The Clueless Jade Collector (MM's Jade thread)

[MMtwo]

My 3rd jadeite bangle arrived. This in a quiet opaque green grey and tan. It was well under 100 usd. Came with certificates verifying type A non-treated. From Mays Australia. Passed the scratch test, very cold and chimes. No stone lines that I could find. Pleasantly surprised.

 

[stracci2000]

My 3rd jadeite bangle arrived. This in a quiet opaque green grey and tan. It was well under 100. Came with certificates verifying type A non-treated. From Mays Australia. Passed the scratch test, very cold and chimes. No stone lines that I could find. Pleasantly surprised.

Beautiful!
I like all of your bangles! There are so many varieties of jade, it is hard to decide.
How was the color in real life compared to the vendor photos?

 

[MMtwo]

 

[MMtwo]

Beautiful!
I like all of your bangles! There are so many varieties of jade, it is hard to decide.
How was the color in real life compared to the vendor photos?

Thank you @stracci2000. I think Mays color was spot on. The owner also reached out to introduce himself after the purchase by email, which was very kind given the small purchase.
I would love to eventually get an icy bangle, but I am afraid I won't ever be able to afford one.

 

[Burmesedaze]

As I started this thread partly as a caution, I want to share my first "jade" purchases. I am not sure what they are, but I know what they aren't. The deep green actually has a lovely chime. I do not see any bubbles, but it feels like glass or leaded crystal.

Deep green glass-like bangle SG 2.53
Mottled green stone bangle SG 2.62
Light green bangle SG 2.65

Wasted money.

Cost of lessons,

Don't mind me debunking the chime myth. Whether it chimes crystal clear and high pitched or more sonorous , that's really used to gauge whether the jadeite is newer or older mine jadeite. It actually has nothing to do with age but the formation. I know the Chinese term but it's difficult to translate and put it in the right frame for understanding. Older mine ones will keep better. But doesn't mean that bangles claimed as old mine are really that. Confuse much

 

[MMtwo]

Don't mind me debunking the chime myth. Whether it chimes crystal clear and high pitched or more sonorous, that's really used to gauge whether the jadeite is newer or older mine jadeite. It actually has nothing to do with age but the formation. I know the Chinese term but it's difficult to translate and put it in the right frame for understanding. Older mine ones will keep better. But doesn't mean that bangles claimed as old mine are really that. Confuse much

The more you share, the more we know. Thank you. Heh, I have learned so much on the internet. Now I am wondering how much I will need to ultimately unlearn . Plus...just added "sonorous" to the vocabulary today.

 

[Bron357]

My 3rd jadeite bangle arrived. This in a quiet opaque green grey and tan. It was well under 100 usd. Came with certificates verifying type A non-treated. From Mays Australia. Passed the scratch test, very cold and chimes. No stone lines that I could find. Pleasantly surprised.

It’s really lovely. I’m in Australia, maybe I should look at Mays!
but I’ll tell you, the more I try and learn, the more confusing it becomes. Trying to quantify quality against price is a complete mystery! I doubt if I’ll ever learn the skills necessary, I think you need to handle and study in person hundreds and hundreds of pieces to learn the intricacies of jade.
I think I’ll just stick to very modest outlays and buying items that I like the look of.
I think I can avoid buying grade C now and possibly the “look a likes” (there always the option to return) but the difference between A and B jade without the expense of a reputable lab report seems impossible to grasp.

 

[prs]

One thing I've learned for sure is the trade here in the USA knows exactly the difference between A and B jade. You will find that auction houses and even eBay sellers will have a zillion bangles priced around $300-$500. Then, from time to time, they will have what seem to be identical bangles priced at $4,000 and up. The difference being the $4,000+ bangles have GIA certs! Given that it costs around $120 to get a GIA cert for a bangle it's a no brainer for all concerned to get a cert. The fact they haven't tells you all you need to know. Some sellers have certs from Asian labs that are untraceable and don't contain a word of English. Again if they could get a GIA cert for around $120; why haven't they?

I agree it's possible to find a grade A piece for sale from a private seller who doesn't know what they have, but I suspect the odds are pretty low. I guess my point is that if you just buy what you like, priced accordinly, and with no expectation you are going to hit the jackpot, then everything is fine. In fact the treated stuff is so good the only people who will ever know you are not wearing grade A are GIA, Mason-Kay, @ChaiK and @Burmesedaze.

