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Author Topic: Jade, identifying name and valuation, web sites ???  (Read 2933 times)

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55fossil

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Jade, identifying name and valuation, web sites ???
« on: September 30, 2016, 03:24:26 PM »

      Well, it is time for the age old discussion on Nephrite Jade. I have been building a collection of rough and slabs, mostly from the Cassiar Range in BC but also others. What I am looking for is professional insight on how to grade the quality of Nephrite Jade, not just the A through D grading. Anything to do with inclusions whether green, white, gold or black would be good. I am also interested in any info on how to possibly tell what mine or region a piece of jade came from. From what I see even Polar Jade crosses over into the different colors and inclusions of jade from the Cassiar region.
       So, if anyone knows of good web pages or info I can access please let me know. I will post some pictures pretty soon of what I am collecting. No, not the bead stuff where I screwed up...  Yep, bought some clunkers until Michael shared a couple days with me.

thanks all,  Neal
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southerly

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Re: Jade, identifying name and valuation, web sites ???
« Reply #1 on: October 02, 2016, 01:20:40 PM »

Hummm, good question Neal, I have not seen a guide for nephrite in the same way diamond or ruby have one, will be interested to see what everyone comes up with. The only jade guides seem to focus on levels of treatment of jadeite.

Any idea which mine these slabs come from?

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Debbie K

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Re: Jade, identifying name and valuation, web sites ???
« Reply #2 on: October 02, 2016, 01:45:12 PM »

I have some slabs that are dead ringers; I bought it from a gentleman who collected it in California back in the '60's. They have the same light green inclusions that look almost like chlorite.

Debbie K
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55fossil

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Re: Jade, identifying name and valuation, web sites ???
« Reply #3 on: October 03, 2016, 07:35:05 AM »

     Damn, I have dead ringers too. My slabs are from the Cassiar Mountain area where they mined Polar Jade. There are numerous mines in this area.
One of the big problems with jade is the same as with most jasper, etc.  Some people selling  the stuff say anything to get a few more bucks. Sometimes it is because they bought it from someone who stretched the truth a bit and it continues. So you get a piece of Alaskan Jade that was listed as Polar Jade. Nothing you can do. If you did not mine it you can only go by what you are told. Then you also have to hope it is really jade and not an imitation. Yep, I have a hundred dollar piece of something I bought years ago that was suppose to be jade.
     I will be posting some pictures soon of some slabs and finished cabs. Just finished 5 pieces that took a glass like polish with very little work.
Neal

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finegemdesigns

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Re: Jade, identifying name and valuation, web sites ???
« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2016, 02:09:39 PM »

Hummm, good question Neal, I have not seen a guide for nephrite in the same way diamond or ruby have one, will be interested to see what everyone comes up with. The only jade guides seem to focus on levels of treatment of jadeite.

Any idea which mine these slabs come from?

I also have dead ringers to these. Cassiar Mountain. I consider this A Grade.
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southerly

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Re: Jade, identifying name and valuation, web sites ???
« Reply #5 on: October 05, 2016, 03:29:25 AM »

Thanks for the ID all.

David
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lithicbeads

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Re: Jade, identifying name and valuation, web sites ???
« Reply #6 on: October 05, 2016, 05:38:04 AM »

To muddle the picture I saw very similar slabs recently from the lower BC mainland(
fraser river).
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tetonartgallery

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Re: Jade, identifying name and valuation, web sites ???
« Reply #7 on: October 05, 2016, 10:05:23 AM »

In 1975 Madson wrote a good book on wyoming nephrite - the publication is rare, but contains some great info. 
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55fossil

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Re: Jade, identifying name and valuation, web sites ???
« Reply #8 on: October 05, 2016, 07:22:17 PM »

    While I appreciate the post on Wyoming Jade I have to point out what seem to be opinions of the author and out standard Jade grading. Grade A means the Jade is natural and untreated and not appearance, saturation or translucence. You can google the rest of Jade grading from what is considered standard in the market place. This may have been a Wyoming grading system. As far as inclusion free jade and evenly colored? Well, if you state that at a certain distance in transmitted light that may be possible. Other than Imperial Jade ($100,000 a carat and up), almost all jade has some level of inclusions and when backlit will show differences in translucence from dark and light areas within the stone.
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Grinder69

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Re: Jade, identifying name and valuation, web sites ???
« Reply #9 on: November 17, 2016, 06:51:56 AM »

This topic is most interesting.  The producers of the various jade mines attempt to establish a brand (e.g. Polar Jade).  This enables them to attract customers interested in quality.  There is no doubt that top end Polar jade is nearly as good as the Emerald Green Wyoming jade.  However, like rocks from any deposit the rocks from the Polar mine vary in quality greatly.  The struggle I have with this topic is not whether jade should be graded in a precious stone type system where the color hue/saturation, even color, translucency and ability to take a polish are the most important. For reasons below I (this is my system) substitute pattern for the even color.  I have a couple of  seaweed/mossy pieces of jade I picked up along the way that I really like.  I am not so wild about the green dot (chromite?) types although if they are sprinkled evenly I might pick up a slab/chunk.  Since I can't really afford the "precious" jade types I try and use my agate grading system.   The ability to take a polish is very important with jade and like my moss agates, mossy jade is not particularly easy to polish so I try to be careful and ask before buying.  I have a good good size piece of jade with some highly translucent area's unfortunately the color is dingy olive.  I am not aware of any established documented system for grading jade.   The Chinese may have one. They are certainly the largest consumer of jade in the world so it stands to reason they would have one.
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55fossil

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Re: Jade, identifying name and valuation, web sites ???
« Reply #10 on: November 17, 2016, 07:05:35 AM »

    Yep, there is a highly established grading system. Then there are all the other home cooked grading systems. The reason an established grading system is required is for the protection of the consumer, like us. Sellers like Michael have an established good name and trust within the community. Then there are others with a sweet story that convince customers what they have to sell is the best.
    The Jade grading system is very simple and is about being natural, dyed or such. Color, translucency and hue are used to determine value after the grading system. There is no grading as such for moss or chromite. The seller and purchaser determine how much these change the value of the stone. There is not a guide that says X amount of moss lowers the value by a determined amount. These are judgment calls but there is a color guide that shows how to judge hue and saturation. Transparency / translucency are huge but I have never seen any written grading system. When you cut a slab 1/8 inch thick it will be more translucent than a 1/4 inch slab of similar material. This does not change the value of the rough.
   In your opinion Wyoming green is better than Polar Jade. Maybe you have not seen the best Polar Jade? But it is opinions that we each have and use to determine the value we are willing to pay for a piece of rock. Grading systems are fine for expensive rock. Honesty is what I really like and a good picture or two. thanks,  Neal
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