In this report we would like to share some interesting information related to jade jewelry with you. If you hade to see the robust demand for jade gems and jewelry it might seem that, it is one of the very well known gems in the trade. The point is that, very few actually have sufficiently deep knowledge about jade gems. One common request that we often encounter is for natural jade that has a natural color, basically a gem that is not treated by any external process. Take a glance at the large oval gemstone in the ring shown in the composite jade jewelry image here. The oval jade gemstone here has a nice green color, the color is evenly spread across the gem. The gem size in the 12x10mm to 14x10mm range. Now if you wanted your jade jewelry to have a similar gem but, in an untreated conditon - you could end up paying as much as 2,000 U.S$ or a bit more just for the gemstone! So if you wanted a jade gold ring, with such a gem the complete ring with a sturdy 14k gold mounting can be as expensive as 3,000 U.S$ to 4,000 U.S$. We can tell you that, very few buyers would pay that kind of money for such jade jewelry. The amazing thing is that, many jewelers including Kaisilver sell the entire gold ring including the gem for under 2,000 U.S$. So how does this become possible, we explain details below.
The fact is that, more than 80% of the jade jewelry that is made in gold or 925 silver uses, jade gems that have been dyed to enhance color. This is true of all the gems that you see in the above jade gemstone jewelry image. Jade with a fine uniformly spread color is so very rare in natural form that, these gems are priced very high. Against this is the universal truth that, jade jewelry buyers almost always prefer jade gems with a fine color that is not patchy or blotched. In the case of the simple dye technic for treating jade, the treatment is generally performed on jade that has little or no defects aside from color zoning. This is one of the main reasons why dyed jade is common and widely accepted. After all it makes available, natural jade that has a good color evenly spread through the gem at an modest price. The treatment is stable and does not negatively affect the other properties including, hardness of the jade.
The fact that dyed jade is widely accepted does not mean that, all jade treatments are okay. Natural jade that has low grade with a high density of fissures and cracks, cannot be enhanced by merely dyeing the gem. Manufacturers try to get maximum value even for such jade, by resorting to more drastic forms of jade treatments. Fissure filling or impregnation is a process whereby, material like plastic, resin or glass (silica compounds) are forced to enter the fissures of the gem. The harden in the cooling process and make the gem appear much better. By introducing dyes into the filling material, it is often hoped to improve the color of such impregnated jade gems too. Such jade gems are valued much lower than untreated jade or jade that has merely been dyed. An important thing is that, treating jade by this process does not yield a very stable gem. The toughness of fissure filled jade gemstones is much lower than that of normal jade. Such gems are normally used to manufacture low grade and cheap jade jewelry. If you do buy such jade gems, make sure that you are not overcharged for them and more importantly, ensure that you have fully understood the type of treatment used.
Here is an important suggestion for those of you who are looking for jade jewelry with untreated jade gemstones. Two options are available for such requirements. If you can pay a high bill for untreated jade, go for good quality jade gems that are clearly certified as untreated. Insist on a gem authentication certificate from a reputed testing laboratory. The certificate must clearly state (at least) two things, that the jade is natural and that it has not been treated. The seller might require you to pay for the certification, it is worth the amount spent. Most of us, do not shop for gems and jewelry with an overloaded wallet. But what if, you need an untreated jade gem at a price that is not too high. What you will need to do in this case is to accept the fact that, the gem might not be very perfect in terms of appearance. Keep your ambitions on an untreated jade that is not very large, you should then be able to fulfill your desire for an untreated jade gem without overspending.
One last note before, we wind up this report. Jade waxing is another form of jade treatment that is heard quite often. This is a surface type of treatment that is performed on a piece of jade that is already cut and polished. Wax is rubbed on the jade to form a thin coating, this obviously adds a lustre and shine to the gem. Any pits or fissures that reach the surface of the jade, are merely sealed of on the top. As you might expect, this form of jade treatment does not have longlasting effects. Waxed jade needs to be handled much more carefully than, jade that is not treated or treated by the dyeing process.
We do hope that the above report has increased your knowledge about jade gems and the various types of treatments applied to jade gemstones. We would suggest that you get some clear answers from your gems or jewelry provider related to gem treatments before, finalzing the purchase. Gem authentication can be quite expensive, especially in the case of gems like jade where transparency is not too high. This might be logical only for jade gems that have high price points.