TALKING ABOUT JEWELRY
By Helen Beckerhoff
JADE
Jade is a general term that properly includes two distinct minerals - nephrite and jadeite, that - unfortunately for you the consumer - can be very similar in appearance. Both are compact, tough materials and both may be more or less greenish in color. As you will continue to discover, if you haven’t already, it isn’t always easy to tell the difference between gem materials of the same color, or, for that matter, between real, fake and various combinations of both.
The name comes from the Spanish name for the substance, ‘piedra de hijada’ (colic stone) because it was supposed to be curative for urinary disorders. Don’t ask me why, but I’m guessing that a connection was made between the color of jade and gall stones; also that applying a cool stone to the abdominal area brought comfort. In French it was originally ‘l’ejade’ - a feminine noun that, somehow, became ‘le jade’, a masculine one (no comment ladies). Voltaire suffered from ‘ the stone’ and was given a bracelet of jade. His thank-you to the giver was; "If the stones you have given me do not break mine, they will at least make me bear my sufferings patiently; and it seems to me that I ought not to complain of my colic, since it has procured me this happiness." A gracious response from a sceptic to a generous lady.
No one is quite sure who first brought the jade to Europe. Specimens were brought by the Spanish who conquered the Aztec empire early in the 16th century and who realized that jade was highly regarded by the Indians. Portugese sailors, from their colony of Macao and its connections to China, might have shown up with it even earlier.
Jade was highly regarded, thousands of years before that, as a material tough enough to be used for tools. Please realize that hardness and toughness are two different things: the first relates to how well a gemstone resists abrasion (how easily it can be scratched by another, harder substance); the second to how well it resists chipping or shattering if given a blow. Jade is soft compared to some gemstones, but it is incredibly tough. It can be reduced to very thin sections without fear of breaking. This is an attribute that the Chinese appreciated when they were carving it.
In primitive societies, jade was appreciated only for its toughness. It could not be chipped into tool shapes, but had to be laboriously shaped by abrasion (with wet sand and a wooden rubbing tool) or rubbing against sandstone-like rocks. It took forever, but they had plenty of time, goodness only knows. The results were worth it because, when a great deal of force was needed, jade cutting or chopping tools were invaluable.
There are nephrite jade sites in the U.S., especially Wyoming. This material is dark green and often called spinach jade.
Jadeite can be bluish-gray in color, as well as greenish-gray, bluish-green, an almost black green, lavender, red, a very desirable apple green and the incredible ‘Imperial’ jade that is very rare, very expensive, and looks like emerald.
Until recently, jadeite was found in only two places in the world - Burma and Guatemala. What is so exciting is that this very same material has recently been discovered here in Vermont! The Gemological Institute of America certified its identity and Stowe Gems has been cutting, polishing and setting it in gold and silver. Too bad it wasn’t found before garnet was declared the official state gemstone of Vermont.
Like almost all gem material, many useful properties are attributed to it. It is supposed to prolong life, help in childbirth, protect you from accidents and be a lucky stone when you are gambling. Just don’t blame me when you lose. It is a stone for Venus and the Moon and belongs to the Fifth House of the horoscope.
