Jade is a gemstone category built on two distinct natural minerals, jadeite and nephrite, valued for thousands of years for exceptional toughness, beauty, and cultural meaning. Both are real jade, but they differ in structure, density, color range, and market value, and knowing which one you're looking at is the first step of every smart jade purchase.
That's the textbook answer. The practical problem is that "jade" is also one of the most abused words in the jewelry market, stretched to cover dyed quartzite, glass, resin, and a dozen trade names that mean nothing at all. This guide sorts it out: what jade actually is, how jadeite and nephrite differ, what Type A means, where jade comes from, what drives value, and how to buy the real thing.
At BMjade we work exclusively with certified Type A natural jadeite (every piece ships with a verifiable NGTC certificate), so if you'd rather start by looking at honest examples, browse our certified Type A jadeite jewelry alongside this guide.
Jadeite vs Nephrite: The Two Real Jades
| Factor | Jadeite | Nephrite |
|---|---|---|
| Mineral family | Pyroxene | Amphibole |
| Hardness (Mohs) | 6.5–7 | 6–6.5 |
| Specific gravity | ~3.34 | ~2.95 |
| Signature look | Vivid color, can be highly translucent, glassy luster | Softer, waxier, oily luster, more fibrous |
| Market role | Fine jewelry, Burmese jadeite, Imperial green | Hetian jade tradition, pounamu, carvings |
| Key buyer question | Is it Type A? | Is it natural untreated nephrite? |
On paper the differences look academic. In the hand they're not: anyone who has spent time at a buying table can separate them in seconds, because fine nephrite has an oily, almost buttery warmth under the thumb while jadeite feels glassier and crisper, closer to polished crystal. That tactile difference (油性 versus 玻璃感, as the trade puts it) is usually the first thing we check before any instrument comes out.
Neither is "better." Jadeite dominates the fine-jewelry market and reaches the highest prices, especially Burmese material with strong color and translucency. Nephrite carries the older tradition (Hetian jade has anchored Chinese jade culture for millennia), and fine white nephrite commands serious collector respect. GIA also recognizes green omphacite within the jade family, but for practical buying, jadeite vs nephrite is the distinction that matters.
One terminology trap: "Type A" belongs to jadeite only. A nephrite piece should be described as natural untreated nephrite, never "Type A nephrite"; a seller using that phrase is either confused or counting on you being.
What Does Type A Jadeite Mean?
Type A jadeite is natural jadeite with no chemical treatment: not bleached, not dyed, not polymer-impregnated. Cutting, carving, polishing, and a traditional beeswax finish are all fine; the jade body itself hasn't been altered.
The grades below it are where buyers get hurt. Type B has been acid-bleached and refilled with polymer; Type C is dyed; B+C is both. Treated jadeite can be worn and enjoyed if honestly disclosed and priced as what it is, but the price gap is enormous: untreated material trades at 5x to over 100x against treated pieces of similar appearance. How labs tell them apart is covered in our lab testing guide, and how to read and verify the certificate is in our NGTC vs GIA guide.
Why Jade Is Tough, Not Extremely Hard
Hardness is resistance to scratching; toughness is resistance to breaking. Jade is famous for the second, not the first. At Mohs 6–7 it can be scratched by sapphire, ruby, diamond, and even some abrasive dust, but its interlocking crystal structure makes it extraordinarily resistant to chipping and fracture, which is why Neolithic cultures made axe heads from it and why a well-made bangle survives decades of daily wear.
The practical takeaway: wear jade freely, but store it away from harder gems and take it off before heavy work.
A Short History of Jade
Jade objects appear in Chinese Neolithic cultures thousands of years before written history, and Confucian tradition later tied jade to virtue, refinement, and moral character: "the gentleman compares his virtue to jade." Mesoamerica built its own jade tradition through the Olmec and Maya, prizing Guatemalan jadeite above gold. In New Zealand, Māori pounamu (nephrite) carries ancestral significance that continues today.
This is why jade behaves differently from other gemstones in the market: it's bought as identity and inheritance, not just adornment. For the full symbolism (colors, carvings, gifting traditions), see our Jade Meaning Guide.