 

[Burmesedaze]

One thing I've learned for sure is the trade here in the USA knows exactly the difference between A and B jade. You will find that auction houses and even eBay sellers will have a zillion bangles priced around $300-$500. Then, from time to time, they will have what seem to be identical bangles priced at $4,000 and up. The difference being the $4,000+ bangles have GIA certs! Given that it costs around $120 to get a GIA cert for a bangle it's a no brainer for all concerned to get a cert. The fact they haven't tells you all you need to know. Some sellers have certs from Asian labs that are untraceable and don't contain a word of English. Again if they could get a GIA cert for around $120; why haven't they?

I agree it's possible to find a grade A piece for sale from a private seller who doesn't know what they have, but I suspect the odds are pretty low. I guess my point is that if you just buy what you like, priced accordinly, and with no expectation you are going to hit the jackpot, then everything is fine. In fact the treated stuff is so good the only people who will ever know you are not wearing grade A are GIA, Mason-Kay, @ChaiK and @Burmesedaze.

Lol I wish I could be a personal jadeite shopper. It'd be so much fun and us$4000 can buy plenty decent A jadeite. Even utility jade is mostly A jade and can be $10/ bangle.

Stick to A jadeite. My granny had loads of B and C and trust me, nothing is worth passing down and the majority have chips, cracks or have just plain broken into parts. I only wish she were still around for me to buy good stuff for her.

 

[Bron357]

Well said.
Im trying to buy B grade jade for $200 or less.
That I think is a fair price for something I like the colour /s of.
$200 would be too much for a C grade or for a jade “look a like”.
As for grade A, I look at $200,000 bangles and $5,000 bangles and can’t really see what equals an extra $195,000!
Here in Australia we don’t have GIA so it’s a bit tricky as now apparently they are using very sophisticated enhancement methods. I’d not sure we even have the necessary equipment here to do those tests..
So I’d rather pay $200 for a $20 bangle than $2,000 / $5,000 / $10,000 for a $20 bangle.

 

[MMtwo]

It’s really lovely. I’m in Australia, maybe I should look at Mays!
but I’ll tell you, the more I try and learn, the more confusing it becomes. Trying to quantify quality against price is a complete mystery! I doubt if I’ll ever learn the skills necessary, I think you need to handle and study in person hundreds and hundreds of pieces to learn the intricacies of jade.
I think I’ll just stick to very modest outlays and buying items that I like the look of.
I think I can avoid buying grade C now and possibly the “look a likes” (there always the option to return) but the difference between A and B jade without the expense of a reputable lab report seems impossible to grasp.

I agree Bron, it's almost impossible to just "look" at a piece and know if it has been treated or not. This is why I am only buying from vendors with a reputation for grade A goods.

This is why I am trying to avoid the grade B. If I understand it correctly, the acids in the treatment process eat away the structure until it is a weak stone honeycomb. Then, the infused polymers replace the missing minerals and it becomes a plastic bangle with a jade skeleton inside. However, they are beautiful with their translucence.

If I knew which treated bangles were stable and strong, I would be tempted, but I have no idea which those would be. The other option is always nephrite, and with those, beautiful bangles can be hard for much less money.

 

[MMtwo]

One thing I've learned for sure is the trade here in the USA knows exactly the difference between A and B jade. You will find that auction houses and even eBay sellers will have a zillion bangles priced around $300-$500. Then, from time to time, they will have what seem to be identical bangles priced at $4,000 and up. The difference being the $4,000+ bangles have GIA certs! Given that it costs around $120 to get a GIA cert for a bangle it's a no brainer for all concerned to get a cert. The fact they haven't tells you all you need to know. Some sellers have certs from Asian labs that are untraceable and don't contain a word of English. Again if they could get a GIA cert for around $120; why haven't they?

I agree it's possible to find a grade A piece for sale from a private seller who doesn't know what they have, but I suspect the odds are pretty low. I guess my point is that if you just buy what you like, priced accordinly, and with no expectation you are going to hit the jackpot, then everything is fine. In fact the treated stuff is so good the only people who will ever know you are not wearing grade A are GIA, Mason-Kay, @ChaiK and @Burmesedaze.

I noticed the same thing about the certifications.

