Texture of Jadeite Jade: The Fine Smooth Feel of Jade

RSS

Texture is an important factor in jade because this is the trait which defines the feeling of the jewelry against your skin. When observing any gemstone, ones with finer particles tend to be smoother and much more appealing compared to those with larger particles. Smoother particle sizes also allow sculptures to add more refined details to their engravings, further enhancing the value of the jewelry. Industry tools are required to measure the sizes of particles in the jadeite or nephrite.

The texture of jade can also be referred to as old mine (fine), relatively old mine (medium) and new mine (coarse). The size of the particles also plays a part in their transparency as larger particle sizes prevent light from reflecting through the gem whereas smaller sized particles allow light to reveal the depth and vibrancy of the jadeite jade.

The picture below shows how texture can impact the price of a piece of jade. The more clear (further left on the scale) the jade is, the more expensive. As the jade’s texture decreases, the cheaper it gets and less valuable.