u/MVBees

One of the first confusing things beginners run into with jadeite is the grading language: A jade, B jade, C jade, and B+C jade.

These terms are mostly used for Burmese jadeite. It’s not often used for nephrite or even Guatemalan jadeite

Here’s the simple version:

A Jade / A-Grade Jadeite
A-grade jadeite means the jadeite has not been chemically bleached, polymer-filled, or dyed. It may still be waxed as part of normal finishing, but the stone itself is considered untreated jadeite.

According to Aki Mart: This authenticity has practical consequences. Because the mineral structure is fully intact, A jade tends to be more dimensionally stable under temperature changes, moisture, and daily wear. It does not carry the risk of polymer degradation or dye migration that treated grades introduce over time.

Important note: A-grade does not automatically mean high quality!!

It only means untreated. There is low-quality A jadeite and extremely valuable A jadeite.

B Jade / B-Grade Jadeite
B-grade jadeite has been chemically bleached to remove staining, then impregnated with polymer or resin to improve appearance and stability.

It is still jadeite, but it is treated jadeite. It should not be priced like untreated A-grade jadeite.

Again referring to Aki Mart’s write up: Polymer resins are not permanent. They can yellow gradually under UV exposure. They can crack or delaminate with repeated thermal cycling — the heating and cooling that occurs with everyday wear.

C Jade / C-Grade Jadeite
C-grade jadeite has been dyed to change or enhance the color.

It may be dyed green, lavender, red, yellow, or another color. The color may look attractive, but it is not natural color. Similarly to B grade it also fades with time and wear.

B+C Jadeite
B+C jadeite has been both bleached/polymer-filled and dyed.

This is heavily treated jadeite.

Beginner reminder:
A, B, C, and B+C do not mean “beautiful vs. ugly.” They describe treatment status.

You can absolutely enjoy treated jadeite if you like the look and the price is fair. The issue is not owning treated jadeite, the issue is when treated jadeite is sold as natural untreated jadeite.

A good beginner rule:

Buy what you love, but pay for what can be proven.

If a jadeite piece is expensive, especially a bangle or anything advertised as “imperial,” “natural,” “untreated,” or “Burmese,” it is worth asking for a reputable lab report that identifies both the material and treatment status.

You can read more about the comparison and education on the different grades of jade here: https://www.akiemart.com/2026/03/22/jade-grades-explained/?srsltid=AfmBOoql0L8RLRerjSW2703Qsp0aRECZwAi5KcOB1cRTN6l-0CsPEmm1

I regularly bid in auctions for my non-jade business… but if I see interesting possibly jade pieces I usually can’t help myself…

This batch was very inexpensive! Two turtles, four pixiu, and some looose cabachons that’s I’m 100% is from one of those link bracelets that must have broke.

I haven’t done any testing yet… curious to see what the community thinks from a glance!

Just from looking at them so far… I’m sure the purple pixiu is obviously chalcedony (but I really like him don’t be mean to his falseness 🥺 ), I think the Wuji turtle is legit, the light green pixiu looks and feels like nephrite. The two color pixiu I suspect is legit and just very low grade. The last two basic loooking pixie are SOOOOO opaque not sure it even matters if they’re low quality or treated 😅

The cabochons also look treated to me

Thoughts? Opinions? Which one do you like best anyway ❤️

The official link can be found here

"For millennia, the Chinese have regarded jade as the most precious of all earthly objects. In the 18th century, with the new availability of jadeite, green became the most coveted color of all, and that is still the case. However, all the many colors of jade retain their own popularity. Lavender jade continues to be admired and adored. The value and desire for red jade, yellow jade, black jade, and especially ice jade continue to increase."

Other side of the band says 10k. So I don’t think it’s the metal content… any guesses?

Not sure about quality or certification. Was just browsing with a friend and it was fun to look at

Sterling!

Passed all the tests! He’s tried and true and I’m going to re-thread him into a bracelet! Best jade thrifting I’ve done so far!

Vintage/antique booth sold her this 14k white gold enamel ring that she fell in love with!

As many of you know, when people talk about jade, most modern discussion focuses on Chinese jade culture. This focus intends to be especially on the discussion of jadeite, Type A/B/C treatment, and collector-grade material. That history and discussion is important of course, but it is not the only jade tradition in Asia.

Korea has its own relationship with jade, or 옥 / ok, and it is worth understanding on its own terms!

While not as contemporarily popular in terms of fashion, in Korean history and culture, jade has long been connected to ornament, status, beauty, protection, and symbolism. Some of the most recognizable examples are 곡옥 / 곱은옥, often called gogok or comma-shaped jade ornaments (a twin to the Japanese magatama you might be more familiar with). These curved jade forms appear in ancient Korean jewelry and elite objects, especially from the Silla period, including crowns, belts, necklaces, and earrings.

The comma shape was not just decorative. Scholars and museums often discuss it as a symbolic form, possibly connected to life, fertility, rebirth, fruitfulness, protection, or sacred prestige. The exact meaning is still debated, but that is part of what makes it so interesting! For Korean jade culture is not only about material value. It is also about form, symbolism, and cultural memory.

The three most common uses of jade in traditional Korean accessories are garakji / 가락지 a double ring, norigae / 노리개 a knotted accessory hung from hanbok, and binyeo / 비녀 a traditional hairpin. Though, of course, there are other traditional accessories that use jade.

Another important difference is material. In modern gemology, “jade” properly refers to two minerals: jadeite and nephrite. Korean jade culture has historically been more closely associated with nephrite, especially with Korean nephrite from places like Chuncheon. This is Korea’s only jade mine and one of the largest white nephrite mines in the world! So that also gives Korean jade culture a different center of gravity than modern Chinese jadeite collecting.

