Chrysophrase

[leggs]

Would it reasonable to say that Chrysophrase is very similar to Jade.
I have no idea what a real Jade looks like or probably will ever see one but I like the look of this stone.I was told by a Chinese jeweler that it is also harder than Jade. Opinions please always nice to learn about new stones and just for fun I will paste a picture.

 

[Richard M.]

Date: 4/27/2006 10:41:28 PM
Author:leggs
Would it reasonable to say that Chrysophrase is very similar to Jade.
I have no idea what a real Jade looks like or probably will ever see one but I like the look of this stone. I was told by a Chinese jeweler that it is also harder than Jade. Opinions please always nice to learn about new stones and just for fun I will paste a picture.

Hi,

It''s reasonable to say its appearance is very similar to some kinds of jadeite but that''s where it ends. Chrysoprase (modern spelling, no "h") is a fairly rare form of chalcedony, a quartz mineral. Jadeite is an entirely different mineral, and nephrite, the ''other'' jade, is different from both.

While this is a little confusing in terms of Western classification, the Chinese make it simple. To them "Yu," which Westerners translate as "jade," means any stone worth carving. I know many Chinese who proudly wear chrysoprase and make no distinction with jade.

I say chrysoprase is "fairly" rare because it has been very scarce historically. California once produced a great deal of beautiful green material but once it was mined out it disappeared from the market. It was virtually unavailable until the 1960s when Australia became a producing locality. That material also was quickly mined out and there was again a shortage until new Australian finds were made.

Chrysoprase is one of my very favorite stones and I''ve cut a lot of it. Your Chinese jeweler told you wrong. Jadeite is slightly harder than chrysoprase and much tougher and breakage-resistant. It has a unique fibrous structure that made it the ideal "axe stone" for early societies as well as a great carving medium.

Richard M.

 

[DiamondExpert]

The two are similar in that they are both formed of minute fibrous microcrystals, and are about the same hardness (ability to be scratched) at ~6.5 Mohs.

However, chrysophrase is a form of chalcedony (quartz form), but jade is a different mineral. Also, jade is extremely tough (ability to be broken), in fact the toughest gem, but quite soft and relatively easily carved.

There are lots of jade "types", and it takes a VERY experienced eye to properly judge quality (a lot of staining going on to fool you).

Richard Hughes, who pops up here now and then, had an article in GIA''s Gems & Gemology journal a while back, but I don''t have the ref. at hand.

 

[DiamondExpert]

Oooops! Slow mo again