To identify red jadeite, start by refusing to burn it

Red jadeite of high-quality material is still relatively rare in the jade market, but it is still loved by many jade lovers.

After all, red jade has the festive color of "Chinese red" and delicate texture, which just fits the aesthetic taste of Chinese people.

However, the bright red or orange-red jadeite that appears in the jade market is not necessarily natural red jadeite, it may also be burned red by fire.

First, let’s understand what natural red jade is

Red jadeite does not only refer to red jadeite, it covers various types of jadeite with red content, such as red, dark red, brown red, orange red, brown red, etc.

If the jade is mainly brown with a hint of red, it is called "red jade";

Jadeite with mainly red tones and brown hints is called “jadeite red”.

The color displayed by red jadeite is not the original color of the mineral crystal.

Instead, the color is formed due to the influence of weathering, when foreign iron mineral elements enter the gaps between jade crystals. It is a secondary color.

The color of red jadeite mostly stays on the surface of the original stone or slightly below the surface, so it is also called "red skin" or "red fog".

The best red among red jadeite is “Cockscomb Red”, which has bright and vivid color, delicate and transparent texture, and is truly a fine product.

At Sotheby's auction house, a "cockscomb red" sculpture of extremely high quality was auctioned for more than 3.8 million yuan.

What about the burnt red jadeite?

Red jadeite that has undergone optimized processing, also known as burned red jadeite and baked jadeite, often appears on the market.

Merchants will put some lower quality gray-yellow jade or brown-yellow jade in a furnace and heat it at a certain temperature.

After the heat treatment, an oxidation reaction occurs inside the jade, producing iron oxide, which gives it a bright red color.

The most important thing is that the heat-treated red jadeite can be issued with a jadeite certificate!

This is because "burning red" is a physical coloring technique. It does not essentially change the internal structure of the jade, nor is it treated with chemical substances. It still falls into the category of A-grade jade.

However, the color of burnt red jadeite is not naturally formed, so its market value is naturally lower than that of natural red jadeite.

We are afraid that some unscrupulous merchants will sell burned red jadeite instead of natural red jadeite in pursuit of profits.

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