Jade – Heaven's Stone
More than 2,500 years ago, Gautama Buddha taught that much of life involves pain and suffering. According to his teachings, few of us here on Earth have been provided with a glimpse of heaven. Instead, we mostly dwell in hell. But for the Chinese, there is a terrestrial bridge between heaven and hell – jade.
While gems such as diamond entered Chinese culture relatively recently, the history of jade (at the time, nephrite or another translucent material used for carving) stretches back thousands of years. In ancient China, nephrite jade was used for tools, weapons, and ornaments. Jade's antiquity contributes an aura of eternity to this gem. Confucius praised jade as a symbol of righteousness and knowledge.
Yu, the Chinese word for jade, is one of the oldest in the Chinese language; its pictograph is said to have originated in 2950 BC, when the transition from knotted cords to written signs supposedly occurred. The pictograph represents three pieces of jade, pierced and threaded with a string; the dot was added to distinguish it from the pictograph for "ruler."
To the Chinese, jade was traditionally defined by its virtues, namely a compact, fine texture, tremendous toughness and high hardness, smooth and glossy luster, along with high translucency and the ability to take a high polish. But they also ascribe mystical powers to the stone. Particularly popular is the belief that jade can predict the stages of one's life: If a jade ornament appears more brilliant and transparent, it suggests that there is good fortune ahead; if it becomes dull, bad luck is inevitable.
Jadeite is a relatively recent entry to the jade family. While some traditionalists feel that it lacks the rich history of nephrite, nevertheless the "emerald" green color of Imperial jadeite is the standard by which all jades – including nephrite – are judged by most Chinese enthusiasts today. This is the opposite of Chinese nephrite, where white is considered the ideal.
Jade Services Offered by the AGTA GTC
The AGTA GTC offers a number of services with regard to jade, as follows:
- Identification Reports: These will test for any and all enhancements and will specify if a jade is nephrite or jadeite.
- Jadeite Jade Origin Reports, which also specify origin.
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Fine examples of imperial jadeite jade from Burma. Photo: Wimon Manorotkul/Pala International. |
