Jade is a stone which can be found all over the world.
The name jade is given to two different types of minerals, nephrite and jadeite. They are similar in appearance though differ in mineral composition.
Nephrite is a common mineral found all over the world in places such as California, Wyoming and Alaska, British Columbia and other areas. It is softer than jadeite, measuring a 6 to a 6.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness. Nephrite has some amazing qualities, it is much tougher than jadeite, even though it is softer, due to its very tough interlocking crystal structure.
Chinese jade, the stone that has been revered in Chinese culture for thousands of years, is actually nephrite jade. It wasn’t until relatively recent history that jade from Burma was introduced into China. In the late 1700′s it was determined that this form of jade from Burma had a different mineral composition all together and was dubbed jadeite.
Nephrite comes in a multitude of colors, not just its stereotypical emerald and apple greens which come to the minds of many when thinking of jade. Some colors of nephrite jade include red, orange, white, blue and blacks.
Jadeite is a harder jade, measuring 6.7 to 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness. Jadeite is also much rarer than the much more common nephrite, making it more expensive and desirable. Jadeite’s price is also affected by its gem qualities.
These two stones can vary in price depending on the quality of the individual pieces. The attributes which affect the price of jade is its color, the vibrancy of that color, its translucency, its depth and if it is free from flaws. Jade jewelry can be sold in many different forms, from elegant rings and necklaces to casual pendants, to jade earrings. These pieces can range from very low prices to thousands of dollars for pure gem quality stones and carvings.
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