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Jade

Jade

General jade category covering jadeite and nephrite

Green White
Optical properties

Optical characteristics

Ref. index
1.6 – 1.667
Luster
Vitreous to waxy
Pleochroism
None Variable depending on transparency, orientation, and variety.
Fluorescence
Variable to inert.
Origins

Source localities

Myanmar Myanmar: Hpakan / Kachin
Premium ★ Top Source

World's dominant jadeite source; supplies most commercial and imperial grade jadeite.

53.4% est. supply
Russia Russia: Ural Mountains / Siberia
Legendary ★ Top Source

Classic source for alexandrite, demantoid, diamond and nephrite.

18.6% est. supply
Guatemala Guatemala: Sierra de las Minas
Premium ★ Top Source

Important source for jadeite.

13.8% est. supply
Canada Canada: British Columbia / NWT / Labrador
Major

Known for nephrite jade, diamonds and labradorite.

8% est. supply
China China: Xinjiang / Yunnan / Hubei
Notable

Known for jade, turquoise, quartz and multiple gem deposits.

6.2% est. supply
Treatments

Enhancement & treatment

Color Enhancement Dyeing Dyeing artificially improves color in porous or fractured materials. Durability varies and disclosure is… Impregnation Polymer Impregnation, Jadeite Acid bleaching followed by polymer impregnation improves transparency and color appearance but greatly reduces… Surface Enhancement Waxing Waxing is a common minor surface enhancement. In jade it is often accepted when… Color Enhancement Bleaching Bleaching removes unwanted color or stains. Acceptance depends on gem type, extent, and market…
Inclusions

Inclusions & features

Crystals Crystal Inclusions Under 10x loupe: solid, well-formed mineral crystals trapped inside the host gem. They may… Fractures Feathers and Fractures Under 10x loupe: irregular internal surfaces that catch light and appear bright, wing-like, or… Fractures Fingerprint Inclusions Under 10x loupe: curved or wavy lines of tiny dots forming patterns that look… Clouds Pinpoint Clouds Under 10x loupe: concentrations of extremely tiny bright dots that individually are too small… Multiphase Two-Phase Inclusions Under 10x loupe: a transparent irregular cavity containing both a liquid phase and a…
Identification

Instruments used

Dichroscope Reveals pleochroism, instantly eliminates singly-refractive stones Hydrostatic Scale Measures specific gravity, works even on opaque stones 10x Loupe Your most-used instrument, start every examination here Polariscope Determines single vs. double refraction, quick and conclusive Refractometer Measures refractive index, the backbone of gem identification UV Lamp, Long Wave and Short Wave Fluorescence exposes treatments, synthetics, and origin