Jade

Jade is a name covering two different minerals: jadeite, a pyroxene, and nephrite, an amphibole. Both are exceptionally tough, interlocking, fibrous aggregates that resist breaking, which made jade prized for tools and carvings long before it was valued as a gem.

Nephrite was the traditional jade of ancient China and the pounamu of the Maori, while jadeite, especially the vivid "Imperial" green from Myanmar, is the more valuable and intensely colored of the two. The two were only recognized as separate minerals in 1863.

Jade has profound cultural significance across China, Mesoamerica, and New Zealand, symbolizing purity, status, and protection.

Both jades form in metamorphic settings. Jadeite forms under high-pressure, relatively low-temperature conditions in subduction zones, typically associated with serpentinite, and is found in places like Myanmar, Guatemala, and Russia.

Nephrite forms when serpentinite or magnesium-rich rocks are altered, or where silica-rich fluids react with dolomitic marble, producing the tough tremolite-actinolite mass. It occurs in many places worldwide, including China, Canada (British Columbia), New Zealand, Russia, and Wyoming.

The interlocking fibrous or granular microstructure of both minerals gives jade its remarkable toughness.

Jade is recognized by its extreme toughness, waxy to greasy luster when polished, and slightly granular or fibrous texture. Jadeite often shows a fine "dimpled" surface on polishing and can be more translucent; nephrite has a smoother, oilier luster.

Hardness is 6-7 (jadeite) or 6-6.5 (nephrite). Jade gives a clear ringing sound when tapped and is noticeably tough, resisting chipping.

Common imitations include serpentine ("new jade," softer), dyed quartzite, aventurine, and glass. A trained gemologist may use specific gravity, refractive index, and spectroscopy to confirm, since many treated and imitation "jades" exist.

Jade has been carved for tools, weapons, ritual objects, jewelry, and sculpture for thousands of years. Imperial jadeite is among the most valuable of all gem materials, with fine pieces selling for enormous sums.

It is used for bangles, cabochons, beads, pendants, and intricate carvings. Nephrite remains popular for carvings and is the traditional New Zealand pounamu.

Metaphysically and culturally, jade symbolizes purity, harmony, prosperity, and protection. Value depends on the variety (jadeite vs nephrite), color (vivid even green is best), translucency, texture, and whether the stone is untreated.