Jade has a long and sometimes confusing history. Is is the mystical birthstone for March and also for the Zodiac 
sign Virgo. It is often given as a gift for 12th 30th, and 35th wedding anniversaries.
When one thinks of jade, the color that comes to mind is green, but is this the only color that is available for the gemstone? The answer is a resounding no!
Jade comes in a wider varitation of colors than most of the known gemstones. It has been found in the deepest black, to the purest white, with a wide variety of colors in between - yellow, brown, gray, and so many different colors of green. Yellow jade is very rare and a real find.
The photo shown here gives a good idea of the color variations. Photo Courtesy of Mason Kay - Fine Jade Jewelry.
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.
When buying jade jewelry, look for uniform, intense colors. Semi transparent colors seem to be more valuable than opaque colors. Be aware when you purhcase jade that fake jade is plentiful. Sometimes, color intensified nephrite is sold as jadeite. As always, buyer beware.
