Jade Hunt

Maori Jade

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 07:09:25 +0000

Maori jade is a common name for the type of jade found in New Zealand that is treasured and carved by the native Maori of the island. The Maori call this jade Pounamu, which not only absorbs the spiritual strength of its wearer, but also has a never ending desire to return to is original home in rivers and mountains.

Image via Wikipedia

Who are the Maori?

In order to fully understand the importance of Maori jade, it is equally important to know about the Maori people of New Zealand. The Maori are an indigenous Polynesian people native to the hills and beaches of New Zealand. The word “Maori” translates to “normal,” or “ordinary,” which is ironic because the intricate designs they use when sculpting jade is anything but ordinary.

When New Zealand was infiltrated by Europeans in the 1800’s the Maori society was destabilized both in population and health due to the introduction of Western illnesses and weapons. However, the peaceful society did not diminish to a great extent and even made a comeback in the 1960’s. Today there is a large population of full-blooded Maori as well as Maori and European intermarriages resulting in children with Maori ancestry.

The Maori’s Meaning of Jade

The Maori consider jade as a taonga, or “treasure,” and were able to get it protected under the Treaty of Waitangi. Under this treaty the Maori are given rights to land and other properties, such as jade. Under this treaty the stone is protected under various restrictions from those who do see the gravity of its value as the Maori do.

The History of Maori Jade

Historically, like other cultures, the Maori took advantage of the strong stone to use as tools and weapons as well as jewelry. Like women in Chinese families who passed down Chinese jade jewelry through their generations, the Maori also handed down pieces of jade as valued heirlooms.

Jade was often used as a sign of victory in battles. Warriors would wear jade around their necks as a good luck charm before entering into a battle. The warrior men of competing tribes would fight to the death and then the victor would take the jade off the loser’s neck and keep it for himself. He would also claim stake to the jade that the failing warrior’s wife would wear, and give it to his wife to prove their family victory.

Modern Maori Jade

Often Maori jade is called the “greenstone” because jade from New Zealand is various shades of green. It is a common misconception that black jade is also found in New Zealand because there are many Maori pendants carved into black jade. Black jade is often used for Maori jewelry because it is found in South Australia.

Image via Wikipedia

Types of Maori Jade

There are different types of the “greenstone” found in New Zealand. The Maori have given different names to each form of pounamu:

Inanga (Whitebait): Very pale green.
Totoweka: Very rare form of Greenstone – streaked or spotted with red.
Kohuwai: Called after the greenish moss growth in a slow running stream.
Kawa-kawa: Has a strong green color with varying shades throughout.
Kako-Tea: Dark green with black spots.
Kahurangi: Bright green with light streaks resembling rolling clouds.

The unique patterns of Maori art is illuminated through the pounamu found in the mountains and rivers. A-symmetrical spirals accented with sharp angles can be found through a piece of jade that has been carved by a Maori native. A few designs such as the “hei matua (fish hook), the tiki (representing man), and the manaia (serpent form)” that have been carved for centuries are replicated today on jade stones, wood, paua shell, and even bone to make beautiful earrings, necklaces, or even sculptures.

New Zealand Jade

New Zealand jade is found on the South Westland or Westland area of the island. There is even a town called Hokitika, New Zealand, on the West side of the island that is considered the Jade capital of New Zealand.

Between the beach and the Arahura river, this area of New Zealand is rich with jade. In the past, natives found their taonga (treasures) in and around Hokitika and would travel the island trading what they had found.

Today Hokitika is the jade haven of New Zealand because there are many artists who carve, collect, and make jewelry out of the native pounamu. It is a tourist attraction because not only are there abundant resources of jade to be appreciated and even purchased here in Hokitika, but also there are workshops where a tourist can go and make their own unique piece of art out of the native jade.

Maori jade has proven to be timeless, and its worth is still seen today from the necks of the natives to the necks of traveling tourists.

Resources:
Wikipedia
Jade Factory
Maori Source
Hokitika

Jade Necklace

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 07:44:36 +0000

Like most necklaces, jade necklaces are found through a wide variety of designs. There are jade beads that can be strung like pearls to fit the neck, jade pendants that dangle from chains or ropes, and even a classic Chinese jade necklace consisting of a red string looped through a Bi Pi Disc of jade.

