Collection ▏It’s time to learn about jadeite!

Jadeite, also known as jadeite jade, jadeite and Burmese jade, is a type of jade. Jadeite has very few origins, only a few countries such as the United States, Japan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Guatemala, Myanmar, etc. Myanmar is the country with the highest output and best quality, so jadeite is also called "Myanmar jade."

Composition of Jade

Jade is a multi-mineral aggregate. Pyroxene minerals are the main components of jade. The main minerals are jadeite, omphacite and sodium chrome pyroxene. It is tough, wear-resistant, has a greasy to glassy luster, and is available in rich colors and varieties.

The origin of the name Jade

Jadeite is known as the "King of Jade". In Chinese, the word "jadeite" is borrowed from the name of the animal kingfisher. The male bird with bright red feathers is called "jadeite bird", and the female bird with emerald green feathers is called "kingfisher". Among jadeite jades, the red one is called "jadeite" and the green one is called "jadeite". Because there is too little jadeite in nature, and emerald green jadeite is particularly beautiful, people are accustomed to using "jadeite" as the specific name for "jadeite". Later, people also got used to using "jadeite" as a general term.

Old and new mines of jadeite

Most people who have played with jade have heard of the terms "old mine" and "new mine". Simply put, old mines and new mines are distinguished based on the jadeite ore deposits . The primary ore is called the new mine, and the secondary ore formed by natural forces such as river water is called the old mine.

After the jade veins are formed, nature will use physical forces to transport them: just like pebbles on the river bank, they are big stones in the upper reaches of the river and become small stones in the lower reaches. In this process, the jadeite raw stones are moved from their birthplace to another place. After being transported by nature and experiencing bumps and collisions, those with poor quality will be eliminated, while those with dense texture will safely reach the place where people first discovered them.

Therefore, people called the first pit they discovered and mined the "old pit", because the raw stones mined at the beginning had been screened by nature and were of very good quality. The later the mining, the worse the quality was compared with the previous ones, so people called the pits mined later the "new pits".

These two concepts have nothing to do with the age of jadeite formation (in fact, from a geological point of view, the new and old pit jadeite were formed underground in the same geological era, and some new pit species are even formed earlier than old pit species). It is only the years in which jadeite was mined that are different.

Since the old mines are fine products that have been "polished and sorted" by nature, they have now become synonymous with top-grade jadeite with pure emerald green color, uniform distribution, fine texture, and high transparency.

Jade Grade

Jade is usually divided into four grades according to its degree of processing: A, B, C, and B+C:

Grade A : refers to jade that is produced naturally and is processed, carved, ground and polished using physical methods without using any chemical or radiation methods to destroy its internal structure.

B-grade jade refers to jade that has been acid-washed, bleached and injected with glue.

C-grade jade refers to jade that has been artificially dyed. Regardless of whether it is acid-washed, bleached, or filled with glue or not, any jade that is artificially colored is called C-grade jade.

B+C goods : refers to jade that has been acid-washed, bleached, injected with glue, and artificially dyed.

Selection of Jade

There is a saying in the jargon that goes "one kind, two colors, and three craftsmanship", which shows that the type, color, and craftsmanship are the three most basic factors in choosing jade, followed by size, weight, clarity, and flaws.

Look at the water

“Good quality jade can cover up three flaws” vividly illustrates the importance of jade quality. Water head, or transparency, refers to the ability of jadeite to transmit visible light. There is a saying in the industry: "Look at the type of bracelet and the color of pendant". This shows the importance of water head in jade bracelets. A bracelet with good water head can make women look younger and more energetic.

The grades from high to low are: old pit glass type, water type, ice type, ice glutinous type, glutinous type, bean type and so on.

①Glass type

The glass type of jade has the highest transparency and the most delicate internal structure, and its appearance looks very much like transparent glass. Glass-type jadeite generally has a lot of water. The surface of a good glass-type jadeite will also fluoresce and appear rigid. It is the highest-grade jadeite on the market.

②Ice

The texture of ice jade is similar to ice cubes in the refrigerator. Its appearance is icy and clean, and is slightly transparent to translucent. If the ice jade has green or blue flowers, it is called "ice jade, floating flower jade" in the industry; if the ice jade has relatively few impurities and high transparency, it is also called "high ice", which is very close to the texture of glass and belongs to the upper-middle or mid-range jade.

