Jade is a rare precious stone in the sense that it is only found in a few places on earth. It is highly popular in Chinese culture and many believe that it will bring good luck, fortune and ward off illness. It is the birthstone for those born in the month of March and also the astrological stone for those bearing the Virgo zodiac sign. Some people also believe that some types of jade help cure ailments associated with liver and kidney disease. Jade can be transformed into just about any type of jewelry and is mostly offered by retailers dealing in handmade jewelry.
Types of Jade
There are two main types of jade; soft jade or Nephrite and hard jade or jadeite. Nephrite is the jade most commonly found in Chinese culture and is found in China, Taiwan, Myanmar, Canada, Australia and Wyoming (United States). Nephrite is the most popular kind of jade which is found in different shades of green. The rarest type of jade is Nephrite lavender jade. Jadeite is a rarer form of jade found in Japan, Myanmar, Guatemala, California and Alaska (United States). Not only is it offered in shades of green, but can be found in different colors such as red, orange, green, blue, pink, black and white.
Jade Jewelry
Most jade jewelry is made from Nephrite and varies in shades of green. It is easily carved into different designs and is often found in Chinese cultural masterpieces. Like most precious stones it is taken in raw form and sent through a variety of processes before it is polished and ready to be set. Once in a piece of jewelry it is very smooth and shiny with a variety of shades of green in each stone. Certain artisans and masters in the art of stone carving can craft magnificent designs onto jade stones to be set in a variety of types of jewelry. A common type of jade bracelet is simple polished jade beads strung on a stretchable medium. To tell the quality of a piece of jade the general rule of thumb is the clearer the better. The best quality jade is said to be as clear as honey, but of course green in color.