That difference matters when we talk about Korean jade jewelry today. A lot of Korean jade pieces are bought for tradition, hanbok styling, family gifting, symbolic meaning, or everyday fashion beauty. In that context, jade may be treated more as a cultural ornament than as an investment gemstone. That does not mean disclosure is unimportant… It still is! But it does mean Korean jade should not automatically be judged only through the standards of another jade market.

The Korean fashion market, ultimately, doesn’t have much issue with imitation or treated jade. Though it is almost always disclosed as such. With pieces of jewelry involving such materials still going for hundreds, or thousands, of USD. The emphasis is more on design and color.

For me, learning about jade as a Korean-American has been an important glimpse. At first I was disappointed and anxious that Korean jade history and culture was “less serious” because it may not always center untreated imperial jadeite. But it’s given me a means of appreciating more stones for what they are and deciding for myself what I want to prioritize in my jewelry.

This is the kind of jade conversation I hope we can have here! One that values transparency, but also makes room for different cultural relationships with jade.

Hello!! I’m here with one of the easier at-home tests to see if you have actual jade!

The jade density test is a pretty simple at-home screening test that uses water displacement to estimate how heavy a stone is for its size.

It can help separate likely jade from some common jade lookalikes! But it can’t tell you if jade is natural or untreated! This should be used with other simple at-home methods. But as always, only a lab can 100% guarantee jade.

Gemologists use specific gravity because different gemstones tend to have different density ranges. GIA lists jadeite and nephrite as the two main jade materials, with jadeite around 3.34 and nephrite around 2.95 specific gravity.

For this test you need

A digital gram scale (to the .01 gram works best)

A cup of water (big enough to submerge)

Thin thread, fishing line, or dental floss

The jade piece you want to test

This test works best with solid pieces of jade such as bangles, loose pendants, beads, cabochons, bi discs, plaques, or small carvings.

This test doesn’t work well with mounted rings, earrings, necklaces with metal clasps, glued caps, elastic bracelets, or anything with mixed materials because metal, glue, cord, or other stones will affect the result.

Note: carved pieces with holes needs to be shaken or adjusted to get rid of any air bubbles! Air bubbles will affect the weight!!

Step-by-step process

1. Weigh the piece dry

Place the jade piece directly on the scale.

Write down the dry weight.

Example:

Dry weight: 3.11 grams

2. Set up the water cup

Place a cup of water on the scale.

Press tare/zero so the scale reads 0.00 g with the cup of water already on it.

3. Suspend the jade in the water

Tie the jade with thin thread completely submerged, but not touching the bottom or sides of the cup.

Make sure there are no air bubbles stuck to the stone!!

The number on the scale is the water displacement weight.

Example:

Water displacement weight: .93 grams

4. Calculate the density

Use this formula:

Dry weight ÷ water displacement weight = estimated density

Example:

3.11 ÷ .93 =3.344

So the estimated density is:

3.34 g/cm³

That result falls in the typical jadeite range! Which is good because my example is a little pendant I got from KathyJade.

The quick reference quote for the estimated densities are at the bottom!

Important formula note

This guide uses the cup-on-scale displacement method, where the scale is tared with the water cup first, then the suspended stone increases the scale reading.

For this method:

Density = dry weight ÷ water displacement weight

It’s easily confused with the hydrostatic weighing method, where the stone is weighed in air and then weighed again while suspended in water. That version uses a different formula: weight in air ÷ (weight in air - weight in water). The International Gem Society describes that hydrostatic formula for gemological SG testing.

Overlap warning!!

Some jade lookalikes can overlap with jade density ranges, especially materials like vesuvianite/idocrase or hydrogrossular garnet. So density is useful, but it is not foolproof!

Jade Density Quick Reference

Jadeite: 3.30–3.38

Nephrite: 2.90–3.03

Common Lookalikes:

Serpentine / “new jade”: 2.44–2.62

Quartz: ~2.65

Chalcedony: 2.58–2.64

Chrysoprase: 2.58–2.64

Agate: 2.60–2.64

Aventurine / “Indian jade”: 2.64–2.69

Prehnite: 2.82–2.94

Vesuvianite / idocrase: 3.32–3.47

Maw sit sit: ~2.46–3.15

Glass: ~2.40–2.60

Plastic / resin: usually under 1.50

My latest estate acquisition. Can you guess which piece is jade? Only one is!

I’m sure we all have a “someday” bangle type that we really want! The iciest white or, like, an imperial green bangle. 😭

My “one day when I win the lottery” bangle is a blue or lavender base sajin. But I like really delicate gold sajin specks so I’m going to be very picky after my lottery win.

Example picture is from EnJadeite that I found on instagram! Though it’s a bit greener than I picture but I love the icy and speckles.

Sorry for the inconsistency in color/saturation of my light box!

I wanted to share my jade collection (both jadeite and nephrite included) and my little journey in jade so far as an introduction to me! I’m pretty new to the jade community, I had to sort of start my life over about two years ago and along with changing my day job, I also started my own small business selling vintage jewelry and curios.

My jade journey started when I found a piece from one of my vintage auction lots that I thought was jade and so looked up how to tell and that started me on a rabbit hole of making jade an entire hobby and passion! There’s still a lot I don’t know about jade and I’m almost embarrassed to show how much I’ve bought in what’s basically been about a year. But I’ve had a lot of fun with it and I’m proud of my little collection so far!

If you’re curious about any pieces, happy to share about them!

I’m when I first got into jade, I mostly read about how easy it was to get scammed. And for a high price tag I was really worried! I eventually decided I’d pay a little more for a sure thing and got my first bangle from Baikalla! I’m still very happy with it.

What was your first jade piece? Did you go with a names brand or a private seller? Did you start on your own or was it a family heirloom?