June 29, 2011
It Can Be Tough
Although diamonds are the hardest known substance, they aren’t the toughest. Jade is tougher!! There’s jadeite and there’s nephrite – two different minerals that are sometimes collectively referred to as jade. Of the two, nephrite is tougher. In fact, nephrite is known as the toughest natural mineral on earth.
There are various colors of both nephrite and jadeite. You might be most familiar with green; however, each is a distinctive “shade” of green. Also, jadeite is rarer than nephrite and therefore, more expensive in higher qualities.
Today, you should be aware of the limitations on jadeite from Burma. It is illegal to import any jadeite from Burma into the US. Estate or vintage pieces can be exempt. Consult your gemologist/jeweler to explain the differences in jadeite and nephrite. And, if purchasing jadeite, obtain the proper documentation. It’s not too tough… Dii