A Bi Pi Disc is a doughnut-like shape where the piece of jade is more flat than a nugget and is carved into a hollow circle.

There are various forms of the beaded jade necklace. There are some necklaces strung with different colored jade beads which bring variety and liveliness to the necklace.

Then there is the continuous strand of the same color jade, be it white, green, or black jade. Jade pendants can be found in many necklaces, some sharing the same strand with other stones or metals to form appealing designs.

There are also simple designs with jade to accommodate both males and females where a jade nugget will be the only stone hanging from a piece of black waxed cord.

In China, it is extremely common to see people wearing jade as jewelry, be it a jade bangle, earrings, or the jade Bi Pi Disc on a red string dangling around their neck. It is common to see jade necklaces on the Chinese because not only do they believe that the stone is more valuable than gold, but their superstitions insinuate jade as a magnet to health, luck, prosperity, and safety.

China is not the only place where you see people wear jade necklaces. South America, North America, Europe, New Zealand, and Australia are just a few continents and countries where a large portion of the populations not only appreciate jade but wear jade necklaces on a regular basis. For instance, if you head to the central coast of California you will find men and women of all ages wearing nuggets of Big Sur jade hanging from chains or black cord.

South American jade as well as New Zealand jade is often carved into intricate designs that are delicately strung around different necklace materials that are worn by both men and women.

Like any piece of jade, be it a small gem or a large monument, jade necklaces range in price from twenty dollars to close to one million dollars. For instance The Bead Site recorded “a jadeite necklace of thirty beads sold at Christie’s Hong Kong for $942,308, or $31,410 per bead” in April, 1998.

The price not only depends on the value of the actual piece of jadeite or nephrite but also the labor and work put into the piece of jade. The various designs and detail can take weeks to perfect along with cleaning and polishing.

Jade necklaces are very popular around the globe for men, women, and children.

the pivotal piece of ultrachic (recycleemail.com)
Cross Pendant Tutorials- From wire work to beaded tatting (beadinggem.com)

Jade Quality

admin — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 20:40:44 +0000

After you identify jade and know that it is real you might want to identify its quality.

Jade enthusiasts believe that it is a stone with a soul and can not be compared to diamonds and other precious stones. So what make jade a quality stone?

The quality of jade can be determined by its density, color, translucency, texture, luster and cutting.

Density

The density of jade is one of the main determining factors of its quality.

Color

Jade’s color ranges from green to white, black to blue and various shades of red, orange and yellow just to name a few.

The most desirable colors of jade are the deep emerald greens of imperial jade. White and lavender jade are also highly regarded for their rarity.

Translucency and Transparency

Jade ranges from translucent to near opaque. The highest quality jade is transparent and is compared to the consistency and clarity of honey.

Texture

Jade’s texture is another determining factor of its quality. It ranges from fine to coarse. Jade takes on a high polish which gives it a very smooth texture. The highest quality jade is clear and has little to no impurities.

Tone

The tone describes the specific quality of a color grade. The most desirable tones are those that give a clarity that is penetrating from a distance.

Cutting

This determines the cutting and shaping of the stone. Most jade is used in cabochons and carved pieces.

The Most Desirable Jade

Even color that is vivid and intense

Transparency like Honey

Smooth polish

Even texture that is free of impurities

How to Identify Jade

admin — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 20:01:40 +0000

Jade is constantly thought of as a green stone. Few realize that this precious mineral can actually occur in many other colors. This makes jade a hard stone to identify.

True jade can be one of two different minerals, nephrite and jadeite.

Nephrite

Nephrite is the original jade known to the Chinese as the stone of heaven. It is much more common of the two forms of jade and therefore is much more affordable.

Nephrite is the softer of the two jades ranking about a 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale. This means that nephrite is harder than steel and can not be scratched by it.

Some sources say that nephrite is found in fewer varieties of color than jadeite. Judging just by the many colors of Big Sur Jade I find this not to be true. Big Sur jade comes in all of the colors which sources say jadeite comes in.

Jadeite

Jadeite on the other hand is a higher quality and harder version of jade. It is much rarer and comes out of Burma in commercial amounts. Jadeite has also been discovered in Guatemala and also is found in small amounts in other parts of the world.

