Jade, A Semi-Precious Stone of Royalty
The Essence of Heaven and EarthJade jewelry has traditionally been a prized possession. It is a fine beautiful semi-precious stone, symbolizing perfection, constancy and immortality. Jade became associated with royalty and high status because it was worn by the nobility.
Sculpture of a Traditional Jade Pendant Design
Jade is much easier to cut than other precious stones allowing for creativity by designers. Classic designs in green jade are very popular and sought after by Asians; but the younger generation prefers jade jewelry in contemporary designs and colors. The colored jades are more affordable than the deep green jade.
Natural colors of jade include lavender, red and yellow as well as black, white and ice. Black jade is actually a very deep green with a high iron content, while ice jade is the result of fused jade crystals. Good quality, deep black jade is becoming difficult to find, and the price of white jade has soared recently. The majority of jade comes from the mountains and riverbeds of Myanmar/Burma. A growing demand has driven prices way up. In November 2007 a piece of raw jade weighing 3.6 kilograms was auctioned off at the record price of $201,500. in Beijing . The 2008 Olympic Game medals have increased awareness of the stone since it was announced that the gold, silver and bronze medals will incorporate jade in the design.
The gold medal has a fine white jade, the silver medal has a slightly darker shade of jade in it and the bronze medal has green jade. Olympic organizers are also producing 2,008 replicas of the jade seal of the Beijing 2008 emblem, which will be sold to the public at 56,000 Yuan ($7,500) each.
Reverse Side of Medals |
Black Jade
White Jade Bracelet
Jade Ring
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