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Specific Gravity of Grade B Jadeite

Bluegemz

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Wow @Bluegemz it's going to take awhile for me to absorb all this terrific info!

It looks like jade is one of the most complex of gemstones to fully understand. I'm hoping I might be able to find a reputable dealer in LA so we can go see and feel the stones in person.
I’m sure there are many reputable sellers in LA of all places! I’m not familiar with any in that area though, but in LA you can find most things...now if you were in San Francisco Bay Area I could be just a little bit more more helpful. Please take all the time you need with this....and keep learning all you can along the way!
 
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ChaiK

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Oh, today, I am wearing my buddha ring with my pink tourmaline and then I took out my chrysoprase and moonstone earrings. They are set with tsavorites and diamonds. I was on a budget on this one, because it is chrysoprase and I did not want to spend a lot. Everything came in at around 1200 usd. Setting and stones all in one price. I bought the prase fro David of Multicolour but got someone else to set it.
Buddha and Chrysoprase.jpg
 

Bluegemz

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Oh, today, I am wearing my buddha ring with my pink tourmaline and then I took out my chrysoprase and moonstone earrings. They are set with tsavorites and diamonds. I was on a budget on this one, because it is chrysoprase and I did not want to spend a lot. Everything came in at around 1200 usd. Setting and stones all in one price. I bought the prase fro David of Multicolour but got someone else to set it.
Buddha and Chrysoprase.jpg
Those are just gorgeous! I can’t believe the price... they look really opulent, bold and expensive. What great energy they have, like little bursts of joy.
 

ChaiK

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The moonstones were like USD3 and the prase were around USD15 each. Then the setting to bring out the beauty of these stones. Sometimes, you can have beautiful jewellery that look a million dollars on a budget. I do admit that were I to step into a second hand store, these earrings would probably not be priced at USD1200. Maybe at 3 to 500 USD max. Because these are not precious stones. But I really enjoy them.
 

ChaiK

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So, even more confusion. This article by GIA seems to suggest that Jadeite can look and test like it has been spot treated. But then go on to present natural inclusions in the polycrystaline structures which then rule out treatment.

https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/summer-2014-gemnews-jadeite-bangle-polymer-treatment

Confusing article. I hate that GIA does that sometimes, even on their certificates. But then Jadeite is a complex stone.
 

Bluegemz

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So, even more confusion. This article by GIA seems to suggest that Jadeite can look and test like it has been spot treated. But then go on to present natural inclusions in the polycrystaline structures which then rule out treatment.

https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/summer-2014-gemnews-jadeite-bangle-polymer-treatment

Confusing article. I hate that GIA does that sometimes, even on their certificates. But then Jadeite is a complex stone.
You are right, It is a complex stone! That is a perfect example of what I meant by jadeite being anywhere from 80-100% jadeite to be classified as jadeite. For those pieces that have 80%, that means that 20% of the stone is made of un crystallized jadeite, ie other minerals. All jadeite starts out as other minerals, very commonly containing Albite. So parts of a boulder may still have areas of other minerals because it is an agglomerate stone with many changes within each boulder. Generally, the most icy clear pieces with microscopic grain are the most pure in terms of percentage of jadeite.
 

Bluegemz

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E6E1A6C4-8309-4AE4-8B6C-BCD00FAF706C.jpeg CE725967-4357-4F92-9CA6-5780CB201A6D.jpeg 7302D6D3-792A-4784-B14C-483071852BCC.jpeg
The seller of these bangles labeled them New jade’. They are moonstone/albite/feldspar material. What this label meant is that these are some of the original minerals which turn into jadeite after subduction into the earth’s crust, where they are then transformed by gentle heat and immense pressure over millions or billions of years, into jadeite. The spot in the bangle on the GIA article reminds me of some of the clear spots on these bangles...
 

ChaiK

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:love::love::love::love:
 

prs

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Oh, today, I am wearing my buddha ring with my pink tourmaline and then I took out my chrysoprase and moonstone earrings. They are set with tsavorites and diamonds. I was on a budget on this one, because it is chrysoprase and I did not want to spend a lot. Everything came in at around 1200 usd. Setting and stones all in one price. I bought the prase fro David of Multicolour but got someone else to set it.
Buddha and Chrysoprase.jpg
ChaiK, these are absolutely fabulous! Now I'm going to have to learn all about chrysoprase. ;)2
 

ChaiK

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@prs, I think Chrysoprase can also be dyed. David of Multicolour says his are untreated. I don't know. I did not certify mine. At 12USD for each stone, I did not think certification necessary. But at least I am not spending a bomb on it. All for fun. And I might one day replace with jadeite into the setting.
 
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ChaiK

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Quick question - i need help. Is it true, that shipping by DHL costs USD 95? From USA to UK?

I have no idea how that works out.
 

