According to an old and well-known Chinese proverb: «Gold is valuable, jade is priceless»; that is to say, that the value of this stone is inestimable. The veneration of jade is not new, it is known that the Mayans and the old cultures of China appreciated it not only for its beauty but also for its symbolic value.
Known as «gift from heaven», the stone was valued more than diamonds and gold. Those civilizations of Central America and Asia, including those of the South Pacific (Australia, New Zealand), discriminated between minerals, giving more importance to jade.
Its relevance made it a coveted object in the Asian market. In 1908, jadeite was already the most expensive type of jade and the best seller in Beijing’s famous antique bazaar, the Liu Li Chang; and, to this day, it continues to trade at extremely high prices.
Although Asians continue to show greater interest in extravagant diamonds and gold jewelry, jade pieces are not far behind as the most sought after by their buyers.
Until now, two types of jade have been identified: nephrite and jadeite. Nephrite is often called Chinese jade, since carved pieces with various motifs are made with it: Buddhas, dragons or snakes. Jadeite, the rarest and therefore difficult to find, is much more expensive; and considered the most precious. The most valuable kind of jade is known as imperial.
The intensity of the color and its transparency are factors to consider when judging the quality of the stone. Sure, it never becomes fully transparent, but the closer it gets to a certain level of transparency, the more value it has.
A 27-bead necklace of the highest quality jade was sold in Hong Kong for $9.3 million in 1998; today, its price would exceed any expectation.
This gem, when it is already worked, in addition to decorating the beauty of any woman, is also a symbol of wealth, balance and power. The value of it is invaluable and representative, but wearing it is more significant.
Jade has been placed today as a jewel of great value, its beauty captures admiration immediately; its qualities and properties will never pass away; and its history will remain immersed in the heart of humanity.