Jade

The definition "jade" is used to define two minerals of similar appearance but different chemical composition: nephrite, a calcium- magnesium silicate, and jadeite, a silicate of sodium and aluminum.

Both minerals are found in a wide range of shades of green, brown, yellow, grey and pink and may be either translucent or opaque. They may be milky or cloudy in appearance and sometimes speckled with tiny black spots.

The most prized of the jades, the so-called "Chinese jade" (jadeite) is emerald green and so beautiful and rare that it has become exorbitantly expensive. In fact, jade is a good investment only if purchased at a reasonable price. A sound policy is never pay more for Chinese jade than you would for an emerald.

Techinical Specification

Name	Moh's	Specific Gravity	Structure	Cleavage	Refractive Index	Double	Disp.	Pleochro	Fluorescence
Chlorome lanite Jade	6.5+	3.30-3.36	Monoclinic	Imperfect	1.654-1.667	0.013 to None	None	None	v Weak
Jadeite Jade	6.5+	3.35	Monoclinic	Imperfect	1.654-1.667	0.013 to None	None	None	v Weak
Nephrite Jade	6+	2.90-3.02	Monoclinic	Lengthwise: perfect	1.600-1.627	-0.027 to none	None	Weak	None