Green, White or Pink… The Jade had been known and used for the past 7’000 years considered to be a symbol of absolut power. In China, the Jade is called “The Imperial stone” in honor of the favorite stone of the Emperors.
The name “Jade” takes etymological origin in Spain, meaning « piedra de ijada » because of its healing benefits. For over 5’000 years, the Jade can be found in different forms and has been used for different materials. With a bigger resistance than steel, its toughness has allowed numerous civilizations to make weapons, knives and other tools. Just a few years after that, the Jade became a symbolic stone used in ornaments and religious objects.
Over centuries, “the stone of heaven” created emotions and an powerful obsession in Asia. Jade caused and financed wars, revolutions and dictatorial regimes. It is in Myanmar, Birmania that you will find the most important source of Jade.
From volcanic origin, the jade is made of several minerals: jadeite and nefrite mainly and it appears that it is under the light that Jade reveals its color.
Jadeite can be found in differents colors ranging from green to white or pink, red, black, brown and purple. While, nephrite are usually dark green or gray-green, it may also be white, yellowish or reddish. The most beautiful jade is one that has a uniform color.
In the Chinese culture “the imperial stone” has many vertues. They believed that it will linked them to immortality and bring them good luck, benevolence, purity, and enhanced intelligence. For some, the jade is thought to be a stone that can help relaxation and calm. Overall, the Jade was always considered to give power, knowledge, pure thoughts and long life vertues to its owner.
The Jadeite is much rarer than the nephrite stone and consenquently considered to be more precious. Rathered around 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness it is an extremely strong stone and resists breakage like no other stone.
The Jade’s charm continues nowadays and sometimes keeps on making the news headlines…
Did you know that a jade stone of 174 tons worth several millions of Euros was recently discovered in Burma. The problem is that the owner of the mine does not have the appropriate equipement to proceed to its extraction. A story to be continued…
