Jade

Jade has been valued as a decorative element and jewelry adornment for over five thousand years. Both the ancient Chinese and ancient central American peoples had a reverence for jade and used the beautifully marked stone as decoration and in carving of spiritual and religious symbols.

There are actually two types of jade that were once thought to be the same mineral. The jade of the ancient Chinese jade is nephrite jade which is an amphibolite mineral. The central American jade is a pyroxene which was given the name jadeite to distinguish it from the Chinese jade. Both the jade and jadeite mineral are very durable materials; jadeite is slightly stronger because its structure is microcrystalline. What is now considered to be ‘real’ jade is the jadeite (pyroxene). For making jewels, jade of either variety may be used, but the most valuable jade gemstone pieces are made from the pyroxene jadeites because it has the best color, transparency and jade tone.

Jade exists in a variety of colors and jade tones.

The different color varieties of jade are:

• black jade
• red jade
• lavender jade
• yellow jade
• white jade
• brown jade
• green jade

Jade is loved for decorative sculpture and jewelry making, and is sold in a wide selection of jewelry styles.

Some favorite settings of jade in jewelry making are:

• jade bracelet
• jade ring
• jade necklace
• jade pendants

International sources of jade include the following; try shopping for jade online under the following names:

• New Zealand Jade
• Chinese Jade
• Myanmar Jade
• Guatemalan Jade

There are many excellent sources and styles of jade jewelry online; some particularly nice and unique pieces that can be viewed and purchased online are:

• purple jade ring
• jade rings set with one or more colors of jade
• jade bangle bracelets cut from jade stone (a popular Asian style)
• jade carvings mounted or drilled for mounting on jade jewelry

Jade has fascinated cultures for ages and ages. From its early beginnings in ancient Chinese and central American cultures, jade has been appreciated by man. The cool, smooth tones and textures of polished jades have been associated with feelings of calm, meditation, and being one with the earth. Jade has held many meanings for different cultures over the years. Jade has been recognized as a spiritual symbol and a symbol of love, virtue, and status. Jade continues to elicit feelings of calm, well being and connectedness with nature; these meanings, coupled with the beauty of jade, continue to make jade a gemstone favorite of man.