Jadeite can occur in the many different colors of jade; red, green, blue, white, black and lavender to mention a few. As jadeite is the harder of the two stones it ranks at around a 7 on the Mohs scale. Jadeite is also harder than steel which means that it can no be scratched by it.

Jade Treatments

Some jade is waxed. Nephrite jade is also known to be treated and sold as jadeite.

Some jade is also heated to intensify its color.

Fake Jade

Serpentine, treated quartz, plastic and even glass is sometimes even passed off as true jade. Remember that just because it is green does not mean that it is jade. Jade, ‘Yu’, in Chinese actually just means green stone though today the term jade refers to either nephrite or jadeite.

Your best bet to identify jade it to bring it to a reputable dealer or geologist.

So, how do you know if your jade is real?

Jade can be translucent to transparent to opaque. The main identifying factor for jade is its depth. Jade is a stone which you can see into.

The most desirable jade is that with uniform color throughout the stone. Green is also very desirable though other colors can be even rarer and precious.

There are also a few other ways to identify jade:

Air Bubbles – Look into the stone. If you can see any air bubbles then it is NOT jade. Air bubbles mean that the stone is actually not a stone at all and is treated glass. Jade will not have air bubbles.
Weight – Jade is DENSE. You can feel the weight of the stone. Nephrite and jadeite are both heavier than glass.
Hardness – The hardness of jade is also another way to identify the stone. Since nephrite is a 6-6.5 on the Mohs scale and jadeite is a 7 neither can be scratched by steel.
Condenser - Jade is a great condenser of heat and cool. My absolute favourite method to test jade is the the ‘hair’ test. Wrap a piece of hair tightly around the jade (I have found the the longer the hair the better). Use the flame from a lighter and wave it underneath the hair. If the hair burns it is not jade. If left unburned then the stone is actually jade. This happens because the jade absorbs and disperses the heat of the flame.
Coolness – Also goes with the above point but many Burmese enthusiasts can be seen touching jade to their cheeks to feel its temperature. This was to determine its authenticity. You can also feel it in your hand for its coolness.
Sound – Jade lets off an amazing tone when hit with other stones, metal and glass. This is actually also one of the ways to determine if the stone is A, B or C quality jade because the denser the stone the more pleasant and resonating the sound is. The end of the following video gives a great example of this test. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaHaTPRzH9U
Texture – The texture of the stone also is a great indicator of if it is true jade. Jade can take on a high polish. Run your fingernail across the stone. If it feels bumpy than it is probably not jade.
Strength – This probably can be categorized under density but jade is very strong. It is hard to break or chip.

Jade has a shine and luster to it unlike any other stone. You have to look at it in the sunlight to really appreciate its beauty.

White Jade

admin — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:15:00 +0000

In addition to carrying the generic properties of Green Jade, White Jade directs energy in the most constructive way possible. It filters distractions to achieve optimum results and assists in decision-making as it accesses all relevant information. It is the purest jade stone.

White jade consists of actinolite which consists of both calcium and magnesium.

White nephrite jade that is not very translucent is also known as mutton fat jade and sometimes has a slight yellow color (usually from iron oxide). An opaque white jade or slightly brown or grey jade is sometimes known as chicken bone jade. Lapidary quality white nephrite comes out of China and other locations, commercial quantities coming from Canada.

Jadeite can also be of a white variety the white color coming from sodium aluminum silicate rich form of pyroxene. White jadeite is very rare and valuable.

The Imperial Seal of China, the He Shi Bi, was a relic with historical importance in China and was white nephrite.

Carp made out of White Nephrite Jade from the Qing Dynasty 1655-1911CE, China. (Released under the creative commons license)

Source: USA, China, Italy, Myanmar (Burma), Russia, Middle East

Hardness: 6

Chakra (of white jade): Third Eye

Zodiac: Gemini

Planet: Venus

Benificial for: Longetivity, self-sufficiancy, detoxification, filtration, elimination, kidneys, supraneal glands, cellular and skeletal systems, stitches, fertility, childbirth, hips, spleen, water-salt-alkaline ratio

White stones help with problem solving.

Black Jade

admin — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:23:43 +0000

Black jade is one of the many colors in which nephrite and jadeite can appear in. This is a popular color with modern jade lovers and the new generation of jade collectors. Black jade is valued today as green jade has been in the past.

