Can you tell the authenticity of dyed jade with the naked eye?

Jade has become popular, more people are playing with it, more people are selling it, and as a result, more counterfeiters are also making it. Many players lament that they do not have a keen eye and cannot tell what kind of jade is dyed, and they feel they have found a bargain when they buy it at a low price.

Let me first give you some basic information here. The so-called dyed jade refers to the use of pigments or chemical solvents to turn colorless or light-colored inferior jade into brightly colored ones. These dyed jades make profits for unscrupulous businessmen, and the heavy metals they contain are extremely harmful to the human body.

We know that jade has always been most valuable because of its green color. Many merchants will go to great lengths to add color and green to jade, and even dye it yellow, red, purple, etc. according to different people's preferences. Don’t panic, I’ll teach you some tips on how to expose these fake jades.

Observation by eyes and ears, suitable for experienced people

Just like high-end imitations of famous brands, some fakes nowadays are made with great sophistication, even to the point of being indistinguishable from the real thing. It is impossible for an outsider to identify truly fine dyed jade with the naked eye, let alone by just listening to the sound. But for professional experts, dyed jade can be identified by eyes and ears. Let’s see how they do it.

1

Visual observation

Natural jade generally has higher glossiness and transparency than dyed jade, and has full water head, full and normal color, while dyed jade has relatively low glossiness and transparency, a relatively dry surface, and exaggerated, contrasting, and unnatural color.

2

Sound Identification

The sound made by natural jade when struck is relatively clear, but the internal structure of dyed jade is destroyed after being treated with high temperatures or corroded by chemicals. Therefore, if you strike dyed jade, the sound it makes is relatively dull.

3

Observe the color root

The color roots of dyed jade are thread-like, the color edges are fuzzy and layered, unevenly distributed, the transition is unnatural, and the color appears to be floating from the outside. However, not all jade has color roots. For example, the colors of Longshi jade, Furong jade, and full-green high-end old pit glass jade are very uniform, and the colors are almost the same as the base color, so the color roots cannot be seen. In addition, jadeite with good water quality has clearly diffused color roots, fine structure, and is exquisite and clear.

4

Magnifying glass inspection

This method can be used to identify purple jadeite. The judgment is made based on the color root, color shape, and observation of the relationship between color and jadeite grains. For example, white surrounding purple or purple surrounding white? The jadeite that is surrounded by purple in white is natural purple jade, and the jadeite that is surrounded by white in purple is dyed jade.

Gadget identification, the best choice for beginners

After introducing the methods for experienced people, it is time to introduce some methods suitable for beginners. Although novices do not have the experience or professional theories of experts, it is entirely possible to identify dyed jade with the help of some small tools.

1

Soak in boiling water

Soak the jade in boiling water at 80-100℃ for several hours. If the water turns green, it proves that it is dyed jade. However, this method is only limited to jadeite that is colored with inorganic materials and green polishing powder, and is not suitable for identifying high-tech dyed jadeite.

2

Observation under incandescent light

Observe the jade under an incandescent lamp. If the color is actually red, it means it is artificially dyed. If the color does not turn red, there are two possibilities: natural color or dyeing. At this time, other methods are needed for further identification.

3

UV fluorescent lamp

Natural purple jade generally has no fluorescent reaction under ultraviolet fluorescent lamps, while dyed violet jade often has a more obvious fluorescence under ultraviolet light.

Scientific testing, suitable for both new and experienced users

With the development of technology today, many jewelry and jadeite that have been processed with high technology cannot be identified by eyes, ears or simple tools. Even those experienced veterans feel unable to do so. At this time, we need to use some more advanced scientific methods to test.

1

Identification of Zachary filter

The green color of jadeite that has been changed by irradiation is only on the surface, distributed in the form of ring-shaped or patchy areas. Such C-grade jadeite appears purple-red under a Charles microscope. Jadeite that has been irradiated to change its color has good transparency, but it is also blue in color. There are traces of bombardment on the surface of the jade, and the surface color of the bombarded areas is darker than that of the unbombarded areas.

2

Heat treatment identification

To distinguish whether it is natural color or dyed jadeite, you can use heat treatment to make the jadeite appear red. Natural red jade has better transparency, the red parts have strong luster and look spiritual; the red color of dyed jade is dull, thick and uniform.

3

Chemical reagents

If you drop dilute hydrochloric acid on the surface of some dyed jadeite, or use a cotton ball dipped in "decolorizing agent" to scrub C-grade jadeite, the green or purple color will fade.

Of course, the most scientific way is to send it to an authoritative testing agency for a certificate. Under the hands of appraisers with high-tech equipment and professional knowledge, the truth will be revealed!