By Susan Wong.
For thousands of years, jade has been known to man and held a special attraction for mankind. This unique symbolic energy gemstone comes in many fine nuances of green and shades of grey, white, orange and yellow. In ancient China, the Chinese called this green gem ‘yu’ means the ‘royal gem’. It was used for the finest objects, cult figures and also in grave furnishings for respected members of the imperial family. In ancient Egypt, this gem was admired as the stone of inner peace, love, balance and harmony. Jade was regarded as a protective or lucky stone in other regions and cultures too.
In Asia, this fascinating gemstone is collected as an antique while in the West, jade is preferred to be collected in the form of cigarette holders, snuff boxes, small bowls or rings. While diamond holds the title of the hardest gemstone, jade holds the title of the toughest gemstone in nature. It is the toughest because it is the most resistant to breaking. Early hammers and tools have been found which were formed from this mineral.
When you are talking about jade, you are actually referring to two different minerals, jadeite and nephrite. Both nephrite and jadeite are regarded as ‘zhen yu’ (genuine jade) in China. The gemologists and mineralogists started to differentiate between these two gemstones at the beginning of the 19th century. Although both of the stones are tough they differ from one-another in their colours and chemical composition. Nephrite ranges from mid to dark green or grey-green, it can also be yellowish, reddish or white. Jadeite displays hues which include green, but also pink or white, reds, browns, blacks and violets. Many of the finest jades have their colour distributed evenly. Both jadeite and nephrite often have veins, streaks and blemishes running through them but these are not always considered as flaws. Jadeite is a little denser and harder and therefore can take a higher polish than nephrite. Because jadeites are rarer than nephrites, people regard jadeite as a more precious gemstone. Nephrite deposits have been found in Russia, China, Guatemala, New Zealand and the Swiss Alps. Jadeite is found in Russia, Guatemala and China but the finest quality usually comes from Burma (Myanmar).
In general, the intensity of the colour, the texture and vivacity, and its transparency and clarity will determine the value of the jade stone. In the Europe and USA, emerald green, apple green and spinach green are regarded as particularly valuable. In the Far East, pure white and a fine yellow with a delicate colour of pink undertone are highly esteemed. Jade with fine violet nuances of lavender is also very popular. However, the beautiful and rarer emerald green of imperial jade is the one which fetches the highest prices.
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