Should you buy water for jadeite? Or buy color?

"Water head" refers to the range of light transmission in jade. People in the industry generally refer to the transparency of jade as "water head".

A long and full water head means good transparency. On the contrary, poor head or short head means poor transparency.

As the saying goes, "experts look at the water content, while laymen look at the color." Water content is a problem that laymen often overlook when choosing jadeite.

Generally speaking, the best quality ones are those that look crystal clear, watery and gorgeous. The translucent ones are ice jade, and the almost completely transparent ones are the best quality (commonly known as glass jade).

Water head is a metaphorical expression summarized by industry experts through long-term observation. It not only means transparency, but also means freshness like water. This is the special meaning given by the connotation of Chinese jade culture.

How is “water head” measured in the industry? All domestic jade merchants generally use halo to measure the quality of jade's "water head", which is referred to as "a few points of water".

One point of water means that the halo transmission is 3mm thick, "two points of water" means that the halo transmission is 6mm thick, "three points of water" means that the halo transmission is 9mm thick, and the best is "ten points of water".

How to determine the water head of jadeite?

We can use the midday sunlight to observe the light transmittance of jadeite, or use a flashlight to shine vertically on the surface of the raw material to observe the size of the halo.

Special attention should be paid to observing transparency. The intensity of light and changes in jade thickness have a greater impact on it. When the light source is strong and the sunlight is close to noon, the water head of jade will appear better.

On the contrary, if the light source is weak or it is cloudy, the water head of jadeite will appear poor. The saying "Don't look at jade without sunlight" is this principle. The light cannot be too strong, otherwise it will lead to misjudgment and make the "water head" appear too long.

The beauty of jade is not only reflected in its bright and rich colors, but also in its clear, pure and light base.

Jade with good water head has high transparency. The reflection and refraction of light inside the jade makes the jade look crystal clear and fluorescent. The overall effect is dynamic and full of vitality.

On the contrary, it is rigid, dull and lacks spirituality. For jadeite with almost the same base and color distribution, if there is a big difference in water content, their prices may differ by several times or even dozens of times!

For example, if a bracelet with ice-glutinous jade and floating flowers has good water head, then it will have a good luster, a strong fleshy texture, and the greenery will be well scattered. The whole jade bracelet will be alive and vivid. The price may be several times or even ten times more expensive than the same bracelet with poor water head.

The color of jade we see is the visual sensory information obtained by the combined factors of light reflection, internal reflection and refraction through jade. The quality of water head affects the color of jade to a certain extent.

Many jades appear to be rich and lush green from a distance, but upon closer inspection there are some places where there is actually no green. Insufficient water head, which prevents the green from turning into green, is one of the reasons.

Jade with good water content will generally become more "delicate" or "brighter" in color, and sometimes the color will become lighter. The light has a strong reflective ability inside the jade, mapping the color throughout the body, as if the entire jade is full of color, and the color becomes more vivid.

For jadeite with good "water head", a green color root can render the entire pendant green. Jadeite with poor "water head" may have a lot of green, but the color only remains on the surface. This is the influence of water head on the color of jadeite.

Let me remind everyone that a good quality jadeite does not necessarily have good water content. The quality and water content of jadeite are often confused by people. In fact, they are closely related, but there are differences.

The "species" of jade refers to the comprehensive influence of jade's mineral composition, color, structure, transparency, etc. on jade's quality, which is also called "species" or "grain quality".

Therefore, jadeite with good "quality" will also have good water content, but jadeite with good "water content" may not necessarily have good "quality". For example, the fine glutinous variety has very fine grains, the variety is good but the water head is poor.

Some anthocyanin varieties are just the opposite. They have good water head, but the germ quality is average due to their color and structure. Fine glutinous jade is of good quality, but its "water head" is average. Glass-type jade is considered to be the best quality with good quality and water content, but it is basically priced sky-high. Many jade lovers have wanted this type of jade.

To be honest, if your budget is too low, all you can buy are either fairy pictures or fakes. If you want to grow crops and pursue sex, young man, is your wallet ready?

After reading this article, please click on the upper right corner to share it to your circle of friends so that more friends can benefit from it!

If you like jadeite, please add us on WeChat. Factory jadeite is at your fingertips.