My start to a new jade obsession

[userangl28212003]

I have been watching videos about jade and it is starting to become a new little obsession. I know I cannot afford the 'Imperial" jadite jade, but I am becoming very fond of the different nephrite jades out there. I have acquired a BC green ephrite jade ring which is faceted which gives that extra sparkle I love. I also just received a beautiful BIG SUR Blue jade pendant. Both have nice translucency and the green jade glows in the sun. Here are a few pics .

 

[bmfang]

Jade is one of my favourite minerals/rocks. My wife has to stop me from browsing the jade shops whenever we go back to China and visit her family. A very common stone used for jewellery in Asian cultures.

Nephrite is a beautiful rock and we have some pounamu jewellery for my wife and I which we purchased on a holiday in New Zealand a few years ago (and we checked to ensure that the nephrite pounamu we purchased actually was from NZ rather than being imported from Canada or elsewhere).

Your ring looks beautiful!

 

[Arkteia]

Beautiful items!
I love jade but know too little about it to buy it. So little that several years ago I did not purchase an antique Chinese jade vase that was on sale for $1000. Because it was white, not green. In a month, when I read something and understood my mistake and rushed back, the store was already out of business (it was going out of business sale).
In NZ, too, there was a lot of jade but I had no way to verify the quality and so I bought nothing. But I am taking photos of ancient jade items in museums.
Like this - individual chimestone, Quing dynasty, made out of green jade

 

[bmfang]

The jeweller we bought from in NZ sourced local pounamu and these were some of the larger pieces of nephrite that they decided to keep as larger pieces rather than breaking them up for smaller pieces of jewellery.





My wife and I also have jade that has been passed down to us as family heirlooms that we won't be selling no matter the price offered.

 

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

Oh, it is overwhelming how many seriously dangerous obsessions linger here! I, too was staring at several jade newly posted on my favorite site new arrivals
https://www.wildfishgems.com/new_arrivals, in particular with a 33% sale on green gems:
https://www.wildfishgems.com/inc/sdetail/untreated_burmese_jade_5_79/10826/20714 I might just grab me one and see what it is all about.

 

[Burmesedaze]

Please pose more, can't get enough of jadeite and nephrite through the ages and forms.

Norman, I think you should just get on a plane to the land of jadeite and CS for a more thorough education

 

[Burmesedaze]

Pose=post. D'oh!

 

[userangl28212003]

I will be getting a new mobius ribbon bc jade pendant soo, which I will post more pics.

 

[Bluegemz]

I will be getting a new mobius ribbon bc jade pendant soo, which I will post more pics.

That's going to be gorgeous! Congratulations on your new pieces. I love jade and colored stones too.

 

[userangl28212003]

Here i part of the vendor pics.

 

[Bluegemz]

Oh yes, I've seen these. Other jade artists often make a similar version. Where they can show of the luminosity of the jade in addition to fine lapidary skills.

I noticed you purchased from the Jademine. Here's a bit of info I found out last summer from a California jade expert who knows everyone in the field. Kirk Makepeace, ( I think that's his name) was a miner, who did a lot for the polar jade market. I believe he started the Jademine, organized the local jade miners, and arranged for much of the material to be sent to China. He brought up the value of the material to a higher world market value, so that the miners wouldn't get paid too little. many of the products in the jade mine are polar jade carved with the skill of jade cutting centers in China. I believe this is why one also sees Burmese jadeite on that site. Much of the green jade being sold in China as native jade is actually Polar jade.

 

[stracci2000]

Here is a vintage nephrite strand I found at a yard sale yesterday. Score!
The beads are all evenly matched in color, but due to the lighting, some makes beads some seem darker than others in the photo.

 

[userangl28212003]

Oh yes, I've seen these. Other jade artists often make a similar version. Where they can show of the luminosity of the jade in addition to fine lapidary skills.

I noticed you purchased from the Jademine. Here's a bit of info I found out last summer from a California jade expert who knows everyone in the field. Kirk Makepeace, ( I think that's his name) was a miner, who did a lot for the polar jade market. I believe he started the Jademine, organized the local jade miners, and arranged for much of the material to be sent to China. He brought up the value of the material to a higher world market value, so that the miners wouldn't get paid too little. many of the products in the jade mine are polar jade carved with the skill of jade cutting centers in China. I believe this is why one also sees Burmese jadeite on that site. Much of the green jade being sold in China as native jade is actually Polar jade.

