Mason Kay Jade Bangle—worth the price?

[Burmesedaze]

So @Burmesedaze: raising and waving my hands over here in the states! if you ever want to unload your 53 mm or 52 mm bangles, please have mercy and think of me.I am your gal. I will gladly take it off of your hands. I only need one for now. Hahaha. (Please dont be mad at my shamelessness. I am serious)

I don’t have soft bones like @icy_jade which is incredible and I am very envious of. My wrist circumference is 50 mm which I measure off of one of my bracelets recently. It will hurt but the pain will be worth it.

This is the latest I got for my jeweller at 980 rmb + 5%! Waited months for a decent one to pounce on!

 

[Burmesedaze]

This is her wearing the other 53 from months back. It's 400 rmb + 5%. Has a crack/ stone formation line inside which you can only see if you shine a strong light through. She doesn't mind.

 

[Burmesedaze]

Oh! I actually like the Olmec blue ones. Almost bought one a few years ago



Ikr. The small ones are always such great deals. 58 is usually pricier. At least multiple times the price. More pricey than the 56. Sigh

Hmm... maybe it's a retailer thing. My jewellers sell based on 卖相. Not size, if it's in the 50s. Watching the various sources that seems to be so too. Individual bangle's 卖相 unless beeg size like mine. Unless in a lot then they all go for a fixed price (watch the YouTube Mandalay jade market vids by the Chinese buyers who get them off the Myanmar traders). Fairly standard practice. But I don't buy from retail so dunno how they price them.

 

[Maddiewin]

This is the latest I got for my jeweller at 980 rmb + 5%! Waited months for a decent one to pounce on!

Beautiful @Burmedaze!!!! I will wait patiently over here in the states then. There is no way I will be able to buy or bargain like you. Kowtow x 100 like in the movies

 

[Maddiewin]

Beautiful @Burmedaze!!!! I will wait patiently over here in the states then. There is no way I will be able to buy or bargain like you. Kowtow x 100 like in the movies

I meant @Burmesedaze. Sorry I can’t spell after eating pho.

 

[Maddiewin]

This is her wearing the other 53 from months back. It's 400 rmb + 5%. Has a crack/ stone formation line inside which you can only see if you shine a strong light through. She doesn't mind.

For that price I would be more than happy to buy and wear it too. When would I shine a flashlight on it? Prolly never except when I am bored. I am having bangle envy and soft bone envy. I have never worn a bangle that close to the wrist before. My mom keep saying I have to wear the bangle that close for it to look pretty. I might die trying to squeeze into a 51. I am thinking I can do a 52 or 53. I keep visualizing my mom nodding her head and saying “you can do it, what’s a little pain”

 

[MMtwo]

Ok I just took some pics using one of my smaller bangles...

I feel like some of my hand pics look like pig trotters but ah well... so long it’s helpful.

You see how tight this one is? I think I maybe can go 0.5mm smaller but this is nearly my limit size wise. I can’t even squish 4 fingers in straight/parallel to each other...



When I first started I wouldn’t have thought I can wear this size... you see how my knuckle cannot even go through when it’s dry? I mean, it literally hurts if I try...


Another angle to show how my thumb joint can’t go through


But put a bit of hand soap (I use the foamy type but any hand soap is fine)


Relax your hand/fingers (if tense then it can’t go in, still happens to me sometimes when I’m trying bangles in stores then I have to consciously relax etc) and the bangle magically slides down



See, everything fits... just about my limit as mentioned earlier


It just fits just around my wrist. Which is how bangles should be worn according to many vendors I’ve spoken to... not too loose that it slides up the arm.

My usual bangle is the white hetian which is much looser as you can see from this pic. I think the hetian is 60/61mm (my biggest bangle and I won’t go bigger as it doesn’t look so nice imo) and the green nephrite is 57.5mm or something like that.



My hand actually isn’t bruised by the whole experience, so probably I can go a little smaller. Apparently it’s normal to go so small that bruising occurs (again according to vendors) but I’m not really keen to do that.

I have also been told that I have ‘soft bones’ as I can go quite small considering my (man) hands. I am hypermobile as my thumb can touch my wrist so I think that helps me in wearing bangles.

