How to Identify Real Jade
Jade is a stone made of either nephrite or jadeite minerals. Nephrite is more common and affordable, and is mostly found in shades of green. Jadeite is of a higher quality, is rarer, more expensive and is also found in a variety of colors other than green. Many associate jade with the color green and can easily mistake imitation jade that is made of serpentine, quartz, plastic or glass for the real thing, because of the color of these stones. Learn how to identify real jade based on other factors to make sure you're getting your money's worth. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Examine your stone in the light. If you see air bubbles, the stone is not real jade, but imitation jade in the form of treated glass.
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Hold the stone in your hand to feel its weight. Jade is a dense stone, so real jade feels heavier than a piece of glass of the same size.
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Run your finger or fingernail across the stone's surface to feel its texture. Real jade should not only look smooth and polished, but should feel smooth. If the stone feels bumpy or rough, it is not real jade.
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Test the temperature of the stone by holding it in your hand or against your cheek. Real jade feels cool, not warm.
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Listen to the sound made when you lightly hit the stone with another stone or a piece of metal or glass. When hit, real jade produces a pleasant tone similar to that of a wind chime.
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Scratch the stone lightly using metal with a rounded point. Check for damage. Both nephrite and jadeite are harder than steel, so metal and steel will not scratch jade. Jade is also very strong and hard to break or chip.
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