Jewelry made from Jade looks very good, but unfortunately, it is difficult to tell the difference between real and fake Jade. With these guidelines, discover how to identify true Jade.
It is possible to find Jade which is composed of more than a single mineral. Although some can be found in Guatemala and other areas in smaller quantities, the majority of Jade comes from Burma. Though not commonly known, Jade is found in multiple sources. Two different minerals, Jadeite or nephrite, can make Jade. Jadeite is the most expensive because it is the rarer of the two minerals. It is generally changes with in color also, as from white to yellow as well as from black to red. The clear green variety of Jadeite is known as Imperial Jade.
Jade that comes from nephrite is very popular and cuts the cost down considerably. Nephrite Jade has been discovered on all of the world's continents, including the Americas. While Nephrite does not inherently have the color variety of Jadeite, it does still have a couple of variants. Nephrite can only produce grayish and mottled green Jade at best and unlike the beautiful Imperial Jade produced from Jadeite.
Jade is a tough gem. Jade can be identified by testing its strength. Jade jewelry is very durable so it will not break or chip easily. While a diamond, ranking a 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, is one of the hardest stones, Jadeite is softer and has a ranking of 7. It is considered a strong mineral because it is chip resistant. Nephrite is softer - being on the Mohs scale at 6.5, so a high polish like Jadeite is not advisable.
Jade has specific lustre to it. In addition to its strength, Jade has a high lustre and can be polished from a medium to a high level. When you're trying to identify valuable Jade pieces, be aware that the semi-transparent and transparent Jade, are more valuable in the market than the colored ones. Very reflective and polished Jade is currently quite highly sought after. The clearer the stone the better it would be.
Learn the value of the different shades of Jade. Identify and choose valuable pieces when you are preparing to buy Jade that is mostly the same even color all over. These are very much coveted. Recently, the more popular pieces of Jade are multicolored. The higher quality Jade jewelry includes the more intense shades of green. Be aware that Jade is commonly dyed or heat treated to enhance or tone down color. Jade which is semi-transparent is more valuable, than opaque.
You should be aware what else to look for. When identifying genuine Jade and comparing it to fake Jade there are a few other things you should look for. Actual Jade is most valuable with little to no chips or visible flaws. Sometimes nephrite Jade is wrongly sold as Jadeite due to the color enhancing process often used. Watch out for fakes as well! To make an easy sale, some jewelers will try to convince you that dyed quartz and other stones are actually Jade when they really aren't. A person should know what he's looking for and to buy from a jeweler or dealer that he trust, to identify a genuine and valuable Jade gemstone.
