After a nice green jade cabochon

[mellowyellowgirl]

Hi Folks!

As stated above I am after a nice green jade cabochon I can stick a halo around and turn into a ring!

@Bluegemz or anyone else can you please help?

Would really appreciate it if there are any online jade vendors that are reputable.

I also have no idea how much they are going for so if you can give me an indication of what green tones I can get at what prices and size that would be awesome!

Thank you in advance!

 

[Bluegemz]

Mellowyellowgirl, I'm happy to assist as much as I can.....

I have reached out to 2 acquaintances who are serious collectors and am waiting for who they recommend for cabochons. You see, sellers specialize in jthe jades which they carry. A bangle seller online may not have the best cabochons, and vice versa.

Off the top of my head, HiddenTreasureGems on Etsy sells some nice green cabochons. There is a seller in Hawaii by the name of 'Jade by Nikolai'. She is the daughter of a great jade dealer, who also studied at a famous American design school. Between her and her mother, they can probably find you what you want if you message her. I'm waiting to hear back anout her mothers shop and contact info.

Another seller who is on Singapore, ( her name is Nadir) has a site called ultimate jadeite on ebay and etsy. Though she doesn't sell cabochons on her site , you could message her and ask her if she can source a few. I've never purchased from her but know people who have.

Recently, I've been looking at 'All about jade' and 'Yokdee', but I've never purchased from them, nor do I know of anyone who had. ill keep you updated as I find out more.

For estate pieces, which is always a possibility,
especially if you want to pull the stone, ( also because of the old mine material and sometimes very high qualities that would be so much more expensive today) you could check in with Alohamemorabilia on ruby lane and etsy. There is also 'hawaii estate & jewelry buyers', 'Lang's antiques.' The last 2 always come with GiA certification. The first doesn't but they know their jade and are very trust worthy. They are frequently updating their site with new things.

Regarding types of greens for different prices, this is a huge topic. Basically, jadeite quality is judged by how the many qualities work together. But as in other colored stones, the main factors are color and texture, then flaws. For example, color (vivid with no brown or grey modifiers will be most valued) next, grain size and texture. Jade can have from rough to fine grain (crystal size...because it's an agglomerate stone made of many, individual crystals). Fine grain equals smooth color and translucence because the crystals are microcrystalline. Rough grain equals more opacity and patchier color distribution. You could for example buy a wonderful green stone with great color but more opaque. This would be much less expensive than a cabochon with vivid green which is also translucent.

Next cut and flaws. Cabochons should be cut well, not too thin or too thickly. Flaws include snow balls, fissures, clouds and discolored spots.

Say you want a lighter green color, ( less than vivid, but dreamy ), you could afford to buy greater translucence and better texture, etc. it's about deciding which qualities you most want for your money. For each quality that is high working together in the same piece, the piece will become exponentially more expensive. This is why true imperial green is so rare. Exceptional color, butter smooth texture, wonderful translucence, and no flaws.

It would be helpful if you posted some inspiration pictures of what inspired you and a budget range as a start.

 

[Bluegemz]

Another seller on ebay...jade Los Angeles. I've not purchased from them but know people who have. Always ask about their certification and returns in general.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

oh my!

hehe let me make it easy for you and narrow my budget to $2000 including a setting with a halo of diamonds.

Now you can tell me to bugger off if it's just not possible to buy anything decent looking on that budget! I can go back and save!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE @Burmesedaze's ring with the halo that she posted a few days ago! Sooooo gorgeous! I'd settle for something half the size of that stone with a halo since I don't think that stone is in my budget.

 

[Bluegemz]

oh my!

hehe let me make it easy for you and narrow my budget to $2000 including a setting with a halo of diamonds.

Now you can tell me to bugger off if it's just not possible to buy anything decent looking on that budget! I can go back and save!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE @Burmesedaze's ring with the halo that she posted a few days ago! Sooooo gorgeous! I'd settle for something half the size of that stone with a halo since I don't think that stone is in my budget.

You could certainly buy something for that price. Just some screen shots around, some slightly above your budget. I would ask Yokdee or All About Jade to send you pics of green cabs for your budget, just to get a better sense of the many different greens for right now. Looking looking and more looking is the best way to start.... these pics are of rings and cabs in different in greens and textures.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

ooh that 5.72 carat stone is so pretty!
Do you know what Certificates are acceptable for Jade?
We have quite a huge number of asian jewellery shops in my area that have lots of jade with certificates from the Hong Kong Certifying body. I just wonder if that lab is legitimate!
The prices are not dirt cheap or anything but I never ventured there because I didn't know what I was doing!

 

[Burmesedaze]

Where are you based, mellowyellowgirl?

Here are several photos I took when I was deciding between the 2 jadeite cabochons. They are sold and presented in these temporary sterling silver settings which are closed at the back of the jade with either silver or gold coloured foil.

