The Secrets and Mysteries of Jade
The Ultimate Jade Handbook
By Mason-Kay
Chapters
1. All About Jade
2. About Mason-Kay Jade
3. Colors Of Jade
4. Technical Characteristics & Jade Simulants Pages
5. What Is ‘B’ Jade
6. The Care and Durability of Jade
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Chapter 1 - All About Jade
Among the oldest of known gemstones, jade
has been appreciated at many different levels
throughout history: first as an object used in
daily life, then in pagan times as an object of
ritual. Later, it acquired economic status as
an item of barter and wealth, and today it has become a
medium of art and personal adornment.
Jade refers, actually, to two chemically different stones:
jadeite, a pyroxene or a silica-bearing mineral, and nephrite,
an amphibole, or a ferro-magnesium silicate. Although
different, they share many common characteristics. The
Chinese were aware of the difference by the mid-1700's
while, in Europe, the technical differences were first
published in 1863. We regard both forms simply as "jade."
Nephrite jade, which the Chinese grew to appreciate so
deeply, was the form of jade that they first encountered in
the Neolithic period. When jadeite jade was first introduced
into China, it was called Fet'Sui or kingfisher jade because of
the brilliance of colors it manifested and to distinguish it
from the traditional nephrite form of jade. In time, jadeite
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eclipsed nephrite in terms of value, and today it is
considered gem jade. Today's fine jewelry market uses
jadeite jade almost exclusively; nephrite is generally valued
for its antiquity, carving excellence and other historical
considerations rather than its intrinsic material value.
Interestingly enough, both the terms jadeite and nephrite
refer to the kidneys because of early beliefs that jade was
effective for diseases of the loins.
Apart from its technical aspects,
however, there is a magic about the
stone that inspired cultures as diverse
as the Chinese, the Mayans, even the
court of Czarist Russia. Its charms
elude precise definition; jade reveals
itself in the language of myth and
legend.
Contrary to popular belief jade has never come from China.
The earliest known jade used by the Chinese (nephrite)
probably came from Turkestan, northwest of China. It wasn't
until approximately 1750 that jadeite made its way to China
from the hills of northern Burma. At first, this brilliant green
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"new" jade was regarded with some
suspicion, but soon it came to be
considered as "gem jade." In its finer
qualities, it is among the rarest stones in
the world today
Nephrite, although
usually thought of as an oriental stone,
was also mined and carved in ceremonial
fashion by many cultures throughout
history - notably the Maoris of New
Zealand and the well-documented jade
culture of Central America. Modern nephrite
is mined in many places throughout the world. Taiwan,
California, Alaska, British Columbia, Wyoming, New Zealand
and Russia are the major sites. It is not a rare stone. Jade is
mined in gross boulder form from mountain sites as well as
found in the form of float. Being harder than the material in
which it is embedded, it emerges when erosion removes the
surrounding, softer stone. Thus it is often
found near water sources. Typical pieces can
vary from one to two pounds to some that
weigh seven to eight tons.
It is said that the earliest jade miners were
women who, symbolizing the female or "yin" principle, would
be "drawn to" the jade, which was said to be symbolic of the
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male or "yang" principle. Thus, they would find it more
easily in rivers and mountains.
Mining today proceeds much as it did in olden times - it is
unscientific at best. The monsoon season stops the whole
process for six to nine months of the year and, when the
rains clear, the locations of the sites are often forgotten.
There is one clear improvement: large boulders are no
longer broken up at the mining site in
order to bring the smaller, more
manageable pieces to market. We can
only hazard a guess as to how much fine
material this primitive process has
destroyed over the years. Jade lapidaries
now carefully saw all boulders.
MASON-KAY has been in the
wholesale jade business since 1976 selling both loose jade
and fine jade jewelry. In that time, a reputation for service
and quality has been achieved. MASON-KAY also has the
ability to positively identify treated jadeite ("B" jade) with an
infrared spectrometer. Currently, MASON-KAY is the only
commercial jade company to use infrared spectroscopy to
test for polymer impregnation. MASON-KAY offers warranty
certificates assuring the customer that all jade purchased
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from MASON-KAY is natural; we do not trade in treated
merchandise. See below, in Chapter 4, how to protect
yourself against “B” jade.
Chapter 2 - Colors Of Jade
The Chinese identified "ritual colors" of jade and even spoke
of colors "invisible to the eye." In fact, jadeite appears in six
basic colors, with many variations. These
are green, lavender, red, yellow, white ,
grey and black. Green, the most important
and traditional color, varies through apple
green to gray-green and finally black-green.
To view Mason-Kay’s Full Jade Color Chart please
click here.
There is a special magical item
called Imperial jade. Although originally said to
refer to those jades possessed by the emperor and
royal family, Imperial jade today should indicate a stone
whose color is a deep, translucent green, and is without
visible flaws or color variations. Such stones are truly rare.
