The Two Types of Jade – Nephrite and Jadeite
Jade comes in many different colors, shapes and sizes. One of the most interesting things about jade is that in the 1900′s a discovery was made that determined there are actually two different stones which are classified as jade. These are jadeite and nephrite.
These types of jade are both similar in look. Here are the main differences in the two stones:
Nephrite is the stone that has been revered by the Chinese for thousands of years. This stone is much more common than its counterpart and is found all over the world including China, California, Alaska, British Columbia, Wyoming and many other places globally.
Nephrite is the softer of the two stones and measures a 6-6.5 on the MOCHS scale of hardness (this is comparable to a 10 which is diamond). Nephrite jade, though not quite as hard as jadeite, is much more solid and tough. This is due to its interlocking structure of tiny crystals which hold the stone together. Nephrite is actually the hardest substance to break found anywhere in the world.
Jadeite is the harder and rarer of the two jades. For this reason it is also much more expensive. Jadeite is found all over the world but comes in commercial amounts from Burma (Myanmar) and Guatemala. Guatemalan jadeite is actually one of the most recent discoveries which is exciting both archaeologists and geologists alike. It has been discovered that this jadeite was what many of the Mesoamerican cultures used for thousands of years and hints at an extensive prehistoric trade route around central and south America.
Jadeite measures a 6.5-7 on the MOCHS scale. Burmese jadeite is among one of the most expensive gems in the world and some auctions for jade jewelry have sold for many millions of dollars for perfect quality jade beads, ranking the third highest selling jewelry in Hong Kong next to pink diamonds and rubies.
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