JADEITE (JADE)

HISTORY, NAME, LOCALITIES: Jadeite, pronounced JAY-dite, has been known since antiquity.  Its name, assigned in 1863, derives from the word “jade,” which stems from the Spanish piedra de la ijada, literally “stone of the loins,” alluding to its purported ability to alleviate kidney ailments.  Jadeite occurs in Myanmar, Guatemala, Mexico, China, Japan, and the United States (California, Alaska).

MINERALOGY, PROPERTIES, OCCURRENCE: Jadeite [sodium aluminum iron silicate, Na(Al,Fe)Si2O6] crystallizes in the monoclinic system as tough, compacted masses of tiny, interlocked, bladed crystals.  It has a hardness of Mohs 6.5-7.0, an uneven fracture, a waxy luster, and a specific gravity of 3.3-3.5.  Jadeite is opaque to semitransparent, with colors ranging from apple-green and emerald-green to white.  It is a pyroxene mineral that occurs primarily in metamorphic schists.

METAPHYSICAL PROPERTIES, LORE, USES: Because of its great toughness and durability, ancient stoneworkers fashioned jadeite into ax heads, knives and spear points.  And with its ability to be worked extensively without fracturing, Chinese carvers have used jadeite to create intricate, complex objects of exquisite beauty.  Green, translucent jadeite is a valuable gemstone that is fashioned into cabochons and small, decorative objects.  The nephrite variety of tremolite [basic calcium magnesium silicate, Ca2Mg5Si8O22(OH)2] is also a form of jade.  According to metaphysical beliefs, jadeite is a dream stone that helps recall dreams and past life issues, harmonizes relationships, instills a sense of peace and tranquility, and promotes confidence and self-reliance.

COLLECTORS’ INFORMATION:  With its delicate translucency and range of pleasing green colors, jadeite, especially waterworn pieces collected from beach deposits, is widely sought by collectors.