Wednesday
September 18, 2024 
Jade has been a longtime symbol of status in China since the ancient times. Jade is an important material and it is often used in carvings, jewelry, screens, decorations, etc. Jade is held in high regard as valuable and culturally and artistically significant too.
Jade symbolizes success and good luck and it comes in two forms — jadeite and nephrite. These two forms are similar in that they are both stones that are formed by a grouping of interlocking microcrystals. Each piece of jade is one of a kind and has a definite character.
Both jadeite and nephrite are hard stones and both are called jade, however there are differences in the chemical composition. Jadeite is a silicate compound of sodium and aluminum. Nephrite is a silicate compound of calcium and magnesium.
In Part 1 of this column, I will discuss jadeite and, next month, in Part 2 of this column, I will tell you about nephrite. Both beautiful and related.
Most jade traded today is jadeite jade. It is harder and more dense than nephrite jade. It is more expensive than nephrite jade too. Jadeite comes in many colors of green. Jadeite does not have layers the are visible.
Jade has many imitators. Many stones look like jade but are not real jade.
For instance, Aventurine, a type of quartz, is a green stone that is also known as Indian jade or Australian jade. Greenstone is a green stone and it is a jade lookalike too. Serpentine is the name for many types of stones and they all resemble jade. Serpentine is waxy, green stone which is not as smooth as jade but sometimes is mistaken for jade. Chrysoprase imitates jade’s two forms also. Jade can be mistaken for green quartz or prehnite and vice-versa. These various jade lookalike stones are good-looking but not as beautiful or valuable as jade.
Fake jades can be susceptible to chemical bleaching, color dying, and doubling, also known as layering. Some fake jade items are treated to look more translucent or to enhance the object’s look with a plastic coating.
Natural, authentic, real and untreated jade is usually only treated with a plum juice wash or beeswax polish as it then will retain its true and natural color.
Jade is the stone that is used in special jewelry pieces such as the Bi symbol disc pendants that represent the Chinese symbol for eternity. The Bi symbol has a great spiritual significance. The Bi symbol is often presented carved in jade. Butterflies symbolize long life and they are often carved into pendants, pins, earrings, etc. made of jade.
Other symbols that are important to Chinese culture which are often represented using jade include the bat, a symbol of happiness; the dragon, which shows power and prosperity; the peach, which references immortality; and the circular disc with a central hole which references happiness and heaven.
Antiques appraiser, author, and award-winning TV personality, Lori Verderame Ph.D. presents antique appraisal events nationwide and appears on “The Curse of Oak Island” on History Channel. Visit DrLoriV.com, YouTube.com/DrLoriV or call 888-431-1010.
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