I decided on the smaller round one as I really prefer rounds for rings to anything else.

The 18k gold and diamond ring setting it got set in and the jade is definitely well under US$2000 but over 1000. I did pay all in cash so no store or credit card markups and of course, no return policy in Yangon unless it's proven treated or not as sold.

My jewellers kept the other cabochon for their store. May or may not be available. If you are interested I can pass you their Viber # (not through this forum) to liaise. They are in Yangon, but I'm not there this weekend.

 

[Bluegemz]

You would want a lab test certificate from a reputable lab that states grade A untreated, ideally. Not every seller will have a certificate for every piece. Sometimes one must ask or pay extra. I'm not really up to date in Asian Market certificates, but NGI is great. There is Also GIT and AIGS. CMA used to be huge as the Chinese national level lab, but I've heard that so many fakes are coming out these days that I darent recommend that considering all the imitations. . One should be able to look the lab wevsite online, enter the item I'd, and pull up the specific item with accompanying information. Perhaps Burmesedaze has more on this...

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

OMG I want to cry when I see your smaller round one! It is so gorgeous! I am in Australia. We used to holiday in Asia a lot until we had the kidlet! Then we were too chicken to fly for 8 hours! And he only ever wants to go to the beach!!!!!

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

You would want a lab test certificate from a reputable lab that states grade A untreated, ideally. Not every seller will have a certificate for every piece. Sometimes one must ask or pay extra. I'm not really up to date in Asian Market certificates, but NGI is great. CMA used to be huge as the Chinese national level lab, but I've heard that so many fakes are coming out these days that I darent recommend that considering all the imitations. . One should be able to look the lab wevsite online, enter the item I'd, and pull up the specific item with accompanying information. Perhaps Burmesedaze has more on this...

ohh let me do some certificate snooping next weekend and I'll see if I can get some details for you ladies to vet for me!

 

[Bluegemz]

Sounds good!

 

[Burmesedaze]

Haha Down Under was where I used to go for family holidays and Uni vacations with my college mates.

My mum went on a package tour to some part of China a couple of years back. It was a retiree kind of thing and there were ABCs and US based Chinese on the trip too. They brought them to the usual nonsense jewellery shops that deployed hardsell tactics but retirees being retirees, they didn't mind buying a few items save for my mum who doesn't like green jade although she has the character in her name.

They sent their jade items (like $2000 bangles) to the Nanyang Gem Lab in Singapore for testing after the trip. Horror of horrors, it wasn't just Type B or C, many of them were made up of who knows what composite materials that they didn't even qualify as jade.

 

[Bluegemz]

Haha Down Under was where I used to go for family holidays and Uni vacations with my college mates.

My mum went on a package tour to some part of China a couple of years back. It was a retiree kind of thing and there were ABCs and US based Chinese on the trip too. They brought them to the usual nonsense jewellery shops that deployed hardsell tactics but retirees being retirees, they didn't mind buying a few items save for my mum who doesn't like green jade although she has the character in her name.

They sent their jade items (like $2000 bangles) to the Nanyang Gem Lab in Singapore for testing after the trip. Horror of horrors, it wasn't just Type B or C, many of them were made up of who knows what composite materials that they didn't even qualify as jade.

This is what so often happens! Disgusting really. There's no shame in selling someone a $10 questionably jade, highly treated bangle for $2000 +.

 

[Burmesedaze]

This is what so often happens! Disgusting really. There's no shame in selling someone a $10 questionably jade, highly treated bangle for $2000 +.

Exactly, so I'm pretty sure there are fake lab reports too esp from you know which country

 

[Bluegemz]

Exactly, so I'm pretty sure there are fake lab reports too esp from you know which country

Yes there really are, especially now. I've heard from a collector friend that's it gotten really really extreme recently.

 

[Burmesedaze]

My jewellers sent me these photos last month as I was out of town when they were at the home of one of their jade mine friends who wanted them around to view the Australian SSP and these jadeite pieces from various traders. Even if a mine has produced imperial greens or nice greens, it doesn't mean it keeps producing them. So they were on the lookout for nice greens to purchase. The dangling glowy green earrings in their silver settings were purchased. These temporary settings are also the only way raw materials can be legally brought out, as the law still prohibits raw materials from export. These temporary settings are considered "finished products" and not raw material. Which is why you see repetitions of these on websites and Facebook of non-Myanmar based sellers.

Just for reference and to learn, as the only way to train the eye is to keep looking at more and more to discern.

I guess they wanted to buy new pieces for the upcoming wedding season to out-glam everyone else ;P Lifestyle of the rich indeed.

 

[Bluegemz]

Oh, that pendant! LOVE that! They are all so luscious! Thanks for sharing those, Burmezedaze! Your information on how things are sold there is also very valuable. Thank you for that!

