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How Do I Get a Polished Finish on a Jade Stone?

Jade is a green-blue gemstone that can be found around the world. Two types of minerals are referred to as jade: nephrite and jadeite. Polishing rough jade is challenging but will produce a smooth and colorful gem. Jade is harder than steel and, if rough, is usually ground down before being polished. Most jade sculptors use elaborate techniques to polish jade and keep these techniques a secret. But, for a novice, jade can be polished in a rock polisher. The process is relatively simple but can be time consuming.

Things You'll Need

Jade
Rock polisher
Water
1 tbsp. coarse silicon carbide 80 grit
1 tbsp. coarse silicon carbide 220 grit
1 tbsp. coarse silicon carbide 400 grit
1 tbsp. cerium oxide

Instructions

- 1
  Fill the barrel of the rock polisher 3/4 of the way with the jade stones. Add water to cover the jade gemstones.
- 2
  Include 1 tablespoon coarse silicon carbide 80 grit for a one-and-half-pound barrel. For a larger barrel, use 2 tablespoons of the coarse silicon carbide.
- 3
  Run the rock polisher for a few days. Check the jade stones periodically. Rough jade can take up to 10 days to smooth out.
- 4
  Clean the jade and barrel completely after the stones are smooth. Place the jade and water back in the barrel. Add 1 tablespoon of coarse silicon carbide 220 grit. Run the polisher for five to six days.
- 5
  Rinse off the jade and barrel again. Place the jade and water back in the barrel. Use 400 type grit this time. Run the polisher for at least seven days.
- 6
  Polish the jade one final time. Rinse the jade and the barrel completely. Place the jade in the barrel with water covering the stones. Add cerium oxide instead of grit to the barrel. Run for seven days for the final polish of your jade stone.

Rocks & Minerals