Kinds of Black Jade

Big Sur Ocean-Polished Black Jade. Image provided by {link:http://pacificjadeart.com/gallery.htm}Pacific Jade Art{/link}.

There are many different colors in which jade can appear. These colors of jade can be red, black, brown, blue, the rare lavender and the priceless white jade (just to mention a few).

Jade also comes in two different varieties and these are nephrite and jadeite. These two forms of jade appear similar and are both very dense finely grained stones but come from different mineralogical groups.

The colors of these stone can vary depending on the amounts of iron oxide and magnesium. Iron rich varieties of jade are darker in color from dark green jade to grey-green jade, red jade, orange jade all the way to black jade. Iron rich black Cowell jade can contain almost 8% iron oxide!

Jade that has less iron oxide therefore have more magnesium and are lighter in color. These can be white, light green and lavender.

Black Jade Color

Black Jade is a lovely, dark version of the multi-colored stone. The black color of jade comes from high amounts of iron and/or graphite.

Black Nephrite Jade

Nephrite jade is a common form of jade found all over the world. Nephrite jade belongs to the amphibole group of minerals and has a hardness of 6 on the Mohs scale.

Though nephrite is softer than jadeite it is actually much tougher. Nephrites fracture strength is about 200 MN/m2 whereas jadeites is about 100 MN/m2. This can be an explanation of why nephrite jade is commonly known as the “toughest natural stone on earth”.

This form of the jade stone has been used for thousands of years because of its valued toughness and density which is the reason it has been used for everything from weapons to tools.

When the term toughness is used it is in regards to how brittle a material is. This is a large difference from the term ‘hardness’ used for stones which relates to how easily a mineral or material scratches.

Nephrite jade is a tough stone because of its finely interlocked fibers. These are actually microscopic needle-like crystals which bind the stone together. These fine needles are randomly grouped together where the best quality nephrite has a large amount of. When these small crystals are more coarse the jade is less tough.

Black Jadeite

Jadeite is a harder jade which is found in fewer locations throughout the world. It is rarer and in effect can be much more expensive than nephrite jade. Jadeite belongs to the pyroxene group of minerals.

Where is black jade from?

Black jade can be found all over the world from California and Wyoming, Canada, Southern Australia, Taiwan, Burma, Guatemala and other locations.

Where is black nephrite found?

Black nephrite is the most common stone of the two varieties of jade (as is all nephrite when compared to jadeite). Black nephrite comes out of California, Wyoming, Canada, Southern Australia and Taiwan.

Nephrite is often called the “most dense natural stone on earth”.

Where is black jadeite found?

Black jadeite comes out of Burma and Guatemala. Jadeite is the hardest and rarest of the two types of jade.

Black Big Sur Jade

Black is a semi-common color of Big Sur jade. This is found among the coves and cliffs of the jade cove area. Big Sur jade is of the nephrite variety.

Black Taiwan Jade

Black jade is also found in Taiwan. Taiwan jade is of the nephrite variety of jade. It is also known as Fongtian jade.

New research shows that Taiwan was a center point for sea based trade in the prehistoric world. This same research shows that there is a very distinct type of jade earring that was distributed throughout Southern Asia. These have been found to have been made from Taiwanese jade.

Discovery.Com states:

Of 144 jade artifacts from 49 sites the researchers analyzed using non-invasive scanning equipment, 116 specimens from 38 sites were made from Taiwan jade.
“This is very strong evidence that ancient populations in different regions had very frequent contact and communication,” said Hung, of the university’s Department of Archaeology and Natural History. She says this shows contact between Taiwan and the Philippines stretches back 4000 years.

When this study is compared to that of Guatemalan jade (which was recently discovered to be distributed throughout Mesoamerica and was traded through extensive trade routes) it becomes apparent that jade has been revered by many cultures throughout time.

Black Canadian Jade

Canadian, or British Columbian Jade, is contains some of the best quality nephrite in the world. The jade from this location can be various shades of green with black flecks inside of it, which can be quite beautiful.

Black Burmese Jade

Burmese jade can be the very rare black. This is of the jadeite variety and is extremely valuable.

Black Wyoming Jade

Wyoming jade can also be black in color. This is a beautiful stone and is of the nephrite variety of jade.

Black Maori Jade

Maori pendants are sometimes made with the black jade stone. There is a common misconception that these pendants are actually Maori jade which is false. The black nephrite jade that is used in Maori pendants is actually from Southern Australia.

