What’s the Difference Between Jade and Jadeite?

The ornamental stone made famous by Chinese artisans is known colloquially as jade. Yet there is more behind this term than meets the eye. In fact, there are two types of metamorphic rocks that share this name.

Nephrite jade is rich in magnesium and iron. Chinese stone cutters used garnet sand for working the material and bamboo for polishing it since it is not very hard. Colors vary. When there is not a lot of iron in the mix, the coloration can be a blend of white and cream. If the iron content is more pronounced, the stone takes on a darker green appearance.

Jadeite, on the other hand, is just a bit harder than nephrite jade. It contains sodium and aluminum. Colorations include white, a full spectrum of green, blue, pink and a variety of other colors.

If you are a collector of old Chinese jade jewelry, you are probably familiar with nephrite jade. It was the favorite material for artisans of the Qing Dynasty, which reigned from 1644 to 1911. Jadeite is much rarer and did not really come into use until just about 200 years ago. Due to its rarity, collectors value jadeite more than nephrite jade. With respect to color, they prefer white jade over any other hue.

Although both types of jade are usually associated with artistic creations from China, the material itself is far more international. Mesoamerican cultures, for example, made gorgeous jewelry and even weapons from green jadeite. Mined around the Motagua River valley in Guatemala, this particular strain of jadeite has been termed Quetzal jade. Since Guatemala is still a modern source of jadeite, jewelry aficionados with a soft spot for Quetzal jade seek out this variety when visiting jewelers and wholesale gemstone retailers.

That said, collectors should be careful not to fall prey to false jade. Rocks from the serpentine group feature the famous greenish hue that collectors usually associate with jade. These stones may contain magnesium, iron and nickel. In the trade, jewelry pieces made from serpentine rocks are sometimes sold as Teton jade. Artisans in India are famous for creating gorgeous pieces from this material.

Please remember that this stone is not actually related to either nephrite jade or jadeite. In fact, it is common to see even some lesser-quality pieces that have been dyed to mimic jade. They may then be sold as Suzhou jade or Styrian jade. While the jewelry pieces featuring these rocks are undoubtedly beautiful in their own rights, they are not the real thing.

At Peter Suchy Jewelers located at 1137 High Ridge Road in Stamford, Connecticut, we are gem specialists and GIA Certified! We also carry many jade and jadeite pieces both in our showroom and in our eBay store.

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