Jade Stone

Meaning

Jade is an ornamental stone used to define two different minerals having similar appearance but different chemical composition. The two minerals that the word incorporates are jadeite (silicate of aluminum and sodium) and nephrite (silicate of calcium and magnesium). The most purest form of jade that is the most adorable is Chinese Jade which is also known as Jadeite. Deposits of Jade is mainly found in the regions of United States, Canada, Australia and Taiwan.

Jade Stone History

Jade is an ancient semi precious stone and dated about 9,000 years back during Chinese empire. Since the Neolithic period till date the Chinese have been using the jade stone. Although it is also found in Burma, Brazil, Central America, India and Canada but there is no comparison with the one from China. The jade stone rings, beads and pendants are very graceful and rich.

Also during the Shang Dynasty (1600 B.C. to 1050 B.C), the jade stone was used by the kings to adorn themselves and also in different ceremonial objects. Even the jade stone has been defined in 200 A.D. Chinese dictionary as the fairest of stones.

In the Han dynasty Jade stone was also made part of gowns of burying the emperors and jade cicadas were kept on the tongue of the emperor to forbid the decomposition and also to protect the chi energy.

Occurrence and Structure

Jade stone is mainly found in China but it is also available in Burma, Brazil, Central America, India and Canada.

Appearance of Jade Stones

Mainly, jadeites are of bright green color beads. These rarely found jade beads are extremely beautiful. In jadeite beads, the degree of translucency is higher than the average translucency of entire jade stone beads family. Jade beads are available in a wide range of colors and color combinations. These color shades include green, gray, pink, yellow and brown. Sometimes, these beads displays cloudy and milky appearance with very small black spots. Jade beads can either be opaque or translucent depending upon the chemical composition of the minerals from which these have been derived.

Types of Jade Stone

Jade stone is considered as an important stone that has talisman. It guards the spirits and bodies of both dead as well as living beings. Jade basically has two varieties and these are:

• Jadeite
• Nephrite

Jadeite
Jadeite is green, yellow, purple and white in color. Jadeite has uneven distribution on color across the stone thus has different texture. Pure Jadeite comes from Burma. Because Jadeite comes in different colors so it is used in jewelry more than nephrite and so more expensive.

Nephrite
Nephrite is of black, green, yellow and white color. Nephrite has even distribution of color across the stone. The highest quality of nephrite is found in China and also known as "mutton fat" because of its cream color.

Then depending upon the quality there are four types of Jade stone.

Type A - Natural jade or True Jade because it has natural colors. Emerald green and Imperial Jade come in this type.
Type B - Translucency of the color is improved by the process of chemical bleaching. It also remove the impurities.
Type C - Types C Jade is dyed for color improvement. The color fades with time.
Type B+C - Although this type of Jade is also dyed but the color does not fade as it is treated with polymer.
Type D - It is actually the jade stone having jade top with plastic backing.

Comparison between Jadeite and Nephrite

Nephrite beads, in comparison to the Jadeite beads, are less expensive and possess a long range of colors. Both types of jade beads are tough and strong. Nephrite beads are more stable than the jadeite beads. Jadeite is almost never found in individual crystals and is composed of microscopic interlocking crystals that can create a very tough material. Nephrite is actually not a mineral, but a variety of the mineral actinolite. The nephrite variety is composed of fibrous crystals inter-twinned in a tough compact mass. Nephrite is usually only green and creamy white, while jadeite can have the full range of jade's colors.

Popularity of Jade Stones

Jade has resistance to breakage and chipping and due to its toughness it was made a superior weapon and tool for early man. It has popularly become a symbolic stone used in ornaments and religious artifacts. Valued for its beauty, Jade is highly sought after by artwork collectors. Jade has a warm, approachable and desirable appearance, admirable for both its simplicities and complexities. The Chinese consumed powdered jade as a medical remedy for just about every ailment known. It was also consumed by the dying, as a powerful embalming solution. Jade is mined in the regions of Canada, Australia, United States and Taiwan.

Jade Stone Healing Properties and Mystical Powers

Jade stone is supposed to make the link between earth and heaven and supposed to carry the mystical properties. According to Taoist alchemist jade is the stone of philosophers.

• It guards the against evils spirits and illness.
• Jade stone brings the spiritual awareness and with this the wearer gets to know himself or herself in a better way.
• It is believed that jade stone has the life-extending powers and it is also worshiped for this.
• Jade stone brings good luck and charm.
• Jade stone helps you to attain the calmness through detachments.
• You can actually recall the dreams by keeping the jade stone under your pillow while sleeping.
• Jade stone assures self confidence and boost self sufficiency and self reliance.

Jade Stone Jewelry

Jade Ring

Jade Bracelets