Black Australian Jade

Black Australian jade was first discovered in 1965 by Harry Schiller while prospecting his farm. Well over 100 different outcroppings of Australian nephrite have now been discovered.

South Australian nephrite comes in three commercial grade colors; green, black and premium black nephrite. This jade is commonly called Cowell jade.

To date about 3,000 tons of nephrite has been produced in Southern Australia.

To find out more about black Australian nephrite check out PIRSA Minerals on Black Nephrite at the Southern Australian Governments website.

Black Guatemalan Jade

One of the most exciting discoveries for jade enthusiasts if the finding of jadeite in Guatemala. Black jadeite is now being found in Guatemala as well. These ancient mines were once lost after Spanish invasion are now being rediscovered.

The following is a quote from the Lapidary Journal on Guatemalan jade.

Guatemala is now producing the world’s newest jadeite colors, including “rainbow jadeite” (several colors in one slab or boulder). Ward is particularly fond of the black jadeite. “Black jadeite from the Motagua Valley area,” he says, “represents the creamiest, richest, and best black jadeite in the world, far exceeding Burma’s darkest, which is gray and can only be sold as charcoal.”

What gives black jade its color?

The black color comes from both graphite and iron oxide in the stone. It is actually considered to be a very deep green but because of the high iron content, it appears black. This is why when one sees black jade there is often a slightly recognizable green hue. This green hue is seen mostly through any parts of the jade that might be transparent when put in front of light. This transparency is usually found in the edges of the given piece, which seem to glow a very dark green. As these pieces of jade are very black you tend not to be able to see through most of the stone.

Black Jade Meaning

The meaning of black jade has been attributed to the properties of protection, power and control (of ones self).

Black Jade Properties

The metaphysical properties of black jade consist of offering protection from negativity and fostering the wise use of power. As with all black stones, black jade gives protection for attack and helps us to control our greed or need for control by instilling wisdom in the use of personal power.
Some sources say Black jade is a stone to purify and cleanse one’s energies. It is said to be capable of discharging any amount of negative energy, and able to keep all negative energies in one’s surroundings away from the wearer.

When holding a jade stone in your hand, one may experience feelings of calmness or serenity. Others have experienced the feeling that black jade brings out the wisdom that is hidden in each of us.

Black jade has also been said to have water energy that brings the flow of the water element to focus on your potential.

Chakra (of black jade): This color of jade is known to be associated with the root or base chakras.
Zodiac: The zodiac sign associated with this stone is Taurus.
Planet: The planet that is symbolized in this stone is Venus.
Beneficial for: Black jade is calming, helps with reflection and prayer, gives protection against negative energy, is a grounding stone and is used to channel power.
The Color Black: The color black is related to power, grounding, fearlessness, confidence, solidity. Black is technically not a color at all and instead absorbs color which explains its relation to power.
Chakra (of the color black): Black does not belong to a specific chakra. It is considered the color of all the chakras or as the chakras less mentioned such as the 12th chakra located below the feet or an upper chakra located high above the head.

Update:
1/7/09 – Due to the popularity of this article we have updated it with much more information as well as links to other references on the popular black jade stone. Feel free to browse the site and learn more about the jade stone. Below is a list of the most related pages to this one which you might be interested in.

Also, if you liked this page please leave a suggestion and/or comment below. We would love to hear from you.

How to Find Big Sur Jade At Jade Cove

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:13:31 +0000

Dramatic views of Big Sur Jade Cove

Jade cove is a wonderful place to get away from the busy life of living in a city. Here is a place which shows the wild side of nature unlike anywhere else on the California coast. This area of the coast is know as where the mountains meet the sea. It was known to the Essalen, the natives of this land, as the edge of the world. It makes sense that this place was called the edge of the world, being the last place on earth to be explored before meeting the expansive Pacific Ocean.

Big Sur is a pristine place with abundant water sources, wildlife, botanical and geological wonders. One of these amazing geological anomalies can be found at Jade Cove.

Jade Cove Trail Pull Off

jade-cove”>Where is Jade Cove?

The Jade cove pullout is 70 miles South of Monterey and 70 miles North of San Luis Obispo, between Gorda and Pacific Valley, on Highway 1. It is just south of the entrance to Sand Dollar beach and Plasket Creek Campground.