③Glutinous/Ice Glutinous

The texture of glutinous jade is very similar to thick rice soup. Just like its name, it is very delicate and smooth, and its transparency is significantly lower than that of ice jade. Ice-glutinous jade generally refers to a type of jade with high transparency and good water head, which can reach the level of ice-type jade. In order to distinguish it from ordinary glutinous jade, it is also called "ice-type bottom". It is between transparent jade and opaque jade, and is also a good jade.

④ Bean seeds

Bean-type jade is the most numerous type of jade. As the saying goes, "nine out of ten types are beans", which shows how wide the range of bean-type jade is. The characteristics of bean varieties are obvious at a glance. The green color is light, mostly green or blue, the texture is rough, and the transparency is like seeing flowers in the fog. The green one is bean green, and the blue one is bean blue. Bean-type jadeite is often used to make mid-range bracelets, accessories, carvings, etc., covering almost all types of jadeite finished products. Bean green bracelets, accessories, etc. are also very expensive.

⑤Hibiscus species

The overall feeling of hibiscus jade is as soft and delicate, pure and clear as a hibiscus flower emerging from the water. The "flesh" of the hibiscus variety, that is, its texture is relatively delicate compared to the bean variety, and its color is lighter, generally light green, and mostly translucent. Although its color is very light, it still has a sense of elegance and softness. Although it is not transparent enough, it is not dry and is very pleasing to the eye.

Look at the color

Jade has rich and varied colors and can be divided into green, purple, red, yellow, white, gray, black, etc. Among them, green is the most varied and is the most valuable among many colors.

▲High ice green jadeite

①Green

The green color of jade is also ever-changing, and its hue and shape are very complex. Its value is measured by the standards of "positive, rich, bright, and uniform". Positive, rich, bright and uniform color is the embodiment of good quality, and it is also valuable. Among them, imperial green is the supreme color of jade. Its green is evenly distributed, the color is pure and rich, and it has a dignified and noble beauty.

▲High ice imperial green jadeite

In addition, other varieties of good quality include Yang Green, Guo Yang Green, Tian Green, Bean Green, etc. Black jadeite refers to jadeite that is so green that it seems dark, and when observed under light, it appears bright green. If it is accompanied by good carving, it can also show a sense of solemnity.

②Purple

Purple jadeite, “nine out of ten purple are wood,” is mostly made of coarse crystals, and the purple color is generally light, and the color often runs through the light. Purple jade can be subdivided into pink purple: purple with a slight pink; eggplant purple: purple with eggplant-like purple-red; blue purple: purple with blue; the texture is mostly medium to coarse granular structure, and fine grains are rare.

If the purple color is deep, the texture is fine, and the transparency is high, it is very rare. In ancient my country, purple represented nobility and was the symbol of the emperor. In Taoist astrology, there is the Purple Star which represents the emperor, and there is also a saying that "purple air comes from the east".

③Red

The common jadeite on the market is orange-red or bright red, and this kind of jadeite is called red jadeite.

Red jade can be divided into three types:

Bright red: Also known as “cockscomb red”, it is the best quality red jadeite.

Dark red: mostly distributed close to the edge of the original stone.

Brown-red: Occurs on the edge of the original stone, caused by weathering and leaching.

The color of red jadeite is not the color of the natural jade mineral crystal itself, but is formed by the iron element of hematite that permeates the gaps between the jade crystals. It is a secondary color. Red represents joy. High-grade red jadeite is very bright in color, has a glassy luster, and is as icy red as a strawberry ice cream sundae. It is also very popular among people. There are still some merchants in the market selling "burned red" jadeite. I hope all jade lovers will purchase with caution.

④ Yellow

Yellow jadeite, like red jadeite, is a secondary color. Natural high-quality yellow jadeite is also called "golden jadeite" . It is orange-yellow or honey-colored, crystal clear, bright and uniform in color. It is the best quality of yellow jadeite and is relatively rare.

From the perspective of the Five Elements, the color of yellow jade is similar to that of gold, so for people who lack gold in the Five Elements, wearing yellow jade is the best choice. Yellow represents power and wealth, and is a color of pride. People who wear yellow jade are filled with brightness and happiness, and show wisdom and gentleness.

Jade Crafts

There is a saying that goes "material and craftsmanship are half and half", which means that in a good work of art, the value of materials and craftsmanship each account for half; the quality of craftsmanship and its symbolic meaning both affect the price.

In addition, for jadeite of the same quality, the larger the size, the better and more expensive it is; the more uniform the color and water quality, the higher the value; the fewer flaws, the more expensive it is.