Have you had luck with treated bangles and longevity? And you are probably right that most wouldn't know the difference in the bracelets, especially walking around in the USA.

 

[MMtwo]

Lol I wish I could be a personal jadeite shopper. It'd be so much fun and us$4000 can buy plenty decent A jadeite. Even utility jade is mostly A jade and can be $10/ bangle.

Stick to A jadeite. My granny had loads of B and C and trust me, nothing is worth passing down and the majority have chips, cracks or have just plain broken into parts. I only wish she were still around for me to buy good stuff for her.

You can get to sources we can't Hey, wanna open an Etsy store?

 

[Maddiewin]

Lol I wish I could be a personal jadeite shopper. It'd be so much fun and us$4000 can buy plenty decent A jadeite. Even utility jade is mostly A jade and can be $10/ bangle.

Stick to A jadeite. My granny had loads of B and C and trust me, nothing is worth passing down and the majority have chips, cracks or have just plain broken into parts. I only wish she were still around for me to buy good stuff for her.

@Burmesedaze would you consider being a personal shopper for real? I read in the older thread about Myanmar jadeite jade pendant wholesale and it linked me to jasmine jadeite, is this the same lady that was mentioned by other posters? Thank you

 

[MMtwo]

I've been bangling again. Saw this on Ruby Lane. I loved the color so much. It has a cert that won't come up. The .com brings up p*rn (not a good sign). I has almost no reaction under UV...little flecks do seem to shine, but I would say it is mostly inert. I was not able to effect it with scissors - no scratching. I rubbed it with pure acetone, no effect or dye or change.

I love the color. The bangle was under 300.00. Not sure if it's dyed or treated or not. Is the color an automatic "yes" to dyed?

Your thoughts at greatly appreciated. I love the color, but not sure it's possible it could be natural with that color. However, patches on the bangle seem clear, whitish, not uniform green. Is it possible the color is natural?















Oh, and it's a 58! I can wrangle a 58.5 on with soap. I have a 58 D shape coming from gojade on ebay.

 

[MMtwo]

 

[fiona00004]

That last bangle from rubylane has a gorgeous color, but it is likely treated. If untreated, this bangle would be over $5000 for SURE. Enjoy wearing it nevertheless!

 

[MMtwo]

Thank you @fiona00004. I think it must be treated too. That color is otherworldly but as funny as it sounds, I needed to hear it from someone else. One only hopes sometimes.

I think I'll still keep it even though it is most likely fake dyed. I can enjoy the color while it lasts. Strange how it would not melt off with acetone.

 

[MMtwo]

New nephrite bangle and 10mm mala beads.

 

[Bluegemz]

Thank you @fiona00004. I think it must be treated too. That color is otherworldly but as funny as it sounds, I needed to hear it from someone else. One only hopes sometimes.

I think I'll still keep it even though it is most likely fake dyed. I can enjoy the color while it lasts. Strange how it would not melt off with acetone.

Jade dye is impregnated into the stone, so acetone will not remove dye, unless it’s surface coated...which I don’t believe is commonly done. It’s still lovely!

 

[MMtwo]

Jade dye is impregnated into the stone, so acetone will not remove dye, unless it’s surface coated...which I don’t believe is commonly done. It’s still lovely!

Thank you for your help. It makes sense why scratches and acetone didn't have effect. It will be a learning experience. I bought that before reading @icy_jade 's post about looking for water in bangles on the Mason Kay thread. That was so helpful to understand.

 

[CMVillanuevaJr]

I
Hi, everyone!

I'm new here and I've been looking for Jade forums and groups to share about my pieces and to ask questions.

I'm from the Philippines and I had these three items from an online auction here in Manila. I'll try to retrieve more photos to show you how they look like.

Meantime, what do you think of these? I love the two on the right for their green translucence while the third is heavy and big.

Let me know what you honestly think about them if I got a good, great, or fair deal.

The ring is an old one I got from my partner and I think it's cool.

Have a great and safe day, folks!

 

[CMVillanuevaJr]

Thank you for the picture and history of your jade collecting. I love your newest bangle. It looks like it has a nice transparency. May I ask where you purchased it? I havent had much luck locating one like that in a larger size, save big big $$$$. The older bangle with honey is also nice. I like your silversmithing on the green bangle. It is so personal. How sweet of your dad to buy you a ring so young. That is really a treasure.