I agree, one really has to look extensively considering all of the different color shades and descriptions for textures of jade....and most of all to listen to what speaks to your heart. If something speaks to one, then one is best off listening to that. Jadeite is so immensely fine and subtle and deeply personal.

In your examples, both color is very pure, and texture is beautiful and even. Also, they look nice and substantial. Compared with the 5.75 carat one above, and the others too, the texture on these is much smoother.

 

[Burmesedaze]

Once again, good eye, Bluegemz! These have decent domes and much nicer stuff than the commercial grades sold at shops.

The traders, you can imagine, also don't just show them to anyone as these are in the (higher) 4 digit to 5 digit range since there is no standard for jade pricing!

 

[Bluegemz]

Once again, good eye, Bluegemz! These have decent domes and much nicer stuff than the commercial grades sold at shops.

The traders, you can imagine, also don't just show them to anyone as these are in the (higher) 4 digit to 5 digit range since there is no standard for jade pricing!

I'm sure that's true. Buying good jade really involves making connections and wading through the fakes, frauds and commercial qualities. Any idea about how much the pendant would go for?

 

[Burmesedaze]

I'm sure that's true. Buying good jade really involves making connections and wading through the fakes, frauds and commercial qualities. Any idea about how much the pendant would go for?

My jeweller said US$15,000 for that

 

[Burmesedaze]

The glowy earrings (Set of 4 jadeite) I really really like just from the photos alone? US$30,000.

 

[Burmesedaze]

This very lovely pair?

$60,000.

Think I will stick to my pink sapphire hunt.

 

[Bluegemz]

My jeweller said US$15,000 for that

That seems really fair and reasonable...shoot I'm getting serious jade passion again! Ok must stay focused on an icy glass jade cabochon and THEN a green cabochon. I was so into bangles during my first years of jade collecting, but now I really find myself drawn to the cabochons because of the super high quality of material saved for cabochons. Sigh....it NEVER ends with jade.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Oh my goodness! That is just DIVINE!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Burmesedaze]

That seems really fair and reasonable...shoot I'm getting serious jade passion again! Ok must stay focused on an icy glass jade cabochon and THEN a green cabochon. I was so into bangles during my first years of jade collecting, but now I really find myself drawn to the cabochons because of the super high quality of material saved for cabochons. Sigh....it NEVER ends with jade.

It's easier to get a nice green than icy ones in Yangon, but my contacts will ask around. I just think it may be because the local market prefers greens to icy ones. So that's the rough they rather haggle for and buy and the icy ones go out of Myanmar.

 

[Bluegemz]

Those earrings!!! The price is high but seems very fair. Imagine not buying any jewelry for a whole year or more..it might end up equaling the same price. I think it might be the way to go...really buy one nice thing every year or two instead of 5 less expensive things...

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

@Burmesedaze I'm having a giggle at the scale in which we pine!

You pine for the glowy earrings whereas I would kiss the ground for your ring!

More pics of it when you can please!!!!!!!!

 

[Burmesedaze]

@Burmesedaze I'm having a giggle at the scale in which we pine!

You pine for the glowy earrings whereas I would kiss the ground for your ring!

More pics of it when you can please!!!!!!!!

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-burma-myanmar-gemstones.226051/page-11#post-4204324

Post #320, you can see the "cloud" holding it up. I think I requested for the closed backing for the cabochon in yellow foil/gold. The rest being 18k white gold.

HTHs!

 

[Burmesedaze]

Those earrings!!! The price is high but seems very fair. Imagine not buying any jewelry for a whole year or more..it might end up equaling the same price. I think it might be the way to go...really buy one nice thing every year or two instead of 5 less expensive things...

That's what I'm trying to talk myself into... I can't decide if I like gemstones or jade more to channel the funds to.

I also want to scuba dive the Galapagos and visit Macchu Pichu when I end my posting in Yangon, so that's something to save towards too as I don't want to slum it out there! It'd mark my first trip to the Americas as well. Another 5-digit endeavour!

 

[Bluegemz]

That's what I'm trying to talk myself into... I can't decide if I like gemstones or jade more to channel the funds to.

I also want to scuba dive the Galapagos and visit Macchu Pichu when I end my posting in Yangon, so that's something to save towards too as I don't want to slum it out there! It'd mark my first trip to the Americas as well. Another 5-digit endeavour!

I know....me too, Burmesedaze! That's what I'm going through too. I want to vacation places because experiences are invaluable to soul development, and I would also like to set stones...but I feel best when I get really clear about what I most want, would most wear, and stay focused.

I get really distracted easily...yesterday I saw a wonderful deal on a spinel and I was proud of myself that I walked away. Now today I'm going to a jewelry showing...I need to remind myself of what I really want!

Your travels sound so exciting!! Let me look up where that is again....