About Jade

What is Jade?

Jade is one of two gemstones, Nephrite or Jadeite.

Nephrite Jade (a silicate of calcium and magnesium) is the historical Chinese Jade, or Stone of Heaven, revered by the Chinese for more than 5,000 years. Nephrite is prized for its special qualities — its extreme toughness, (the toughest of any natural stone), its alluring translucency and its smooth polished feel. Colors of Nephrite Jade range from pure white to all different shades of green.

All of the products from Cassiar Mountain Jade are 100% pure Nephrite Jade. No artificial colouring or dyes are used to enhance the color of Jade. We guarantee it.

Jadeite Jade (a silicate of sodium and aluminum) is a relatively new Jade introduced to China from Burma in 1784. Gem quality Jadeite is extremely rare and thus extremely expensive. Often mislabeled as "Chinese Jade," (it was never found in China), Jadeite is slightly harder than Nephrite. Colors of Jadeite range from white to black with intense greens and lavender being the most sought after. Jadeite is often colour enhanced and expert advice should be sought when investing in Jadeite jewelry.

How is Jade cut?

Nephrite Jade is an extremely tough material to work. It is fibrous in structure, similar to a handful of human hair. Due to this structure it cannot be cut with chisels, so it has to be ground using very hard, sharp abrasives — diamonds. All of the saw blades we use have diamond imbedded in a soft matrix. This allows the soft matrix to slowly wear away exposing new diamond. It is the hardness of the diamond particles being dragged over the softer Jade that does the cutting.

Where are the carvings and sculptures made?

One-of-a-kind sculptures are made by a few recognized artisans in Vancouver, Canada, the modern Jade sculpting center of the world. Each one of these signed and numbered sculptures comes with a signed certificate of authenticity. Our animal and collectible carvings are handmade by carvers in Asia.

Can I buy a piece of natural unpolished jade?

Yes, Cassiar Mountain Jade Store offers the sale of natural Jade. A piece of Jade that is unpolished and uncarved is also know as raw or rough Jade. You can purchase rough Jade online or contact our store via phone or email.

Do you supply Dealers?

Yes, the Cassiar Mountain Jade Store does supply dealers. If you would like to sell our Jade products, you can email us or contact us by telephone.

Feedback

We sincerely hope you will like our site. Please comment on the site and our services in the comment section at the bottom of the gallery page. Enjoy our universe of Jade designs!

We hope you appreciate and enjoy the exciting beauty in all of our products!

Thank You,

Robin and Claudia Bunce, owners