Wednesday
September 18, 2024 
Jade has been part of China’s art tradition for thousands of years. It comes in two distinct forms: jadeite and nephrite. Jade carvers believe that the elements of jade make it something beautiful and valuable to wear and enjoy.
How did jade get its name? Both jadeite and nephrite are hard stones. Both are called jade. If you want to be sure you have a piece of real authentic jade, look for a dense composition, veins and weight of the stone. There should be no laying of the stone if it is really jade. Jade will scratch metal and glass.
Jade is dense and if you toss it into the air and catch it, it should be heavier than other similar stones of the same size. Weight is what you are looking for when it comes to recognizing real jade. Jade comes in many colors too — green, lavender, white, and yellow.
While most jade is jadeite on the market today, we are going to discuss nephrite — the other type of jade.
By the 14th century, nephrite jade was traded widely. Nephrite is a soft and less-dense stone when compared to jadeite, the jade I discussed in Part 1 of this column. Nephrite has a recognizable glassy luster. Nephrite does not appear to have any layers. At the Beijing Olympics in 2008, each Olympic medal was embedded with a piece of pure, natural-carved white nephrite 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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