Seven Tips for Identifying A-Grade Jadeite

When collecting and investing in jadeite, the first thing to pay attention to is "identification". Identification means to identify the authenticity and quality of a piece of jade, which is mainly judged from four aspects: type, water, color and ground: "Type" is roughly divided into glass type, ice type, oil type, bean type, etc. according to its grade, among which glass type is the best. "Water" is also called "Qiao" in jargon, which refers to the transparency of jadeite. It is generally divided into transparent, relatively transparent, translucent, slightly transparent and opaque. The higher the transparency, the higher the value. "Color" refers to the color of jadeite. Jadeite has rich colors, which can be divided into seven colors: yellow, white, green, red, purple, black and blue, and they can all appear on a piece of jadeite at the same time. This is a feature that ordinary gemstones do not have. "Ground" refers to the degree of coordination between the colors of jadeite. The structure of "ground" should be delicate, the color tone should be uniform, there should be few impurities and dirty colors, and it should have a certain degree of transparency. Its colors include white, gray, yellow, black, blue, purple, lake green, etc.

Many people know that jade is produced in Myanmar and is formed naturally over many years. Faced with the varying quality of jade products on the market, how many of them are natural? Due to the complexity of the market, jade is divided into many grades, such as jade A, jade B, jade C, etc. So what are the differences between these ABC grades? Anyone who is slightly familiar with jade knows that A-grade jade is natural jade, the best jade, but most people don’t know what A-grade jade means? Don’t understand the characteristics of A-grade jadeite? Or what kind of jade can be considered as truly natural jade? Next, let’s take a closer look at the specific characteristics of Grade A jadeite. Let’s identify Grade A jadeite in detail.

Grade A jade refers to natural jade that has not undergone any chemical treatment such as filling and coloring. There is a consensus in the industry that it is commonly called Grade A jade. Natural A-grade jadeite absorbs the essence of the heaven, earth, sun and moon and is born. It is full of spirituality and is also called "living jade" among the people. After years of wearing, A-grade jadeite is in constant contact and friction with human skin. The jade will become more moisturized, and the human body will also benefit from the health care effect. The wearer will also feel very happy. This is what people often say, "People raise jade, and jade raises people." People and jade can nourish each other and communicate with each other.

Luster: After being polished, the surface of A-grade jadeite is as smooth as a mirror and has strong reflectivity and glass luster. After being soaked in strong acids and alkalis, the structure of B-grade jadeite is loose, and before being filled, corrosion pits are visible on the surface, which causes diffuse reflection and a pockmarked luster. After being filled with glue, the surface of B-grade jadeite has a resin luster and no spirituality. If B-grade jadeite is polished after being filled with glue, resin luster spots can still be seen in the filled pits, and the overall luster is a mixture of resin and glass luster.

Color: The color of Grade A jade is natural and has layers; the color of Grade B jade is the result of decolorization of the original color, and it is bright and yellowish. Since the structure of jade is destroyed and its original optical properties also change, the color distribution of B-grade jade has no sense of hierarchy and is a chaotic mass of one color.

Structure: The raw materials of jadeite that can be made into B-grade jadeite are generally jadeite containing more impurities and with a loose structure. After being soaked and corroded by strong acids and alkalis, some substances are brought in and out, and dissolution occurs on the surface and inside along the mineral crystals, resulting in internal interconnected cracks and surface water channels. The internal cracks are jagged tensile cracks. Under transmitted light conditions, the criss-crossing cracks inside are visible, which seriously affect the permeability; under reflective conditions, the dissolution pits or reticulations on the surface are clearly visible, and the original glass luster of the jade is lost.

Bubbles: Residual bubbles can be seen in the colloid on the surface or in the cracks of B-grade jadeite that is filled with glue.

Impurities: When observing jade A grade under magnification, yellow, brown, and black impurities may be seen sometimes; jade B grade is relatively pure and no impurities can be found.

Fluorescence: B-grade jadeite has average to medium yellow-green and bluish-green fluorescence.

Thermal reaction: Grade A jadeite does not melt below 800℃, while Grade B jadeite filled with glue will carbonize when heated to 200-300℃.

Density: In theory, the density of B-grade jade is slightly lighter than that of A-grade jade, but this lacks practicality because the density of jade varies within a range.

So what are the characteristics of Type B jadeite?

1. The colors are brighter, most of the greens have no color roots, and the contrast between the color and the ground is strong and unnatural;

2. The luster is weaker, mostly resinous and waxy, while Grade A jadeite has a brighter glassy luster;

3. The structure is relatively loose. Under magnification, it can be seen that the crystal particles are staggered and displaced, and lose their directionality;

4. Using a gem magnifying glass, you can observe that there are pits and pits on the surface like orange peel, which is called orange peel effect;

5. The density and refractive index are usually relatively lower than A-grade jadeite;

6. If glue is injected, it will show pink blue or yellow-green fluorescence under ultraviolet fluorescent light;

7. When you tap gently on a B-grade jade bracelet, it will make a dull sound, while an A-grade jade bracelet will make a crisp and pleasant sound.