Jade

Jade is an ornamental stone. more...

Home
Necklaces & Pendants
Other Wedding Jewelry
Body Jewelry
Bracelets
Bangle
Amethyst
Crystal
Diamond
Gold, Plate/Fill (w/o Stone)
Gold, White (w/o Stone)
Gold, Yellow (w/o Stone)
Jade
Onyx
Other Stones, Materials
Pearl
Pearl, Imitation
Rhinestone
Silver (w/o Stone)
Turquoise
Beaded, Strands
Amber
Amethyst
Crystal
Garnet
Glass
Hematite
Jade
Lapis
Moonstone
Mother-of-Pearl
Other Stones, Materials
Pearl
Pearl, Imitation
Peridot
Quartz
Silver (w/o Stone)
Topaz
Turquoise
Cuff
Crystal
Gold, Plate/Fill (w/o Stone)
Gold, Solid (w/o Stone)
Leather, Fabric
Other Stones, Materials
Silver (w/o Stone)
Turquoise
ID, Identification
Jelly, Glow
Link, Chain
Crystal
Cubic Zirconia
Diamond
Gold, Plate/Fill (w/o Stone)
Gold, White (w/o Stone)
Gold, Yellow (w/o Stone)
Jade
Marcasite
Moonstone
Mother-of-Pearl
Onyx
Opal
Other Stones, Materials
Pearl
Pearl, Imitation
Peridot
Quartz
Silver (w/o Stone)
Topaz
Turquoise
Magnetic
Medical, Alert
Other Styles
Tennis
Amethyst
Crystal
Cubic Zirconia
Diamond
Emerald
Opal
Other Stones, Materials
Peridot
Ruby
Sapphire
Tanzanite
Topaz
Charms & Charm Bracelets
Designer Brands
Earrings
Ethnic, Tribal Jewelry
Hair Jewelry
Handcrafted, Artisan Jewelry
Jewelry Boxes & Supplies
Loose Beads
Men's Jewelry
Vintage, Antique
Wedding Apparel
Wedding Rings
Wedding Sets
Wedding Supplies
Wholesale Lots

The term jade is applied to two different rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals. Nephrite jade consists of the calcium- and magnesium-rich amphibole mineral actinolite (aggregates of which also make up one form of asbestos). The rock called jadeitite consists almost entirely of jadeite, a sodium- and aluminium-rich pyroxene. The trade name Jadite is sometimes applied to translucent/opaque green glass.

The English word 'jade' is derived from the Spanish term piedra de ijada (first recorded in 1565) or 'loin stone', from its reputed efficacy in curing ailments of the loins and kidneys. 'Nephrite' is derived from lapis nephriticus, the Latin version of the Spanish piedra de ijada.

Nephrite and jadeite were used by people from the prehistoric for similar purposes. Both are about the same hardness as quartz, and they are exceptionally tough. They are beautifully coloured and can be delicately shaped. Thus it was not until the 19th century that a French mineralogist determined that "jade" was in fact two different materials.

Among the earliest known jade artifacts excavated from prehistoric sites are simple ornaments such as rounded beads, buttons, and tubular jades. Additionally, jade was used for axe heads, knives, and other weapons. As metal-working technologies became available, the beauty of jade made it valuable for ornaments and decorative objects. Jade has a Mohs hardness of between 6.5 and 7.0, so it can be worked with quartz or garnet sand, and polished with bamboo or even ground jade.

Nephrite can be found in a creamy white form (known in China as "mutton fat" jade) as well as in a variety of green colours, whereas jadeitite shows more colour variations, including dazzling blue, lavender-mauve, pink, and emerald-green colours. Of the two, jadeite is rarer, documented in fewer than 12 places worldwide. Translucent emerald-green jadeitite is the most prized variety, both now and historically. As "quetzal" jade, bright green jadeitite from Guatemala was treasured by Mesoamerican cultures, and as "kingfisher" jade, vivid green rocks from Burma became the preferred stone of post-1800 Chinese imperial scholars and rulers. Burma (Myanmar) and Guatemala are the principal sources of modern gem jadeitite, and Canada of modern lapidary nephrite. Nephrite jade was used mostly in pre-1800 China as well as in New Zealand, the Pacific Coast and Atlantic Coasts of North America, Neolithic Europe, and south-east Asia. In addition to Mesoamerica, jadeitite was used by Neolithic Japanese and European cultures.

Jade is the official gemstone of British Columbia, where it is found in large deposits in the Lillooet and Cassiar regions. It is also the official gemstone of the state of Alaska, found particularly in the Kobuk area. A two ton block of jade sits outside the Anchorage Visitor’s Center in downtown Anchorage, Alaska, mined from near Kobuk and donated to the city as a showpiece.

Read more at Wikipedia.org