Gemstone encyclopedia
Jade — meaning, history and vintage jewelry
Jade is the trade name for two different minerals: jadeite, the rarer and more valuable, and nephrite. Neither is very hard, at 6 to 7 on the Mohs scale, but both are extraordinarily tough, which is why jade has been carved into thin bangles and openwork plaques for millennia. Fine translucent green jadeite is among the most valuable materials in the gem world, and treatment disclosure matters enormously.
What jade is
Jadeite is graded by the trade as A, B or C: A is untreated, B has been bleached and polymer impregnated, C has been dyed. B and C material can look convincing and is worth a fraction of untreated jade, so any significant jade should be supported by a laboratory report.
Nephrite is the jade of Chinese archaic carving and of Maori work, usually a deeper spinach green or a creamy white. It is slightly softer and, if anything, even tougher.
Color and hardness
- Species
- Two distinct minerals: jadeite and nephrite
- Color
- Green in many tones, plus white, lavender, yellow and black
- Mohs hardness
- 6 to 7 for jadeite, 6 to 6.5 for nephrite
- What that means in wear
- Not especially hard, but exceptionally tough. Its interlocking fibrous structure resists breaking better than almost any other gem material.
How to care for jade
- Warm soapy water and a soft cloth only.
- Never use ultrasonic or steam cleaning, especially on treated or polymer filled jade.
- Keep away from acids, solvents and household cleaners, which attack impregnated material.
Our full house rules, including what the one year warranty does and does not cover, are in the care & warranty guide.
History and symbolism
Worked in China for more than five thousand years, and in Mesoamerica and New Zealand independently. Jadeite from Burma reached China in quantity from the eighteenth century, and Art Deco Europe absorbed carved Chinese jade into its own vocabulary in the 1920s.
In Chinese tradition jade stands for virtue, integrity and protection, and a bangle is often a lifelong piece. Deco jewelers used it for color and line rather than for that meaning.
Jade in vintage and antique jewelry
Art Deco brooches, pendants and cufflinks combining carved jade plaques with onyx, coral and diamonds; Victorian and Edwardian carved nephrite; mid century gold mounted cabochons.
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Jade pieces in our collection
Every curated vintage, antique and estate piece is one of a kind and checked by our jewelry specialists in the Netherlands. If nothing is right today, we will look for it.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between jadeite and nephrite?
- They are separate minerals that share a name. Jadeite is rarer, can reach a vivid translucent green, and is generally more valuable. Nephrite is the traditional jade of Chinese archaic carving.
- What do jade A, B and C mean?
- A is untreated, B is bleached and polymer impregnated, C is dyed. The distinction changes the value dramatically, so a report is worthwhile on any important piece.
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