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Jade – Who’s the queen, Nephrite or Jadeite



 Jade – Who’s the queen, Nephrite or Jadeite

By Shane of Radical Rocks

Before 1863, jade and jadeite were considered the same kind of stone. Then a Frenchman was able to prove that although the stones are similar, they are different, he called one nephrite and the other jadeite. Both display monoclinic intergrown grainy and fibrous crystal systems that causes them to be a very tough gem stone. In fact, jade has been often been called the ax stone.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dagger_India_Louvre_MR13434.jpg
Some of the differences are as follows; jadeite is composed with silicate of sodium and aluminum, were nephrite is composed with silicate of calcium and magnesium. Also, there is a difference in the fibrous intertwining, that is slightly denser in the jadeite than the nephrite. Both make excellent carving material that support intricate carving that most stone can’t compete with. Chinese have been carving jade for hundreds of years, over 700 years.

So, telling the two apart with the naked eye is difficult at best, so a good way to check is with our friend "specific gravity" and this is a very common way of identification.







Now for some Jade facts and differences;
1.       Jadeite is rarer and more valuable, however large chunks of nephrite can fetch thousands of dollars
2.       Hardness: Nephrite 6 – 6.5; Jadeite 6.5 – 7.
3.       Jadeite is a bit harder and denser, so it seems to take a better polish
4.       Specific gravity; Nephrite;2.90 – 3.02 Jadeite; 3.3 – 3.5
5.       Color: Nephrite ranges usually from mid to dark green to a gray green, it can also be white, yellowish or reddish. I have even seen black. Jadeite has more color variations that include, yellow, lavender – mauve, pink and emerald green, I have even seen blue streaks is some African Jadeite
6.       Grading of Jadeite and nephrite will be done in reverse, the highest grade for nephrite is clear and white, also called “water jade”, and then the best Jadeite is “imperial green” it is colored by traces of chromium and has the color and transparency of a fine emerald. Imperial jade can have a slight hint of yellow. Nephrite jade has been located all over the earth. Jadeite is generally very expensive, but nephrite can be found for affordable prices, therefore most jade on today’s market is in truth a nephrite.

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Referances;
Ronzio, A.R. and Salmon, M. (1970) Trace elements in jade. Gems and Minerals: 389: 24-25, 45.
Bradt, R.C., Newnham, R.E., and Biggers, J.V. (1973) The toughness of jade. American Mineralogist, vol. 58, 727-732.
Harlow, G.E. and Sorenson, S.S. (2005) Jade (Nephrite and Jadeitite) and Serpentinite: Metasomatic Connections. International Geology Review, 47, 113-146.
Ren Lu (2012) Color Origin of Lavender Jadeite: An Alternative Approach. Gems & Gemology 48, 273-283.
Franz, L., Sun, T.T., Hänni, H.A., de Capitani, C., Thanasuthipitak, T., and Atichat, W. (2014) A comparative study of jadeite, omphacite and kosmochlor jades from Myanmar, and suggestions for a practical nomenclature. Journal of Gemmology, 34 (3), 210-229.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jade
http://www.palagems.com/burma_jade.htm (with many references)


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