the work is phenomenal...i thought jade was harder than agate to carve? and both just being tough to carve, period. what tools do you use?
Naturally, both are not the easiest stones. :) But while the nephrite is more durable of the two (despite being rated 6-6.5 vs 7 for agate) and easier for my hands to form as it does not have the tendency to crack at every turn when getting a bit hot. Also, my burs seem to have a much easier time with both, Nephrite as well as Jadeite, than agate.
I use cheap Chinese made plated burs, and every time I do any agate, I go through a lot of them every session. Small details would/are killing burs like early morning mosquitoes. And small details are even more hassle with the added problem of taking a lot longer to sand out.
I find nephrite as easy to work with as much softer material like serpentine or .............