Jade Necklace

Marvelous jade necklaces have captured the imagination of women for thousands of years. The precision and artistry involved in creating a carved jade beads or pendants is amazing.

The Chinese started carving jade beads and pendants hundreds of years ago. What is referred to today as a nephrite jade necklace was made up of strong, yet easily to carve, gemstones. Nephrite jade necklaces often feature stunning deep-green to gray-green beads and carved pendants.

The jade necklaces commonly found today are actually created from the gemstone jadeite, a different stone altogether than nephrite jade. Although the colors can be brighter than nephrite jade, jadeite isn't as durable and is prone to cracking, especially in carved jade jewelry and beads.

Nephrite will be light green to dark green or grayish-green. High-quality nephrite jade jewelry will have stones with a greasy look to them. Some nephrite jade necklaces feature hundreds of tiny beads, called heishe, which show the skill of the gem cutter who created them. The smaller the heishe, the more valuable the jade necklace.

Another stone commonly found in jade necklaces is called serpentine jade, or new jade. Although this gem isn't a type of jade at all, it does feature a stunning yellow to deep olive green color and is suitable for carving. You'll see faceted bead serpentine jade necklaces in rich yellow-golds, chartreuse and bright yellow-green.

Nephrite jade is a very strong stone so  it is very easy to care for. Clean your nephrite jade necklace with warm water and a soft cloth. Avoid saturating the necklace. Doing so could weaken the cord holding the beads. Instead, just dab the gemstones. Do not use a ultrasonic cleaner.

Serpentine jade jewelry is more fragile. Avoid blows that could crack or smash your carved serpentine jade necklace.

In folklore, wearing a nephrite jade necklace was said to stabilize emotions. A serpentine jade necklace is reputed to give the wearer longevity and improved memory.

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