The precious gem known as the “stone of heaven” has been treasured by the Asian culture for thousands of years for its rich heritage. The trade name for the finest quality semitransparent jadeite with its even, and vivid color is called Imperial Jade. The modern gemologists use the word “Jade” which includes Jadeite & Nephrite. The gems are soft enough to carve, but tough enough to withstand a carvers constant pounding of his hammer on the gem. Jadeite is commercially available, but top-quality is rare. Jadeite also comes in an array of colors: lavender, red, orange, yellow, brown, white, black & gray. Green is the most valuable and most expensive, it can have a price tag of over $3 million dollars per carat.
In China & Europe, during the Stone Age, workers shaped Jadeite into weapons, tools, ornaments & ritual objects. The carvings are believed to invoke the powers of heaven, earth, and mystic forces of life & death. The ancient relationship between this gemstone and humanity persists today among native societies in New Zealand & parts of North America. In China it became an artistic tradition that has prospered for more than 3,000 years.
The Chinese culture associate jade with clarity of mind and purity of spirit. Some of the ancient symbolic motifs still used in modern carvings are: the bat for happiness, butterfly for long life, dragon for power, prosperity & goodness, peach for immortality and the Bi, the flat circular disk with a hole in the center which is for heaven. In China there is a tradition that a girl's parents give her a Jadeite bangle to wish her a good and prosperous life, it is something the girl does not take off. She will wear it into adulthood.
The Jade gemstone has never been a powerful or important stone for our culture in the United States, but I have seen some amazing carved pieces here. Designers today are creating modern looks that are stylish with a chic contemporary feel. Below you will find several pieces that are my favorites of the Jade we we have to offer.
Carved Jadeite Earrings
Jade "Spirituality of Vitality" Pendant
