Guide To Identifying & Buying Jade
Jade, revered for its beauty and cultural significance, has captivated collectors and enthusiasts for centuries. Whether it's the translucent hues or the creamy textures, Jade offers a unique combination of elegance, durability, and mystery.
However, given the number of imitations and varying quality standards in the market, identifying genuine Jade and making informed purchasing decisions can take time and effort. In this guide, we will explore the key characteristics to look for when identifying real Jade and how we ensure the authenticity and quality of our Jade jewelry.
WHAT IS JADE?
Jade is a general term for two separate minerals – Nephrite and Jadeite. While they share a similar appearance, they differ in composition, structure, and overall value.
Of the two minerals, Jadeite is rarer and more expensive than Nephrite and is highly prized for its translucency. Gem-quality Jadeite is much harder to find, and its composition as a pyroxene mineral gives it a glossy appearance that appears more lustrous when polished, making it well-suited for different types of jewelry and more desirable to collectors.
NEPHRITE VS JADEITE
Before modern technology, it was nearly impossible to differentiate between Nephrite and Jadeite based on appearance. However, a few factors separate them and solidify Jadeite as the more valuable of the two.
Composition
Nephrite is a calcium magnesium silicate, whereas Jadeite is a sodium aluminium silicate that is rarer and more prized.
Structure
Nephrite comprises tightly interwoven fibrous crystals, giving it a tough, dense nature. However, Jadeite is harder and more durable due to its granular structure.
Hardness
Nephrite measures 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness, whereas Jadeite can measure up to 7. Jadeite's toughness and fine texture allow it to be polished into intricate carvings and jewelry. Despite its hardness, it has a smooth and lustrous finish once polished, giving it a unique appeal to artisans and collectors.
Jadeite color Chart
Rarity
Nephrite is a much more common material than Jadeite, and finding gem-quality Jadeite is a much more challenging endeavor. High-grade Jadeite is primarily sourced from Myanmar, where the best Jade mines are located, and its scarcity only adds to its value.
Color
Jadeite can appear in a much wider range of colors than Nephrite, which typically only appears in a short spectrum of white, different shades of green, and sometimes black. Jadeite can also appear in lavender, orange, blue, and pink. The most valuable, however, is a vibrant, translucent shade of green known as 'Imperial Green'.
IDENTIFYING AUTHENTIC JADEITE
Jadeite has long been prized for its beauty, durability, and cultural significance, especially in countries like China and Myanmar. However, with its increasing popularity, the market has been flooded with imitations and treated stones, making it difficult to know whether the Jadeite you own or are considering purchasing is genuine.
Whether you're a collector, a gemstone enthusiast, or someone who loves Jadeite, understanding how to distinguish the real from the fake is crucial. In this guide, we'll walk you through the essential tests and features to help ensure your Jadeite is the real deal.
Transparency & Lustre
Jadeite is transparent and lustrous, especially high-quality types like Imperial Jade. Authentic Jadeite should have a smooth, almost glass-like luster, so holding your stone to the light should allow you to see this clearly.
Specific Gravity
Jadeite is much denser than Nephrite, typically falling between 3.25 and 3.36 on the scale. So, this can be a reliable way to distinguish the two minerals.
Sound Test
When it's tapped, Jadeite has a higher-pitched sound compared to Nephrite, which sounds much softer due to its fibrous structure. Tapping Jadeite with another gemstone will allow you to hear the pitch of the sound and determine whether it's authentic.
Due to its quality and rarity, authentic Jade can be difficult to source. However, over the last 25 years, we have built relationships with mining communities and gemstone sources to allow us to travel around the world and buy genuine gemstones directly from their original location – and Jade is no exception.
At Wayzes, we take great pride in being one of the largest Jade buyers in the western world, our Jadeite and Nephrite jewelry comes from China. Although 95% of the world's Jadeite supply is from Myanmar, China is the world leader in Jade buying, carving and certifying. It's a stone that has been immersed in Chinese culture for thousands of years and prized for millennia as a symbol of virtue, wealth, and protection.
As the leading experts in Jade, China has the best understanding of the stone, and we certify all our Jade jewelry using Chinese labs for this very reason. We are privileged to be one of the few jewelers from the western world that have travelled to the primary sources of Jade, such as China and Myanmar, and we work closely with the Far East carving studios to ensure we directly source the gemstones in the most authentic way possible.
Working with gemstone experts to certify the stones we sell ensures they are authentic and responsibly sourced, and this transparency gives our customers confidence in their purchases. Buying directly from the source also eliminates many of the costs associated with gemstone buying, which allows us to offer consistently fair pricing across our Gemcollectors channel and website.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Identifying real Jadeite requires a combination of tests and a trained eye. Its rarity, deep cultural roots, and exquisite color make Jadeite highly desirable. By understanding the qualities that make this gem so unique and knowing where to purchase it responsibly, you can invest in this precious gemstone with confidence.
Display prices in:USD