Here are some aerial photos of Jade Cove.

Where to look for jade at Jade Cove?

There are a few things to remember when looking for jade at Jade Cove. Jade is can be found on virtually any of the beaches for miles around. Jade can be found on the cliff-side and even in the Jade Cove parking lot where every once in a while you will even find a nice quality piece of jade that somone threw out!

The reason people will usually throw out their jade is often because they are new to jade hunting. Jade should be looked for at the tide level, where the rocks are wet. This is because when jade is wet you can actually see its depth and it will usually stick out like a sore thumb next to other leaverites (as in leave it right there) on the beach.

Jade cove trail

Sometimes when people get back to the parking lot after picking up many pieces (and once they have dried) they no longer look like the gemstone they might have picked up. Since most of the jade that is found in this area has spent a great deal of time in the ocean it acquires a sort of salt rind. This layer of salt, when dry, shows up as white and you can no longer see the color of the jade beneath.

Many times you will see the veteran jade hunter “licking” the rock, because this tempoarily eliminates that white color of the salt allowing you too see the color of the jade beneath.

Best Times to Look For Jade

There are a few times of the year when it is especially good to look for jade on the beaches of the Jade Cove area.

Looking Down On Jade Cove

Low-Tide: Durring the winter months there are some especially low tides that occur. These are prime times to be looking for jade on the beach.
Early Morning: The earlier the better. Many times you will find that the beach has already been turned up by other hunters who already got the best pickings from the beach.
Winter: Storms, Swells and Kelp: The winter is the optimum time to look for jade. Durring the summer months the beach is covered in a layer of kelp which can hide the best spots to find jade. In the winter you get larger swells, which not only turn the beach but also take away the summers kelp. Storms also are great for jade hunting since all of the rocks on the beach have been turned up, as well as a small amount of erosion that is created where jade will fall out of the cliff face to turn up as vulcan jade on the beaches.

Note: Please remember to NEVER turn your back to the ocean. The ocean should always be respected because of its unpredictability and amazing power.

Rules and Regulations

Looking South of Jade Cove

There are a few rules for gathering jade in the Jade Cove area.

You may only gather loose jade from below the mean tide level.
No tools can be used other than to maneuver or lift jade, or scratch the surface to determine if it is jade.
A lift bag can be used for diving to lift up to 200 pounds.
You may only collect up to what one individual can carry.

How to Identify Jade?

Most of the jade found at jade cove are different shades of green but can also be found in red, blue, black, brown and the very rare violet.

No Excavating at Jade Cove!

Some jade can even have a colored rind which can be white and even orange. Jade has a greasy feel to it and shines in the sun. It also has depth which means that you can see into the stone.

Another way to identify jade is by its hardness. Jade is harder than steel which means that it can not be scratched by a knife. If you can scratch it with a knife it is probably soapstone or serpentine.

Also, a great rule to run by, if you are unsure if the stone is jade, is to look at it in the sun. The sun brings out the qualities of jade where you can see its depth and translucency.

To find out more about the different types of jade check out the Big Sur Jade page.

Serpentine, Soapstone and Agates

There are 3 other stones that are very common at Jade Cove which people seem to easily mistake for jade. These are Serpentine. Soapstone and Agates.

Prime area to look for jade

Soapstone is the easiest to identify. You can scratch soapstone with your fingernail. Remember, jade is harder than steel so pull out your knife. If you can scratch it, it isn’t jade.

An agate is an unpure form of quartz. The reason a lot of people seem to mistake this stone for jade is because it can have a glow or slight translucency. Agate actually has the same hardness of jade 6.5 to 7. The knife rule does not apply here. Usually you can tell that this isnt jade because of the white quartz veins which commonly run through it. Jade will not have quartz in it. It is also a lot duller of a color than jade, and does not have the same sort of glow or depth.

Another area to look for jade at Jade Cove

Serpentine is what births jade yet it is a totally different stone. Its is easily mistaken as jade because it is green. The hardness of serpentine has a fairly wide range from 2.5 to 5.5 due to its differing proportions. This means that your steel knife will scratch it, though sometimes barely.

There is one rule that you should always follow. If you are not sure if it is jade, it probably isn’t.

What is Fire Jade?

admin — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:22:40 +0000

Fire jade is a reference to two different types of jade.

