Jade Rings
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The Jade Gemstone
Jade rings are strikingly beautiful, and they are a wonderful choice for someone looking for unique and eye catching gemstone rings. Jade is an umbrella name for two types of gemstones: nephrite and jadeite. The differences between nephrite and jadeite are chemical composition, colors of jade, and physical properties. Nephrite is formed from a mixture of calcium, magnesium, and iron, it is slightly softer than jadeite, and it naturally occurs in various green and sometimes white colors. Jadeite is a type of silicate mineral which contains sodium and aluminum, and it naturally occurs in colors of blue, emerald green, lavender, and pink. Jadeite is also much more rarer than the commonly found nephrite gemstone. If you are looking for engagement rings with jade, and gemstone jade wedding rings, it is best to purchase jadeite for these purposes; nephrite will scratch easily and cannot stand up to the daily wear of a wedding or engagement ring. Properties of Jade: Durability = Jadeite: Excellent, Nephrite: Good Hardness = Jadeite: 6.5 - 7.0, Nephrite: 6.0 - 6.5 Refractive Index = Jadeite: 1.64 - 1.667, Nephrite: 1.600 - 1.641 Specifc Gravity = Jadeite: 3.25 - 3.36, Nephrite: 2.90 - 3.02 Enhancements: - Type A jadeite is commonly enhanced with a coating of colorless wax; this type of enhancement has a fair stability rating, but jadeite which has received a wax coat should not undergo ultrasonic cleaning.
- Type B jadeite is bleached and injected with wax to lighten and improve color, although this type of enhancement is not very common. Bleaching or whitening the stone has a poor stability rating and the stone should not be subject to heat, chemicals, or ultrasonic cleaners.
- Type C jadeite has been dyed to improve the stone's color. Dying the stone has a medium stability rating, and the stone should not be exposed to heat, chemicals, strong light, or ultrasonic cleaners after it is dyed.
- In rare cases nephrite is dyed (Type C nephrite) to change its color. This type of enhancement has an unknown stability rating, and stones which undergo this type of treatment should not be exposed to chemicals, strong light, and ultrasonic cleaning.
Special Care for Jade and Jade Rings: - Jadeite may scratch from daily wear, and to preserve the stone it is best to remove a jade ring before engaging in any activities where the gemstone may be scratched; a professional jeweler may be able to buff out any small scratches once they occur.
- Jadeite and nephrite gemstones which have undergone enhancement treatments require special care (mentioned above).
- Nephrite is especially sensitive to scratches and should not be worn on a daily basis.
Jade Price Guide: Due to its rarity, jadeite is priced much higher than nephrite; the price of jadeite varies from country to country as many countries have their own preferences when it comes to colors of jade. The most desirable jadeite is an emerald green color; this type of gemstone is usually priced around $1200.00 per carat. Nephrite, a much more common gemstone, is often priced between $50.00 to $100.00 per carat depending on the quality of the gemstone. High quality jadeite and nephrite gemstones are valued by the jade colors and color properties such as texture, intensity, radiance, and transparency. The most highly sought after jadeite, the emerald jadeite, is a very intense green which has a high degree of transparency and seems to shine from within. The overall price of a nephrite gemstone is not affected much by the carat size of the stone; an increase in carat size results in only a minimal increase in price. However, the price of a jadeite gemstone is affected by the carat size of the stone due to the rarity of jadeite; an increase over one carat in size may drastically increase the price of a jadeite stone. Meaning of Jade: The gemstone jade has always been associated with very positive influences such as hope, healing, love, faithfulness, courage, and harmony. Wearers of jade rings are believed to benefit from these uplifting feelings as the gemstone helps to draw positive forces to them. In ancient times, jade was believed to heal health problems associated with the kidneys and loins. Shopping Tips for Jade Rings If you are looking for wedding or engagement rings with jade, then you'll want to find a jadeite ring - and here is where things can get a little tricky. Unfortunately there is a large amount of synthetic jade on the market which is falsely sold as jadeite and even nephrite. These synthetic forms of jade rings are usually made with quartz, colored glass, soapstone, chrysoprase, or serpentine. To ensure that you are buying true jade, pay attention to the price of the ring and where the gemstone came from. Authentic jadeite is rare and expensive. If you find a jadeite ring for less than $1,000 dollars, it is most likely not real jadeite. Currently, jadeite is only found in China, Guatemala, Myanmar, and Russia.(*Note - until ethical standards have improved in Myanmar, it is best to avoid purchasing gemstone sourced from Myanmar). While nephrite is much more common, and less expensive, than jadeite, a quality nephrite ring will still be priced at least over $50.00. Nephrite is found in Canada, China, Guatemala, New Zealand, Russia, and the Swiss Alps. It is best to avoid Type B and C jade; these gemstones have undergone enhancements which have low stability ratings, and the stone can easily become damaged. Try to stick with Type A jade rings. To protect yourself as a shopper, only deal with reputable sellers who can offer you a return policy at the time of the ring's purchase. It is best to have your jadeite ring, or even your nephrite ring, evaluated by an independent jeweler to confirm its authenticity and value. If you are not happy with the independent appraisal results you can always return the ring with your policy.
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