Jadeite Jade From The Mayas To China

From Mayas to China

Jadeite jade is an ornamental stone from the silicates family and the pyroxene group.
It should not be confused with nephrite jade, an amphibole.
The most common color is green, but you can also find white, blue, red, orange or pink jade. But did you know that purple jade exists and that it's called lavender jade ?

The most sought after and most expensive color is the so-called imperial green, caused by the presence of chromium.
Even if jade is not transparent, its purity is still assessed. Translucent jades without inclusions are the most expensive.

Historic jadeite deposits were found in Latin America. In museums, we can observe Olmec, Aztec or Mayan masks made of jadeite jade.
At the time, the stone was renowned for treating infections and kidney pain.

Jade is a sacred stone in Asia. Its deposits are in Burma but are held by Chinese people who are the most important buyers. Stones are extracted, cut and sold on site.
Jadeite is a hard stone, so they don't cut it like diamonds or sapphires. Cabochon and rounded cuts are preferred. In Asia, jadeite bangles are very popular and can be sold for very large sums.

This jade necklace with a platinum clasp set with rubies that belonged to Barbara Hutton was sold to the Cartier Collection in 2014 for $27.4 millions.

If you are interested in jadeite jade, don’t hesitate to discover what les Pierres de Julie have to offer in the store…

We are also available for any free expertise of your jadeite jade jewelry, for that you can send an email with your photos to contact@lespierresdejulie.com.

Welcome to our store in the Swiss village of the 15th arrondissement of Paris!