Lavender jade can be quite dark - almost deep
plum-purple, and in some cases can take on a blue
cast. At its other extreme, lavender jade approaches
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the pink range - though never achieving it - and lightens to
a pale lavender-white. Often, lavender jade exhibits a
sugary texture.
There are written reports of a blood-orange jade,
but most red jade actually ranges from a yellow or
beige to a deep russet brown.
Black jade is usually nephrite and, in its finer
qualities, is glassy black. Surface flecks are common and
difficult to avoid on pieces larger than dime
size.
White jade, or "pure" jade, can be found in a
chalky, opaque white to a translucent graywhite. A good polish is essential.
The color range for nephrite is not nearly as broad as
for jadeite and is usually characterized by a certain dullness
of color and waxiness of texture. Old stones (from
Turkestan) are sometimes creamy (mutton-fat) white while
most modern nephrite ranges from gray-black to an olive
green. There is a coal black nephrite, which takes a good
polish, and is currently mined in Wyoming and Australia.
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It is often asked if there is a blue jade or a pink jade. There
is no known blue jadeite, although a deep blue nephrite is
claimed. As to pink, most jade reported as pink is, in fact,
not jade.
Jade very often exhibits several colors
within one piece. Although one pure uniform
color is usually best, combinations such as green
and lavender, red and green, or white with
strong green are very desirable. The Chinese have an
extensive list of phrases to identify these combinations and
colors: moss-in-snow, chicken-blood, valley-leaf, old mine,
spring grass and many others.
What is the best color? Other
considerations aside, the hierarchy of color
value would be green, lavender, red, yellow,
white and black. This is by no means an
absolute scale; however, no one would argue
with the first two. The finest color of green jade would be
close in color to a fine Colombian emerald, but of a darker
hue. In fact, the coloring agent, chromium, is the same for
jadeite and emerald. As the green becomes lighter or darker
than this standard, the value becomes proportionately less.
The same can be said of the other colors (even black). The
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ideal is a strong, vibrant color while successively darker or
lighter shades are considered less desirable.
In all cases, except white jade, the
degree of translucence enhances the
value, while a lack of translucence
diminishes the value. Translucence alone,
in the absence of body color, is called
"water" or "crystal" jade.
What causes these colors? In a nutshell, the color and
translucence of jade are the result of the chemical impurities
present in the rough and the rate at which the jade cooled
eons ago during the formation process. For example, green
is the result of chromic oxide impurities; lavender comes
about from the presence of manganese; red jade occurs as
the end product of oxidation from surrounding water or
earth; black jade denotes high iron
content; white jade is "pure" jade.
Of course, jade contains many
other impurities that modify and
shade these colors (quartz, mica,
serpentine, etc.).
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Will the color of jade change with time? In the Orient,
jade is considered a living thing that is young, then matures
and grows green with age. It was said that some people had
the ability to make jade turn green more quickly, and that
this was a virtue of their mind and body and soul. Alas,
interesting myths notwithstanding, this simply will not
happen!
Many people even today believe that in times of good
health, one's jade grows richer in color, while trauma or
illness will drain the color (and absorb the travail). The
wearing of jade close to the body was said to ensure health.
Interesting though these thoughts may be there is no
evidence that jade will change color. Quite the contrary,
jade is impervious to oils, perfumes and most cold acids. Its
color is constant, for better or worse.
Chapter 3 - Technical Characteristics
& Jade Simulants
Jade refers to two chemically different
stones: jadeite, a silicate of sodium and
aluminum, and nephrite, a silicate of calcium
and magnesium. Although different, they share many
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common characteristics. In Europe, the technical
characteristics of the two varieties were first published by
Damour in 1863; the Chinese were aware of the differences
long before.
Jadeite, the rarest and most valuable form of jade has
been in wide use only since the mid-18th century, and today
is considered the 'precious' form of jade. Most 'fine jewelry'
items of jade consist of jadeite. Jadeite exhibits a wide
palette of sometimes vibrant colors, often with translucence.
Green is the most valuable color; in particular, a translucent
emerald-green is the most prized of all, and is sometimes
called 'Imperial Green'. Jadeite is also available in lavender,
red, yellow, black and white.
Jade is probably the most misidentified of all important
gemstones. There are many minerals that have a passing
resemblance to jadeite and nephrite, and they are often
misrepresented as jade. The high value of jade has made it
a favorite target.
In East Asia, and elsewhere, it is not unusual to find
other "hardstones" sold as one form or another of jade. The
terms "new jade", "Hunan jade", "Sinkiang jade", "Khotan
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jade" and "Korean jade" all refer to stones other than jade,
as do "Transvaal jade" and "Queensland jade".
