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Jade Jewelry
can be found in
emperor's tombs from thousands of years ago. Because of its smooth even
texture, jade has long
been a preferred material
for carving, and also used for making beautiful jade jewelry with gold
and other precious metals. The most common shape is the flat
donut-shaped disc called a pi, which is commonly worn as a necklace.
The Emerald Buddha, the
sacred image that is enshrined at Wat Phra Kaeo in Bangkok, Thailand, is
actually beautiful green jadeite. Jadeite jade comes in lavender, pink,
yellow, and white.
While jadeite is mined
today primarily in Myanmar, small quantities can be found in Guatemala.
Jade is mined in Canada, Australia, the United States, and Taiwan.
Jade is most often sold
by the piece rather than per carat.
Although the overall
color is the most important value factor, attention is also paid to
translucency, texture, and also to pattern. Certain patterns, including
moss in snow, are highly valued.
Both jadeite and
nephrite are very durable and tough, although jadeite is slightly harder
than nephrite due to its microcrystalline structure. |