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JADE - THE FAR EASTERN GEMSTONE WITH A RICH HISTORY

The Colors of Jade?

Jade has a long and rich history, which is sometimes confusing. It is often considered the "gemstone from heaven." To the ancient Chinese, it was thought to be more precious than even silver and gold. The history of the carvings of jades is thought to date back more than 6000 years. Even today, many Chinese households will display a flat, circular disc called "pi." This pi can be worn as a necklace and represents the earth and heaven.

Most people think of jade as the green gemstone, but it actually comes in many different colors. It can be found in the deepest shades of black to the purest of whites with many colors in between. Lavender jade is very popular and yellow jade is considered to be one of the rarest and most expensive colors.

Types of Jade

True jade comes in two varieties - jadeite and nephrite, with jadeite being the more rare and more expensive variety. Most of the world's supply of jadeite comes from Burma but deposits are also found in a few other areas as well. Nephrite is more plentiful and less expensive. Nephrite deposits are found the whole world over, including the USA.  The most valuable form of jade is known as "imperial jade" and comes from Myanmar.  It is an emerald green color.

Jade in Nature

In nature, raw jade is a vary hard gem.  It is ranked between 6 1/2 - 7 on the Moh's scale of hardess.  For this reason, it is a very hard gemstone to carve.

Mystical Qualities of Jade

As with other gemstones, jade has mystical qualities associated with it.  it is thought to protect the most of the internal organs of the body, including the kidneys, liver, spleen, heart, larynx, thymus, and thyroid. Ancient people thought that wearing jade would increase body strength and add extra years to their lives. Jade is thought by many to be an ancient symbol of love and virtue.  Jade is the mystical  mystical birthstone for March and is also associated with the Zodiac sign Virgo.  It is often given as a gift for 12th 30th, and 35th wedding anniversaries

Fake Jade

As with other precious stones, there have been many attempts to enhance jade by bleaching or heat treating it.   This will result in the colors being intensified.  Many other gemstones are known to be marketed as jade, including serpentine,carnelian, glass, soapstone, and aventurine quartz.  As always, buyer beware, and purchase from a dealer you can trust.

Buying Jade Jewelry

There are several factors to consider when purchasing a piece of jade jewelry - color, texture, translucency and cut.   The best jade has colors that are fairly even and not splotchy.  The texture of jade can range from very fine to very coarse, but the best jade is that which is fine.  It can be clear or milky, but translucent jade is preferable to opaque.  Look for smooth cuts.

The care of Jade Jewelry

Jade is actually extremely easy to take care of. The more you wear it, the brighter and lovelier your jade will become. You can wipe your jade jewelry with a soft cloth after wearing to keep the sheen lovely.  If it becomes dirty, wash the piece with a mild cleaner that is free from harsh chemicals, since these can corrode jade over time and cause it to lose its sheen.  Never use ultra sonic cleaners with jade jewelry. Keep jade away from direct sunlight.  Store your jade jewelry in soft pouches or a lined jewelry box. To minimize scratching, do not allow pieces to touch each other. 

I try to offer accurate vintage jewelry information, but may make errors from time to time due to mistakes in research information.

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