What Is the Difference Between Jade & Nephrite?

History

• The jade stone has a long history that goes back to Asia. The Chinese considered the jade stone sacred and referred to it as the "Stone of Heaven." To the Chinese, jade symbolized nobility, immortality and perfection, and they used the stone for spiritual and ritual purposes. Chinese emperors filled their palaces with jewelry made out of the precious stone. Today, jade is found all over the world and continues to be of interest to collectors and scientists.

Nephrite

• Nephrite is a type of jade that is an aluminous amphibole, or a hydrous, calcium and magnesium-rich, iron silicate. Nephrite stones come in shades of dark to light green. Thinner pieces of nephrite tend to be opaque or translucent. You can find nephrite in regions of Austria, Italy, central Asia, New Zealand, Siberia, the United States, Canada, Germany and Poland.

Jadeite

• Jadeite is a type of jade that is an aluminous pyroxene, or a sodium and aluminum-rich, iron silicate. Jadeite comes in different shades of color. "Imperial jade" refers to the translucent, emerald-green jadeite. Jadeite also appears in shades of dark green, yellowish green or white (with green specks). Both nephrite and jadeite can come in shades of black, brown, orange or gray as well. Jadeite is rarer than nephrite and comes from Burma, southwest China, Guatemala, California and Japan. It is hard to distinguish nephrite from jadeite since they are similar in structure and color.

Uses

• For millennia, people in Asia have carved jade into religious ornaments and sacred artwork. Since nephrite is more durable than jadeite, nephrite is used for carving and sculpture. Nephrite is also a jewelry stone that you can wear as bracelets, rings or beads. Jadeite is rarer than nephrite, so collectors prize jadeite and consider it highly valuable. Similar to nephrite, jadeite has a long history of use in ornamental pieces and jewelry.