Grade 1: Many inclusions, most of which are black. Grade 2: Many inclusions, most of which are white, with some black inclusions. Grade 3: Some inclusions, all are white or light coloured. Grade 4: Few inclusions, all white or light coloured.
The finest-quality jadeite—almost transparent with a vibrant emerald-green color—is known as “Imperial jade.” The royal court of China once had a standing order for all available material of this kind, and it's one of the world's most expensive gems.
Generally, blue is the color of jade that is the rarest because it comes from only a few deposits found in Guatemala, Japan and Myanmar. Green and lavender jade are more common.
In a classification system that is used in China, “B” jade refers to jadeite that has been bleached with acid and then impregnated with polymer resin. “A” jade refers to jadeite that is natural or polished with wax only, and “C” jade refers to dyed material.
Grade A means that the jade is completely natural with absolutely zero treatment. This is the highest quality jadeite there is. Grade B means that it has been treated by being bleached or soaked in hydrochloric/sulfuric acid.
Imperial Jade from Burma is the most expensive type of Jade. It is the most expensive because it is the highest quality, the most sought-after color, and remains today the most highly prized source of jadeite around the world.
Low-quality jadeite with poor transparency, such as moss-in-snow, flower green, and extreme pea green jade, is commonly used for bleaching. These poor varieties of jade all reveal their original distinctive characteristics even after bleaching, and some are more visible than others.
Real jade should be cold to the touch and have a dense, solid feel. Fake jade is often made from materials such as glass or plastic which are not as dense as real jade. If the stone feels light or hollow, it is likely that it is fake.
For jadeite, the intensity of the green color, combined with a high degree of translucency are the key factors in judging value. Stones which are too dark in color or not so translucent are less highly valued.
Green jade has been treasured in the Far East and Central America for thousands of years and was even given the status of royal gemstone by these ancient civilizations. The sacred stone is considered a sign of luck and good fortune. It is also associated with abundance, wealth, and prosperity.
Grade 1: Many inclusions, most of which are black. Grade 2: Many inclusions, most of which are white, with some black inclusions. Grade 3: Some inclusions, all are white or light coloured. Grade 4: Few inclusions, all white or light coloured.
White Jade has been used with this purpose for hundreds of years. It was considered to be a lucky stone, whether it came to health, love or business. This stone is known for its power to make you feel calm and peaceful. White Jade also has the ability to increase or enhance the energy of love in your life.
The intensity of the colour of Jade will only change due to dirt or grease that can sometimes get trapped on the surface, or if the Jade piece has undergone colour treatment, gradually fading to its original state as time passes.
The term 'jade' is actually a catch-all term that encompasses two separate minerals: nephrite, which is more opaque and traditionally used for sculptural objects and ornaments; and jadeite, which is more translucent and can be polished to a high lustre, making it more suitable for jewellery.
Materials often mistaken for jade include chrysoprase, maw sit sit, serpentine, hydrogrossular garnet and aventurine. This is due to these gemstones boasting the same deep green colour that jade is most famous for, though each have subtle differences that allow you to identify their true nature.
Maintenance and Care. Caring for a Natural Jade Bangle requires very little. The material itself is very tough and will resist to chips and breaks.
Tip: Real jade is rated A, B, or C based on how it's been treated to achieve the color of the stone. Type A means a stone is natural, untreated jade that may have a wax coating to enhance its color. Type B is chemically bleached to remove impurities, then injected with a polymer to strengthen it.
Left: In natural light, the green band in the lower right section of the jadeite specimen is caused by natural chromium, while the other green spots are the result of a dye treatment. Right: Long-wave UV light shows a strong fluorescence from the dyed areas, with little to no fluorescence from the natural green area.
A valuable and highly sought-after type of pounamu, New Zealand Flower Jade is prized for its beautiful and distinctive golden-yellow-orange patterns unique to Aotearoa. It is also known as putiputi pounamu, with putiputi meaning "flower" in Māori.
Currently, Cowell in South Australia is the only commercial jade mine in Australia. Mining is done using excavators in open pits. They extract large boulders from the ground that contain the jade.
The most coveted – and therefore the most valuable – is a very specific shade of green known as imperial jade. There are other shades of green jade including kingfisher jade, apple jade and moss-in-snow jade.
Jadeite comes in a broader range of colors than nephrite which only comes in green, white, and yellow. However, jadeite mainly has varying shades of green that range between apple-green and emerald. Jadeite's luster appears more oily, while nephrite luster is vitreous or glassy.