I have several small bangles like that in various colors - moss green on white, white and cream, brown, and some are grayish - the moss green one I gave to a friend for safekeeping because it's my favorite. The three white are with me but the brown one broke, actually 3 of them broke, and I tried to fix one with epoxy and wore it. They're too small for me to wear as is, but I bumped on the wall and the 2 pieces I joined together broke in 3-4 and I still keep them. I rarely see brown on white jade. But I miss the mossy green on white one most.

Lovely collection here!

 

[CMVillanuevaJr]

That part is so fun - the hunt.

That's awesome! I've been searching for the right bangle, too, and hopefully one arrives at the right moment!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

well, the ring came. I have no idea what it is, It looks very fine-grained. There is (what appears to be) a healed stone line and a tiny patch of bright green on the end of the stone. Not sure what it is, but I am sure I like it.

I'm open to feedback!.

Its very pretty
i find that last picture memorizing

 

[MMtwo]

Its very pretty
i find that last picture memorizing

All, the pretty green ring was chrysoprase. I returned it because it was not jade. Looking back, I wish I hadn't. Clueless collector is aptly named for this thread. I have spent way too much in not jade, bad jade and treated jade as I have been learning. Happily, I have also slowly been learning about jade.

On the jade 2.0 FB group, they recommended a book called "Jade: with over 600 photographs of jade" edited by Roger Keverne. I look forward to reading it.

 

[MMtwo]

I
Hi, everyone!

I'm new here and I've been looking for Jade forums and groups to share about my pieces and to ask questions.

I'm from the Philippines and I had these three items from an online auction here in Manila. I'll try to retrieve more photos to show you how they look like.

Meantime, what do you think of these? I love the two on the right for their green translucence while the third is heavy and big.

Let me know what you honestly think about them if I got a good, great, or fair deal.

The ring is an old one I got from my partner and I think it's cool.

Have a great and safe day, folks!

Hi @CMVillanuevaJr
Well, let me start by saying I am far from expert or too knowledgeable on jade. What I have learned is translucent jade and alluring green color at a reasonable price will usually mean treatments. I wish I could tell by looking alone (heh, then I could rename this thread to wise jade collector). I would enjoy them because you like them and not worry much about it. Of course, you could get them tested if you wanted to know the type of jade. I posted a couple of jades that I am sure are B jades.

You're welcome to take pictures outdoors, it would be easier to see the jades. I am happy to admire them with you

 

[MMtwo]

I've been busy buying jades, both nephrite and jadeite. They are not the finest quality...I've been living up to my magpie collection tendencies and limited budget. My collection is modest and not the best of PS by a long shot. However, I am learning from my mistakes, so that is something. Since I have a little of everything now, I will move forward more deliberately. I have one more jadeite bangle on the way -it is baby blue with a fine texture to replace one I loved, but was too small for comfort.

These are my grade A jadeites to date. The bracelet with the yellow patch may have a spot treatment where it glows under UV. It has a NQTC cert,so not sure if this could be a natural occurrence (?).

 

[MMtwo]

My A jadeites to date



The stack on the holder, from top:
1. Ultimate Jadeite green and white flower bangle
2. Black and lavender from Ebay Mats_alice
3. light green from Mats_alice
4. Lavender and green bi color from mats_alice
5. grey from mays.au
6. tri color from Go-jade

small beads from a private seller and large beads from Ultimate Jadeite

PS - this is a slippery slope. In November I posted happily my 3rd bangle. Sheesh, I am glad I'm not divorced right now.

 

[MMtwo]

Nephrites to date:

I think I like nephrite a tiny bit more. I recently rehomed a wide Siberian nephrite bangle that is maybe 30 years old. I love this bangle to bits. It has translucency, which is very nice for nephrite. It had a color I fell in love with.
Most of my favorite nephrites came from The Jademine Canada and The Jademine. I like the nephrite bead bracelet from them and the thin bangle resting on the translucent nephrite. It has a clear mineral running through it I think is pretty.

The nephrite with white patches is from Turkey, according to the seller. I can't find much about Turkish jade. A few folks said it looks Russian. Better nephrite does not have no many spots and patches, but I really like it's wild beauty.

The black (dark green) bangle on top appears black when not in bright light. It's pedigree is murky and may not be nephrite, but possible serpentine or some other mixture.