What does fly wings refer to in jadeite?

The biological term "fly wing" originally refers to the wings of the most familiar insect, the fly. It is a word that can be ignored by many people. But in the eyes of jade players, "fly wings" have a special status. They are important evidence for jade identification and a manifestation of jade quality.

The "fly wings" of jade should actually be called "jade nature" academically, which refers to a special crystallization habit that distinguishes jade from other jades. Specifically, "jade quality" means that due to the development of cleavage planes, the crystal grains of jadeite will produce a bright white reflection on the surface of these small particles when exposed to light. These reflections appear in the shape of long strips or irregular flakes, and because the crystal grains of jade are long and short, thick and thin, the reflections between them often visually present a flickering effect, just like the bright white reflective surface of a fly's wings, so people figuratively call it "fly wing flash."

"Fly wings" are an important feature that distinguishes jadeite from other jades, so many people regard "fly wings" as the key to identifying jadeite. But in fact, not all jades can have “fly wings” observed. For jades with fine quality, it is often difficult for us to observe “fly wings” due to the small crystal grains or underdeveloped cleavage planes. For example, "fly wings" cannot be observed on the surface of jadeite with fine quality and good water content, but "fly wings" can be observed in B+C grade jadeite and C grade jadeite, so "fly wings" can only be used as auxiliary evidence for jadeite identification.

fcgc33

fcpf18