Its unbreakable spell continues to generate greed throughout the world, becoming an object of desire, as many have considered it more expensive than gold itself. Jadeite is the most expensive form of jade, it is appreciated as the most precious because it is less frequent.
Man discovered it 7,000 years ago. In prehistory it was used to make tools and weapons, because it is a very hard material. It is often called a royal gem in China as it was highly prized by emperors; for the Mayans and the Aztecs it had more value than gold itself.
This stone has its own language through its wide variety of colors, including various shades of green, lilac, orange, white and black; however, green is the most popular color. Black jade is a very difficult piece to obtain; In this color it was used by the Mayans for their occult magic ceremonies; and they used it to protect themselves against kidney diseases and gallbladder problems; In addition, they associated it with fertility and abundance. It is considered by the Chinese as a very important symbol of power. Dark green was used for good luck charms.
The more expensive stones have a lighter green color; and jadeite Jade’s hardness ranges from 7.0 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale, where the hardest mineral, diamond, is a 10. This quality makes jadeite an ideal gem for everyday wear, as you don’t have to worry that it is easily ruined.
Jadeite can only be found in four places in the world: Burma (it is one of the largest producers of jade in the world), USA (California), Japan and Guatemala.
Jadeite ranks number four among the ten rarest and most valuable gems in the world. It may sound like a semi-precious stone, informally known as «jade,» but this gem is incredibly much more valuable. Appreciated more when it is of an intense and translucent green color; jadeite is mainly found in limited quantities in Myanmar.
In 1997, Christie’s auction house sold a jadeite necklace, of the highest quality called «Imperial», for almost 10 million dollars. Jadeite can sell for millions of dollars per cut and polished carat. Its market value is $20,000 per carat.
The chemical composition of jadeite is a combination of silicate, sodium and aluminum. Its pure color is white, and the different shades are due to the inclusion of other minerals; however, the emerald green color of jadeite is the most sought after by collectors.
It is a complete stone because, in addition to its beauty and appreciated value, different cultures found medicinal and mystical properties in this stone.
Today its therapeutic qualities continue to be valued, and it is imposed as a symbol of beauty, authority and tenacity.
Jadeite is a stunning gem worth admiring and anyone can covet. Appreciate its beauty, its value, and authenticity!