Other common jade simulants, (opposed to
"synthetics", which are not a problem in jade),
are listed below:
Material
Comments
Also known as "Korean jade" or "Suzhou
jade". Serpentine has a somewhat fibrous
-Serpentine
texture and is often used in carvings. It is
softer than jade, with different fracturing.
R.I.=1.56
Also known as steatite, or talc. This is much
-Soapstone
softer than jade, and is easily scratched with
a knife- blade. It is only used for figurines.
Almost always dyed, green quartz can be the
-Green Quartz
most convincing of all jadeite simulants.
Usually seen in cabochon form, with high
luster. R.I.=1.54
Platelets of chromium mica characterizes this
-Aventurine
form of quartz. Aventurine appears
crystalline with vitreous luster. It is often cut
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into beads and jewelry, but material is
usually spotty. R.I.=1.54
This is another form of quartz that is used to
simulate white jade, (nephrite), and other
-Chalcedony
colors. In its finest green form it is called
Chrysophase, and is often sold as 'Australian
jade'. Conchoidal fractures, even color.
R.I.=1.54
Long used as a jade simulant, glass is almost
always discernible by gas bubbles in its
interior, (a 10x loupe is sufficient). So-called
-Glass
"Peking glass" looks like jade until examined
closely. A Japanese product developed in the
1970's called 'meta-jade' is also glass, but
has dendrite-like inclusions.
Other common jade simulants are carnelian for red jade,
muscovite or zoisite for lavender jade, and bowenite
(grossularite garnet) for green jade. In addition, watch for
calcite, prehnite, idocrase, jasper, malachite and maw-sitsit.
Nephrite, the traditional form of jade, has been used for
over 5000 years by many different cultures throughout the
world. It is the Chinese, however, that raised the craft of
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jade carving to an art, and who appreciated it on the
deepest levels; the rich mix of mythology and religion in
China seemed to find its highest expression in the virtues of
jade. Nephrite colors are subdued, and range from grey to
brown to blue-green to black. Translucence is rare. The
highest quality comes from Siberia, and sometimes New
Zealand or Australia. Taiwan has good nephrite, but the
giant of all producers today is British Columbia.
Chapter 4 - What Is ‘B’ Jade
About ‘B’ Jade
In the late 1970’s/early 1980’s, a new kind of jade appeared
in the markets of East Asia. This material had a light, bright
body color and good translucence. Some dealers noticed a
‘spidery’ texture when viewed under 20x magnification.
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Prices were reasonable for such quality - too reasonable based on values at the time. This marked the beginning of
what has since been called the ‘B’ jade era, which continues
to be the most popular form of treated jade.
Buyer Beware
Consumers should purchase jade from
reliable sources only.
Jade Classifications
‘A’ Jade: Natural, untreated jadeite jade.
Only beeswax is used to fill the stone’s
Microscopic surface pores –
as has been done for centuries
‘B’ Jade: Acid-bleached,polymer-impregnated jadeite jade
‘C’ Jade: Acid-bleached, polymer-impregnated,
dyed jadeite jade (a dyed form of 'B' jade)
‘D’ Jade: dyed jadeite jade.
‘D’ jade almost always pre-dates the
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polymer treatment era
(no polymer present)
How Can You Tell If It’s ‘B’ Jade?
Ultimately, even experts cannot be certain by eye alone
whether or not a stone is ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, or ‘D’ jade. Even
standard gemological testing is usually inconclusive
(refractive index and specific gravity are either unchanged,
or insufficiently changed to make a definitive conclusion).
Hardness can be affected, but to test for it means marring
the stone permanently. So how to be certain a stone is
treated or natural?
First of all, ask. Sometimes, you might hear a
straightforward answer. If not, the biggest clue is price vs.
value. If it's too good to be true, it usually is. Also, be
suspicious if the stone exhibits brightness and translucence,
and/or is a calibrated size. Under examination with a loupe,
if there is a web-like consistency on the jade’s surface or if
the color appears to ‘float’ in the stone, also be wary.
In 1990 the Gemological Institute of America developed a
technique that definitively, and in a non-destructive manner,
can test for the presence of polymers within a jade’s
interior: infra-red spectroscopy. Polymers leave a tell-tale
trace in the infra-red spectrum. A machine called an infra-
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red spectrometer can detect this trace quite clearly. MasonKay is currently the only commercial firm in the United
States equipped with its own infra-red spectrometer since
1995. Mason-Kay is well known for its testing and evaluation
services to the jewelry industry.
What About Disclosure?
With full disclosure, the selling of 'B' jade is acceptable.
However, many retailers and wholesalers in the US and
abroad continue not to disclose.
As of April 2001, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission)
changed the jewelry guidelines for gem enhancement to
require disclosure.
How is ‘B’ Jade Made?