Heated or Burned Jade

One type of jade that is called “fire jade” is a piece that has been burned or heated by fire.

When jade is heated it turns a glowing hot red. Jade that is tainted by fire will often have visible “veins” throughout the stone that are a contrasting color (usually an orange-red tint) than the rest of the stone.

Fire jade can be found virtually anywhere jade can be found because it was used in cooking by natives.

An example of this can be found by the natives of Big Sur who used heated jade to roast their nuts and seeds. Jade is an excellent conductor of temperature. They would add their glowing hot jade to baskets, which they then tossed with their grains in order to cook and roast.

Red Fire Jade

Another type of jade that has been called fire jade is actually vulcan jade. This type of jade has absorbed iron oxide through its porous skin giving it colors of red, orange and yellows. In this case vulcan jade that has a deep red color and has been named fire jade by local jade hunters.

How to decipher Fire Jade

Fire jade is hard to decipher to an amateur jade hunter, but once discovered it becomes obvious to see the differences in a piece of fire jade and a piece of jade that has not been heated.

Big Sur Jade

admin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:12:01 +0000

Check out the Jade Cove page find out more about Big Sur Jade.

jade“>Botryoidal Jade

A wonderful example of quality Botryoidal Jade from Big Sur. Picture credit to {link:http://pacificjadeart.com/gallery.htm}Pacific Jade Art{/link}

Big Sur Botryoidal, also known as Bubble or Grape Jade (botrus means grape in Greek), is a high quality nephrite jade and is one of the rarest types of jade to find in the Big Sur area. It is often covered in a serpentine or talc matrix which can be removed to reveal the bubble like structure underneath. It can come in all the variety of colors that Big Sur jade exhibits; from shades of green from pale translucent to dark forest, whites, the reds yellows and oranges of vulcan and more.

Serpentine and soapstone never have this bubble like trait.

Botryoidal jade was first discovered in the Jade cove area in the late 1950’s. Since this initial discovery botryodial jade has been discovered in Mendocino County, California, on the Cultus Mountain, Washington and then in large quantities and sizes in the Trinity Mountain’s of California.

Big Sur Blue Jade

Big Sur blue jade, or Pacific Blue Jade, is another rare Big Sur jade. Most of the specimens I see come out of Jade Cove. Big Sur blue jade resembles the mystical and magical waters of the Big Sur coastline. You can find this jade from light blue-green to a rich deep blue color.

Vulcan Jade

Big Sur Vulcan or Vulcanized jade is my favorite types of jade. This jade naturally erodes out of the ancient seabed that is located about 200ft above sea level. This ancient seabed is loaded with serpentine and jade materials that have been sitting in the iron rich soil for millennia. Nephrite jade is very porous and iron rich soil essentially “stains” the jade with vibrant orange, reds, yellows and browns. You can usually find Big Sur Vulcan jade along the bottoms of these cliffs but I have found a couple of pieces right at the tide-line.

Jade Rings

admin — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:23:59 +0000

Jade rings (or “Yuhuan” in Chinese) are a symbol of eternal and everlasting love.

Jade is the perfect material for rings. For the best display of jade rings we suggest looking for jade with gold or white gold. The addition of diamonds also help this gemstone stone shine. Some of the best looking rings with jade are displayed with double or triple bands which help attract the eye to the brilliance of the majestic stone.

Jade adds a slight brilliant shine of color to minerals it comes into contact with, enhancing the color of the gold of a ring.

The Value of a Jade Ring

Jade is far different than your normal diamond rings. Today diamonds symbolize wealth, durability, status, and peerless quality. Jade, however, is a real treasure and symbolizes love and sentimental value. Jade is a true gift from the heart.

Jade as a Wedding Ring

Using jade as a wedding ring is an ancient tradition and can be traced all the way back to the wedding traditions of the Egyptians. Long ago, before medals were discovered and used for jewlery, jade rings were made of braided grass, ivory, leather and bone.

Today we use medals such as yellow or white gold and platinum.

Symbolism of Jade

Jade is a stone used for healing the heart and is therefore an amazing choice as a love stone. It brings wisdom, gives protection and attracts prosperity to its wearer.

When lovers exchange jade it binds their love.

Jade is considered the eternal stone. Giving a jade ring is an everlasting gift of love.