There are essentially 2 Types of Jade: Nephrite Jade and Jadeite Jade. There may be different trade names or other names for “types of jade” but these usually just refer to the color of jade. To learn about “Imperial Jade”, “ice jade”, “lemon jade” or any other similar names, please see Jade Colors.
Here we will discuss these 2 types of jade.
Jadeite jade is the more precious of the two and fine pieces hold their own among diamonds and fine pearls, occurring most famously in an imperial green, lavender and white, but also in browns, oranges, pale yellows and greys.
Nephrite jade tends to occur in shades of brown as well as green and white. Nephrite Jade is usually used for carvings and fine vases, whereas Jadeite is used in fine jewelry. All “antique” jade pieces from China dating from the 18th century or earlier will be Nephrite, because China did not discover Jadeite deposits until the 1800′s. So if you see “500 year old Jadeite Chinese carving”, you know it’s a fraud.
Apart from the difference in value and slight differences in color, the two kinds of jade also differ in surface appearance: jadeite jade has a glassy luster, while nephrite jade has a waxy look.
The finest and most abundant jadeite is found in Burma (Myanmar) and therefore, can sometimes be found under the name “Burmese Jade”. Other sources of jadeite include Guatemala, and smaller amounts are found in the USA and Switzerland.
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| High Value Jadeite: The highest end jadeite is evenly colored, very saturated and bright green that seems to glow with transulcency. | Typical Jadeite: Typical Jadeite is irregular in color and in duller shades of white or green. This kind of jade will usually be fairly opaque. | High Value Nephrite: The most valuable pieces of nephrite possible to aquire are antique carvings, valuable for the artistry and historical importance. | Typical Nephrite: This kind of nephrite is used as beads or other low end jewelry carvings. Often it is not specified as being nephrite, rather simply called “Jade” |
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