ChaiK

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Today, the weather is gloomy. I am wearing my jade bangle and tanzanite ring. It is not the usual green jade bangles that I see but this bangle is very special to me. One time, it was sitting on my iPad and I did not see it. I simply grabbed at my iPad. I watched, in despair, as the jade bangle flew through the air, across the shelves, landing on the side of my bed, where it was soft. At that moment, I had never felt so relieved. So I have grown to love this bangle very very much. It is not my best bangle, but I wear it all the time. I can't explain the attachment I have to it. Oh, and my fingernails are black because I used indigo on my hair yesterday. Better clean up.
Jade and tansanite.jpg
 

Bluegemz

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Today, the weather is gloomy. I am wearing my jade bangle and tanzanite ring. It is not the usual green jade bangles that I see but this bangle is very special to me. One time, it was sitting on my iPad and I did not see it. I simply grabbed at my iPad. I watched, in despair, as the jade bangle flew through the air, across the shelves, landing on the side of my bed, where it was soft. At that moment, I had never felt so relieved. So I have grown to love this bangle very very much. It is not my best bangle, but I wear it all the time. I can't explain the attachment I have to it. Oh, and my fingernails are black because I used indigo on my hair yesterday. Better clean up.
Jade and tansanite.jpg
What a great story! I like that color combination and the patterns in it. I know how you feel. I have a wide, blue jadeite bangle with a translucent, broken ice texture and clouds of lavender in it. It’s not my best bangle but it was not inexpensive either. I have loved it so much over the years. The energy of it feels good everytime I wear it. It really feels like an old friend. Once, when I was dancing, having a bangle on each wrist, I banged the blue one together with the other one really hard. My heart stopped for a minute thinking that it might have cracked. It made such a loud bang/chime. Thankfully there was no damage to either bangle.
 

ChaiK

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ChaiK, I bet you'll get an answer if ask your question in this RockyTalky thread:

https://www.pricescope.com/communit...-a-uk-recommended-vendors-list-please.225068/
Thank you, Peter. Sorted. The mythical FedEx. I am not even sure if it is true that they would charge usd500 just to send some things. This is according to the vendor. I am feeling a bit nauseous and excited at my purchase, to be honest. When it comes, I will show you. I hope you have lots of good luck finding that elusive jadeite item you want.
 

ChaiK

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My lavender necklace in normal light. These photos best represent its colour. These are between 12 to 15 mm in size. I want to restring it when I have the time
Buddha necklace.jpg

Buddha necklace 2.jpg
 

prs

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Gorgeous necklace ChaiK.

I'm still very much progressing thru the jade learning curve. Perhaps the most important thing I've learned is that, in the US market, pieces that don't have an AGL, GIA, or Mason-Kay cert are almost certainly polymer impregnated, and possibly dyed. It costs about $100 to get a cert, and pieces with certs are priced 5 to 10 times higher than pieces without certs. IMHO the only reason for a dealer not to get a cert is because they know that piece is treated.

I spent half a day looking around the LA jewelry district and didn't find anything that even came close to the color in Bluegemz lavender jade pendant
1 Bluegemz Pendant.jpeg

I was beginning to think such a color didn't exist , but then I looked more closely at the Mason-Kay color chart, and figure her pendant is in the 3-4 color range on the chart.
1 Jade Color Chart.png

I did contact Mason-Kay and a rep told me that color range is very fine and top of the line. Their cabs in that color are priced from $8,500 to $16,000 !!!!! So far I haven't been allowed to access their site and see photos of their stones.

Our next stop will be LA's Chinatown, hoping we might have more jade luck there!
 

ChaiK

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I know, @prs. That pendant of Bluegemz is crazy beautiful :love:
 

Bluegemz

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My lavender necklace in normal light. These photos best represent its colour. These are between 12 to 15 mm in size. I want to restring it when I have the time
Buddha necklace.jpg

Buddha necklace 2.jpg
Your necklace is amazing! I love that color... just gorgeous.
 

Bluegemz

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Gorgeous necklace ChaiK.

I'm still very much progressing thru the jade learning curve. Perhaps the most important thing I've learned is that, in the US market, pieces that don't have an AGL, GIA, or Mason-Kay cert are almost certainly polymer impregnated, and possibly dyed. It costs about $100 to get a cert, and pieces with certs are priced 5 to 10 times higher than pieces without certs. IMHO the only reason for a dealer not to get a cert is because they know that piece is treated.

I spent half a day looking around the LA jewelry district and didn't find anything that even came close to the color in Bluegemz lavender jade pendant
1 Bluegemz Pendant.jpeg

I was beginning to think such a color didn't exist , but then I looked more closely at the Mason-Kay color chart, and figure her pendant is in the 3-4 color range on the chart.
1 Jade Color Chart.png

I did contact Mason-Kay and a rep told me that color range is very fine and top of the line. Their cabs in that color are priced from $8,500 to $16,000 !!!!! So far I haven't been allowed to access their site and see photos of their stones.

Our next stop will be LA's Chinatown, hoping we might have more jade luck there!

