Worldly Wonders of Jade
Nolan O'Connor
| 15-03-2024
· Art team
Jade, sourced from around the world, boasts a rich history and holds great value in geology, culture, and aesthetics.
This article seeks to unveil some of the primary origins, illustrating their diversity and distinctiveness.
Indian Jade
Indian Jade is commonly referred to as aventurine, with its emerald green variety earning the moniker "Indian Jade." Its striking color, although admired, has somewhat fallen out of favor among contemporary preferences.
Indian Jade possesses a notable combination of a glossy and glassy sheen, presenting a translucent to slightly transparent appearance.
Its texture is dense, fine, challenging, and smooth, akin to jadeite. However, aventurine distinguishes itself with conspicuous granular structures and petite green flakes, setting it apart from jadeite.
Myanmar Jade
Myanmar stands as another globally recognized haven for jade, renowned for the superior quality it produces. Here are some distinguished types of jade from Myanmar:
Burmese Jade: Renowned for its deep emerald green hue, Burmese Jade is frequently cut into gemstones of diverse shapes, serving as a staple in jewelry creation. The Ayeyarwaddy region in Myanmar is particularly affluent, yielding some of the finest jadeite specimens.
Myanmar Huanglong Jade: This is a recent discovery in the world of jade. Myanmar Huanglong Jade predominantly appears in yellow tones, boasting a refined texture and considerable oiliness.
New Zealand Jade
New Zealand is globally recognized for its remarkable source of jade, treasured by the local Maori culture as a precious gemstone. New Zealand jade is primarily procured from the west coast of the South Island.
New Zealand Jade: New Zealand Jade comes in a spectrum of colors, including green, white, blue, and black. This jade is applied to craft jewelry, carvings, and traditional Māori handicrafts such as pendants and axes.
Canadian Jade
Canada ranks among the world's preeminent jade producers, primarily deriving from British Columbia.
Canadian Jasper: Mainly hailing from the mountains north of Vancouver, Canada, Canadian Jasper boasts a Mohs scale hardness rating of approximately 6.5, categorizing it as a type of nephrite.
It is both a national treasure of Canada and was a favored gem of Empress Dowager Cixi during the Qing Dynasty.
Canadian jasper rough stones and carvings differentiate themselves from Xinjiang Manas jade with a more abundant output, uniform texture, substantial block sizes, and vibrant colors. Arctic jade, the highest grade among Canadian jaspers, features the most exquisite texture.
Australian Jade
Australian jade shares its color with jadeite but maintains a consistent hue, tone, and chroma. Despite its vivid green, the coloration is more uniform, without the variances found in jadeite.
It offers a lustrous, tender, and harmonious green. Its distinction from artificially treated green agate lies in its natural, evenly distributed green, devoid of the bright, glossy quality with hints of blue found in the latter.
South America Jade
South America also boasts significant jade-producing areas, primarily in Colombia and Brazil.
Colombian Emeralds: Colombia is esteemed for its deep green and highly transparent emeralds, commonly incorporated into exquisite jewelry.
Brazilian Agate: Classified as chalcedony in mineralogy, Brazilian agate distinguishes itself due to its rich color, warmth, delicacy, high gloss, and diverse shapes.
This unique allure captivates many leading skilled artisans and designers to create exquisite artworks reflecting both historical narratives and natural beauty.
With its extraordinary adaptability and distinct style, Brazilian agate is a favorite among top designers and has garnered numerous international accolades.
These represent some of the world's notable sources and types of jade; each celebrated for its unique characteristics and intrinsic value. Be it for jewelry, carvings, or artisanal crafts, jade is a treasured resource rich in history and cultural significance.