Jadeite is a pyroxene mineral, and jadeite jade is a rock of its aggregated fibrous or granular crystals. Chromium causes the color of green jadeite.
Properties
| Refractive index | 1.666 to 1.680 (+/-0.008); spot reading usually about 1.66 |
|---|---|
| Birefringence | Not measurable (an aggregate) |
| Optic character | Aggregate |
| Dispersion | Not given by our sources |
| Specific gravity | 3.34 (+0.06/-0.09) |
| Hardness (Mohs) | 6.5 to 7 |
| Crystal system | Aggregate (monoclinic) |
| Pleochroism | None |
| Absorption spectrum | Characteristic line in the violet-blue, seen with a handheld spectroscope, 437 nm (Fe3+ (ferric iron)); line in the red, naturally colored green jadeite, 630 nm (Cr (chromium spectrum)); line in the red, naturally colored green jadeite, 655 nm (Cr (chromium spectrum)); line in the deep red, naturally colored green jadeite, 691 nm (Cr (chromium spectrum)) |
Published values. They change a little from stone to stone. Our tools do not model jadeite yet. Sources: GIA · International Gem Society
In more detail
Colors range from white through green to black, but its most desirable color is a very specific green. In a classification used in Hong Kong, A jade is untreated or only waxed, and C jade is dyed. B jade is bleached with acid and then impregnated with polymer resin. In a GIA study, only infrared spectroscopy proved polymer impregnation in all cases.
On a grading report
LMHC wording: Group: pyroxene. Species: (natural) jadeite. Variety: (color) jadeite jade. Bleached and impregnated material reads '(resin/wax) impregnated', known in the trade as B-jade.
Related terms
- Jade: Jade is a trade name for gem rocks made mainly of jadeite or nephrite. Their tiny interlocking crystals make them exceptionally tough.
- Nephrite: Nephrite is a rock of densely interlocked fibers of actinolite-tremolite, an amphibole. This fine-grained interlocking structure makes it very tough.
- Resin filling: Resin filling is filling a gem's fissures or cavities with a resin, often one that hardens, to hide them.
- Dyeing: Dyeing is adding a colored substance to a gem's fractures or pores to change its color.
- Toughness: Toughness is a gem's resistance to chipping and breaking. It differs from hardness, which is resistance to scratching.