Jadeite

Jadeite is the 'King of Jade,' with the finest quality coming from Myanmar. Known for its rich and varied colors, imperial green is the most prized. Quality is evaluated by texture, transparency, color, and craftsmanship.

Mohs Hardness

6.5-7.0

Origin

Myanmar (primary), Guatemala, Japan

Market Price Range

Glass-type imperial green: $140K-$14M+; Ice-type: $1.4K-$140K; Glutinous-type: $140-$7K

Detailed Description

Jadeite is classified by transparency and texture into glass-type, ice-type, glutinous-type, and bean-type. By color, it includes imperial green, yang green, apple green, floating flowers, lavender, red jadeite, and yellow jadeite. Although jadeite only entered the Chinese market on a large scale during the Qing Dynasty, it quickly became the most popular jade variety. Empress Dowager Cixi's love for jadeite elevated it to the pinnacle of jade culture.

Identification Methods

Observe 'cuixing': natural jadeite shows glittering grain under light

Listen: natural A-grade jadeite produces a clear ring; B/C-grade sounds dull

UV fluorescence: B-grade jadeite fluoresces under UV light

Weight: jadeite has high density (3.33g/cm³), feels heavy in hand

Check certificate: authentic jadeite should have certification from accredited labs

Market Information

The jadeite market shows clear polarization. High-end jadeite (glass-type, ice-type imperial green) prices continue to climb with record auction results. Mid-to-low-end markets face intense competition with stable pricing. Live-streaming e-commerce has brought new growth but also increased information asymmetry.