HTH!

Hi Icy_jade,
Thank you so much for this post and showing how you fit a smaller bracelet. I can wear a 60 and have to use water, I am going to order an inexpensive 58 and see if I can do it. You gave me courage! If I don't make it, there is always Loupe Troop. A 58 would give me so many more jade options. Thanks again!

 

[yssie]

I've learnt so much from this thread today

Thank you for sharing your expertise @icy_jade - and everyone else here!!

 

[icy_jade]

@moneymeister @yssie

most welcome. Glad you found it helpful. Let us know if it works for you ok?

The first time you try you may want to do over a carpet or bed. Something soft in case you accidentally drop the bangle.

 

[Snowdrop13]

This is gorgeous, from JasmineJadeite on FB

 

[CMVillanuevaJr]

Hi all,

Trying to decide which Mason Kay bangle to buy. I like all three colors even though they look quite different from each other, although being a newbie to jade would love to hear from others if the price seems reasonable and if this is a reputable retailer (they state they sell only untreated A jade).

First is $1370:


This one is $2190:


This one is $3150:

I love number 2!

 

[diamondyes]

Ok I just took some pics using one of my smaller bangles...

I feel like some of my hand pics look like pig trotters but ah well... so long it’s helpful.

You see how tight this one is? I think I maybe can go 0.5mm smaller but this is nearly my limit size wise. I can’t even squish 4 fingers in straight/parallel to each other...



When I first started I wouldn’t have thought I can wear this size... you see how my knuckle cannot even go through when it’s dry? I mean, it literally hurts if I try...


Another angle to show how my thumb joint can’t go through


But put a bit of hand soap (I use the foamy type but any hand soap is fine)


Relax your hand/fingers (if tense then it can’t go in, still happens to me sometimes when I’m trying bangles in stores then I have to consciously relax etc) and the bangle magically slides down



See, everything fits... just about my limit as mentioned earlier


It just fits just around my wrist. Which is how bangles should be worn according to many vendors I’ve spoken to... not too loose that it slides up the arm.

My usual bangle is the white hetian which is much looser as you can see from this pic. I think the hetian is 60/61mm (my biggest bangle and I won’t go bigger as it doesn’t look so nice imo) and the green nephrite is 57.5mm or something like that.



My hand actually isn’t bruised by the whole experience, so probably I can go a little smaller. Apparently it’s normal to go so small that bruising occurs (again according to vendors) but I’m not really keen to do that.

I have also been told that I have ‘soft bones’ as I can go quite small considering my (man) hands. I am hypermobile as my thumb can touch my wrist so I think that helps me in wearing bangles.

HTH!

Ooooh this is so very helpful! Thank you!

 

[Obscura]

@icy_jade May I ask, is it the "water"/translucency that directly causes the glow, or is there something else that influences glow in jade? Thank you in advance!!!

 

[icy_jade]

@icy_jade May I ask, is it the "water"/translucency that directly causes the glow, or is there something else that influences glow in jade? Thank you in advance!!!

I think it’s not just translucency as I’ve seen very icy or glass jade that do not have that glowy effect. But the opaque ones definitely will not glow so translucency does play a part. Essentially good water doesn’t mean that it will always have that glowy optical effect, but if the water is not good, then there is no chance that it will be glowy. Have read before that it depends on how the jadeite crystalline structured is packed as well as the inclusions and how they affect the refraction/reflection of light. Material also needs to have a certain depth or thickness from what I’ve seen. But am not an expert so I could be wrong. I remember reading from Chinese sites so if you really want to know, then maybe read from Chinese articles about 莹光 or 起莹

 

[Obscura]

Thanks for replying! Will definitely be reading up. Until I saw these posts I had no idea jade could glow.

 

[icy_jade]

Thanks for replying! Will definitely be reading up. Until I saw these posts I had no idea jade could glow.

It’s not “glow” in the true sense of the word, as the effect requires a decently strong lighting source but definitely worth checking out as such jadeite look so nice under the lights, and even in sunlight.

 

[Obscura]

It may not be true glow, but it is mesmerizing none the less! And we have plenty of strong sunlight in Arizona, lol.