Hi. I originally found jademine on etsy (where I bought the ring) where his daughter talked about her dad and did my research before buying the ring (so many fakes out there). Ive seen this on their site months aga and loves the design, but it is a pricier item and big 41mm wide. Now I have the funds so i went for it, and am glad for it looks like there was only one of them since it fully disappeard off the site when I bought it. I am glade I found a place where nephrite jade is being sold that i can trust

 

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

I finally managed to make a photo of that jade I bought. I like it a lot and obviously kept it. I fail to describe the color but the image shows it well if less intense, there is more glow to the eye. Another (sigh!) fascinating gem variety to explore. It has a very unique feel to the skin and tongue (yes, I did that after i read the Chinese test jade that way). Cleaned it thoroughly before, rest assured. No good words describing it, it is somehow not stone-like but also not organic, well I dunno.

 

[valeria101]

I finally managed to make a photo of that jade ...

Love what you are holding ! LOVE !

... more precisely: what I think you are holding: a kind of bluish jadeite - quite translucent, with some billowing pattern inside, like thick fog sheared by the wind can be. Wouldnˋt mind diamonds looking that way either.

 

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

Yes, valeria, that description is spot on. The longer I study the gem the more I get to appreciate the texture, color and translucency of the body. I would really love to see (wish: own) an imperial jade. It must be something if Chinese pay millions for them.

 

[partgypsy]

my mother has what I would describe as a bright apple green jade cabochon in an 18k gold ring. but the ring is so small none of us can put it on (or maybe just the pinky). My sister and I were fascinated by it when we were little. hopefully she still has it.

 

[valeria101]

I would really love to see (wish: own) an imperial jade.

For whatever reason, there always seem to be small cabochons around to sample - surreal ... The tradition is quite alien to me, so all these other things appeal at least as much: the odd colors & the not quite Jade -s.

 

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

are you saying this is jade cat's eye????????????????????

 

[Bluegemz]

I don't know if those are cats eye jade, but some very rare, Siberian green nephrite jade can be cats eye.

 

[Burmesedaze]

Doesn't look like the jadeite I've seen here.

Norman - you can get a decent Imperial jadeite cabochon for a few thousand. The tiny ones can go for a few hundred dollars upwards. It's really about how much you are willing to spend for the size you like.

 

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

Burmadaze, yes, the rule of the universe, get what you pay for....
Meanwhile I researched, I cannot find any proof of jade cat's eye.

 

[Bluegemz]

Burmadaze, yes, the rule of the universe, get what you pay for....
Meanwhile I researched, I cannot find any proof of jade cat's eye.

There is cats eye Siberian nephrite jade, not jadeite jade, as I have seen it myself from a jade artist friend, but it never makes a sharp eye like the cabs pictured. I would describe it as a chatoyancy more than cats eye. It's very hard to find this though.

 

[Bluegemz]

Maybe not so hard after all, here is a picture of a typical cabochon..

 

[gemandjewelrylover]

This might help.... This is Imperial jadeite, I believe. Burmese.
1st pic - no direct light
2nd pic- flashlight from bottom
3rd pic - flashlight from the side
I have never been drawn to Jade before, but seeing this changed my mind.
Looks so yummy!

 

[valeria101]

are you saying this is jade cat's eye

Somewhat ... It is tremoliteª [see relation to nephrite]. This is why I called it 'sort of jade'. GIA wrote about it - you may find the notes in the Gems & Gemmology (now open access).

The example @Bluegemz posted is the look this material is known for, the ones at Mayers & Watt are - impossibly fine [as the seller is obviously very aware of ... have not seen such prices either]. As far as I know, this stuff happens rarely as small, useless, veins in nephrite. All sorts of short fiber bundles are somewhat common, making for decorative rock fabrics [or a neat PhD theme, if you are into crystal growth - almost went there ... ].

I have not heard of Jadeite cat's eye - not sure it can be.


_______________
ª there used to be some discussion of where these belong along the tremolite-actinolite series; I have not followed to conclusion ... just picked one here

 

[Burmesedaze]

This might help.... This is Imperial jadeite, I believe. Burmese.
1st pic - no direct light
2nd pic- flashlight from bottom
3rd pic - flashlight from the side
I have never been drawn to Jade before, but seeing this changed my mind.
Looks so yummy!

Nice one! Probably has a HUGE price tag if it's type A jadeite!

 

[Burmesedaze]

Showing a couple of old jadeite carvings I collected. I like the "salt" grains. Not sure if these are water jadeite. But I do love the lightness of their look.

 

[Bluegemz]

Those are so lovely Burmesedaze! I like the salt grains too because they present a nice balance between body texture and light.

 

[gemandjewelrylover]

Nice one! Probably has a HUGE price tag if it's type A jadeite!

Hi, Burmesedaze,
Yes, it did have a price tag. But it was sure nice to look at and feel.

You sure have a nice collection of Burmese stones! It must be exciting and fun to shopping for stones in one of the holy grail places. And getting to know dealers, stones, and all the ins and outs of Burma gems. Sounds so exciting!