What are the factors that determine a Jade’s value?
April 15, 2022
Jade jewelry is popular and loved by many due to its glorious beauty. However, have you ever wondered what factored its value? Jade’s top most significant qualities when it comes to their market value are color, transparency and texture. Fine quality jades are rare, vivid, and translucent. It commands some of the highest prices among gems in today’s international market.
Before investing in a piece of jade jewelry, buyers will consider a number of factors. First, they check its color under fluorescent and incandescent light sources to check its transparency level.
Then, they search for undistorted surface reflections and its clarity as any imperfections may affect its value.
Color is the prime thing people usually look at. When it comes to jade, people normally think it only comes in green color. Jade actually comes in many colors such as lavender, red brown, white, and many more. Although jade comes in many colors, its most desirable color up to date is a specific shade of green.
The most expensive jade is known as Imperial jade, almost transparent with a vibrant emerald-green color. The green that’s high in demand is pure with no hint of gray and looks intense even from quite a distance. It may go from pure green to a slightly bluish green or a slightly yellowish green.
Next is ‘Apple Jade’ which gives a nice vibrant bright green color that is also very highly sought after. These few examples are always the most sought after jades in the Asian market. Apart from green, lavender jades are marketable too. Intense colors are more in demand as opposed to lighter and weaker colors.
Moving forward, the next factor is its transparency. Jade transparency ranges from opaque to semi transparent. Semi transparent jades are the pick of the bunch as it almost appears to glow, increasing the charm of a lush green or rich lavender hue. The least desirable jades are completely opaque or have cloudy opaque patches that distorts their transparency. To judge its transparency, buyers usually place a thin jade on a printed page to try and read the print through the jade. If the transparency is excellent, the buyer will be able to read through the print easily.
Next comes the texture. Jade has a smooth, even texture that makes people want to touch it. Jade however can be fine, medium or coarse depending on the crystal size and hardness. These particular textures are also known as old mine, relatively old mine and new mine.
The same crystal structure that contributes to jadeite’s texture also contributes to its durability. In the early days of its history, when it was used to fashion tools and weapons, jadeite’s ability to withstand breakage was one of its major advantages.
These are the few factors people keep in mind when purchasing a piece of jade jewelry. If you have any more questions, please contact us or drop by our store for more assistance. Our team is here to clear all your doubts regarding the precious stone.