Sounds like you are doing a good job with observing the Western market and learning. Don’t give up! It’s true that most sellers who know what they have get them tested, but not always with vintage things from eBay and Etsy sellers. Some people just don’t have any idea what they are selling, or selling off family pass ons for which papers were lost a long time ago.
But in places like China town, they know perfectly well what they are selling. Be especially scrupulous in Chinatown!

Thank you for the kind compliments on my pendant. I had been looking for a lavender jade pendant for a long time when I stumbled upon it at Lang’s. I had already purchased pieces that Summer, so wasn’t planning on buying anything....as soon as I laid eyes on it I knew I absolutely HAD to have it! Total love at first sight. It wasn’t as expensive as it might have been had it been new, especially in the West, but it was still quite expensive for me. I had also seen a carved pendant piece from Mason Kay which was considerably less expensive and a totally different style, which I also loved. So I was a little conflicted, but the pendant definitely was more intriguing to me.

Re availability and pricing...nice lavenders can be hard to find, but they are out there. They ARE harder to find, especially in the West. I’ve been told that mine production is decreasing for nice lavenders. Mason Kay tend to be expensive, and thier prices represent typical prices for the Western market, which sometimes doesn’t even get the best pieces as those are taken in Asia. One can only view prices through a person in the jewelry trade, such as your local jeweler could request price info.

Remember that price is determined by a number of factors. A really top notch piece has both intense color, but also super fine grain, translucence, the right thickness and proportions, and no flaws. So, a great color with medium grain will cost less than color with fine, even grain. Great color with super fine grain, but a small flaw will also be considerably less. You want to find a combination which is beautiful to you.
 
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Burmesedaze

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My lavender necklace in normal light. These photos best represent its colour. These are between 12 to 15 mm in size. I want to restring it when I have the time
Buddha necklace.jpg

Buddha necklace 2.jpg

I am pretty certain the entire necklace is carved from the same jadeite boulder. Not too sugary nor cracky too, which most lav jadeite really is. No grey tones to it too. Lovely!

Interestingly, none of the greens on that Mason Kay chart will qualify as imperial green imho.

Lavender was never plentiful to begin with, especially those that aren't too sugary with cracks.
 

ChaiK

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I am looking for around 7 more tiny green or white green buddhas at around 16 to 22 mm (so altogether I will have 8 buddhas). I want to set these buddhas with diamonds. Then I want to use these buddhas as spacers when I restring this necklace. This way, it will be a long necklace.

Long slow project.
 
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voce

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I am looking for around 7 more tiny green or white green buddhas at around 16 to 22 mm (so altogether I will have 8 buddhas). I want to set these buddhas with diamonds. Then I want to use these buddhas as spacers when I restring this necklace. This way, it will be a long necklace.

Long slow project.
That sounds like an epicly unique necklace! :geek2: Good luck throughout the process.
 

Bluegemz

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I am looking for around 7 more tiny green or white green buddhas at around 16 to 22 mm (so altogether I will have 8 buddhas). I want to set these buddhas with diamonds. Then I want to use these buddhas as spacers when I restring this necklace. This way, it will be a long necklace.

Long slow project.
What a great idea! Sounds very unique and wonderful!
 

ChaiK

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I am pretty certain the entire necklace is carved from the same jadeite boulder. Not too sugary nor cracky too, which most lav jadeite really is. No grey tones to it too. Lovely!

Interestingly, none of the greens on that Mason Kay chart will qualify as imperial green imho.

Lavender was never plentiful to begin with, especially those that aren't too sugary with cracks.


Thank you.

And Bluegemz inspired the buddha spacers project. She said green jadeite goes with lavender. I arranged the two together and wow, the colour combination is very calming, just like she said.
 
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Bluegemz

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Thank you.

And Bluegemz inspired the buddha spacers project. She said green jadeite goes with lavender. I arranged the two together and wow, the colour combination is very calming, just like she said.
I’m so glad you like those colors together! Your beads really are amazing..that size is quite special. The variations of fresh color remind me of lavender cherry blossoms!
 

Burmesedaze

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Green and lav are often found together in jadeite too. Seldom richer greens though. It'd be outstanding in contrast with the buddha spacers.
 

Bluegemz

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37681564-6C1C-4D8F-A5B5-A82AD55762F2.jpeg
A0D46C9D-C85C-4151-94AC-F30E7580E20B.jpeg
The chart should say ‘a sampling of the colors of jadeite’, since it is missing some hues and combinations, such as in the necklace above . ( Not mine but I regret not having bought it simply because these beads were so beautiful) . In addition, often the color of a jade will be a mix, such as with this bangle of mine. It is both lavender with green and then grey, all overlaid. I can pick out 3 samples in the chart which together make this color.
 
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Bluegemz

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3DB2F371-D62E-489A-8F94-F3FEF2397806.jpeg
By comparison with the above bangle, this has less grey, more deep blue lavender and much less green, but still those colors in it.
I personally am really attracted to some of the interesting color mixes in jadeite.
 

ChaiK

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Wow, these are lovely. Bluegemz, can I ask what you would pick in a bangle? People say translucency is important. What about colour? Thank you for your thoughts.
 
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