Poor quality jade rough with internal ‘staining' or structural
flaws is immersed in a powerful acid (sulfuric or
hydrochloric) which is sometimes heated to increase its
strength. This emersion process can be repeated and can
last for several weeks. The working fumes are quite toxic
and this procedure is not without risk. The resulting stone
has now been changed: the sodium in the sodium silicate of
jade’s structure has been leached out and with them the
internal stains. At this point, many experts say, the stone is
no longer jadeite jade at all. The stone is then put into a
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neutralizing agent, after which a polymer is injected into the
stone with the use of a centrifuge. The stone is then entirely
covered with a hard, clear plastic-like coating. Cutting and
polishing are then performed as they would be on any jade
stone.
Is 'B' Jade as Durable as Natural Jade?
No. ‘B’ jade can, in time, become unstable and often
discolor. In contrast to natural jade's renowned durability,
'B' jade can be so brittle as to fracture with only minimal
impact. Heavy prongs or bezels can actually penetrate the
weakened surface of the treated stone. Even ordinary
household detergents and simple acetone (used for cleaning
& removing natural jade from glued settings) can break
down the polymer. There are even reports of ‘acid leaks’
from improperly neutralized stones which can result in skin
burns.
How Much is ‘B’ Jade Worth?
For some, ‘B’ jade has no value because it is no longer truly
jade. Its value is considered to be approximately 5% to 10%
of the value of its ‘A’ jade equivalent. The value of ‘C’ and ‘D’
jade is worth between $5-$50.
Chemistry has the ability to change and transform the
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nature of the materials around us, including precious stones.
Diamonds are fracture-filled and synthesized, rubies and
sapphires are heated and simulated, emeralds are oiled and
laboratory grown, topaz is irradiated by fissionable material
and star sapphires have been synthetically made for over
fifty years. It is not surprising that jade is amenable to
chemical manipulation. Some would say that it makes the
real thing all that much more precious!
Red Jade can be heated to increase the
redness, but the usual result is a dull
brown, and translucence is lost. This
process, by the way, is irreversible.
Lavender can pose somewhat of a problem; it has a long
history of being dyed in a form of "blueberry juice." In some
cases, dyed lavender can be spotted right off (in fractured
material, dye will accumulate in fissures); but it is not
always possible to detect dyed lavender by eye alone. Most
dyes fade with time and exposure to sunlight. We
recommend buying from a reputable source from which one
has recourse.
Common jade fakes include serpentine (also bowenite),
carnelian, aventurine quartz, glass, grossularite, idocrase
and soapstone. This is not a complete list. Bear in mind that
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materials known as new jade, Honan jade, Korean jade,
metajade and Sinkiang jade are almost never actually jade.
The term jade is synonymous with "precious" in Chinese and
thus "korean jade" may be no more jade than a "golden
sunset" contains gold. Again, know your dealer.
Chapter 5 – The Care and Durability Of Jade
Next to Hematite or "black diamond", Jade is the toughest
of all known stones. This extreme durability explains its
early use, by many cultures, as tools for farming and
hunting. No other stone appears in such a wide variety of
forms; bangles, hololith rings, statuary cups,
spoons and scepters. It is jade's unparalleled
toughness that accounts for its wide variety
of uses, and it is this very toughness that allows for the
unmatched delicacy of carving one finds in jade.
The care of jade is quite simple. The proper way to clean
jade is to simply apply a mild, soapy water solution. A small,
soft bristled toothbrush is best for cleaning the crevices
within carvings. It is important to heed this advice. Most
common jewelry cleaners and techniques can cause
problems. Jewelry that appears to be bezel set is most often
secured by a combination of metal and epoxy. The metal is
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tightened around the stone and then the jeweler applies the
epoxy.This extra precaution is taken because jade rarely has
a sharp edge, as most other faceted gemstones, to be held
by metal alone. Many other nonfaceted stones (i.e. opals, coral,
pearls, turquoise, etc.) require
similar demands.
What other stone can be carved as a
continuous chain from a single piece
of material and endure as jewelry or statuary for centuries?
Because of its toughness and hardness, jade even appeals to
the aural senses, for it’s is said when "jade is struck, it rings
true."
It is this same durability that allows a family to pass on a
cherished piece from generation to generation and elevates
jade from the realm of an ordinary gemstone to a priceless
heirloom.
Below is a list of “Dont's” for Jade:
 Never steam jade – Jewelers usually steam faceted
stones after sizing and working on pieces. Please
remind your jeweler of this frequent error.
 Never use Ultra-sonic jewelry equipment and cleaning
solutions on jade.
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 It is best to remove your jade before swimming in a
chlorine treated pool, the ocean, or soaking in a hot
tub.
 A warning for gardeners – please remove your jade
rings before messing with any dirt and soil. The quartz
dust in soil is a powerful abrasive.
© 2008 Mason-Kay. All Rights Reserved
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