What Colors Can Jade Be?
Green, white, lavender, yellow, black, icy (near-colorless), red, blue-green, and multicolor: jade covers far more territory than the green most people picture. Color drives value, especially in jadeite, but it proves nothing by itself: a green stone isn't automatically jade, a vivid color isn't automatically valuable, and a pale piece isn't automatically cheap (fine icy jadeite says hello). Transparency and texture decide whether a color is worth paying for. The color-by-color breakdown is in our Jade Colors Guide.
What Makes Jade Valuable
GIA's framework puts jadeite value on three legs, and they're worth naming in order: color (the strongest driver; vivid, even green tops the market), transparency (the glow that separates fine jadeite from ordinary stone), and texture (fine, tight grain reads as quality even to untrained eyes). A piece needs all three working together to reach the upper market; any one alone isn't enough.
Around those three sit the supporting factors: Type A treatment status (the non-negotiable foundation), size and thickness, condition (cracks are value killers), craftsmanship, and a certificate that actually verifies. Realistic 2026 prices for every tier, from $100 bangles to auction-level pieces, are in our Jade Price Guide, and whether any of it makes sense as an investment is covered honestly in Is Jade a Good Investment?
Where Does Jade Come From?
Myanmar produces nearly all of the world's fine jadeite; the rough markets of Hpakant remain the headwater of the entire trade, and what happens there ripples through every price downstream (our 2026 market analysis covers this from our own sourcing trips). Guatemala is the significant second jadeite source, known for green and distinctive blue-green material. On the nephrite side, China's Hetian tradition leads culturally, with New Zealand (pounamu), Russia, and Canada as other notable sources.
Origin tells a story, but it doesn't replace testing. "Burmese" on a listing is a claim; a certificate is evidence.
How to Know If Jade Is Real
Home checks can screen the obvious fakes: plastic feels light and warms fast, glass shows round bubbles under a loupe, dye pools visibly in surface cracks. What no home test can do is confirm Type A status or catch polymer-treated jadeite, which passes touch, weight, sound, and flashlight tests because the treatment sits invisibly inside the stone.
So the honest two-step is: run the home tests to filter out junk (the full walkthrough with each test's limits is in our guide on how to tell if a jade is real), then rely on lab certification for anything worth real money. What the lab instruments actually detect, and why FTIR catches what your hands can't, is in How Labs Test Jade.
Imitations and Misleading Names
The imitation market hides behind trade names. "Malaysia jade," "Korean jade," and "new jade" usually mean dyed quartzite or serpentine. "Jade color stone," "grade A style," and "natural green stone" mean whatever the seller needs them to mean. Aventurine, glass, and resin round out the usual suspects.
None of these materials is necessarily ugly — some are perfectly nice stones at perfectly fair prices when sold as what they are. The fraud is in the naming. A trustworthy listing states jadeite or nephrite explicitly, states treatment status, and backs both with a verifiable certificate. Anything vaguer is a pass.
Buying and Caring for Real Jade
Five questions cover almost every purchase: Is it jadeite or nephrite? If jadeite, is it Type A? Is there a certificate I can verify myself? How are the color, transparency, and texture? And would I enjoy wearing it either way? That last one matters more than buyers expect: jade you love is never a bad purchase, and jade you bought only on a value promise often is.
Every BMjade piece answers the first three before you ask: natural Type A jadeite, NGTC-certified, verifiable by report number on NGTC's official site, and backed by a lifetime guarantee against the material being anything other than what we say it is. Explore by form: bracelets and bangles, necklaces and pendants, earrings, or rings.
Care is simple. Wipe after wearing, store separately from harder gems, and keep it away from harsh chemicals: no bleach, no vinegar, no abrasive brushes. Lukewarm water and mild soap handle any cleaning it needs. Per GIA, jade is stable to light but vulnerable to a jeweler's torch and warm acids, so mention the stone before any ring resizing or repair work. And keep the certificate with your records; it's part of the piece's value.
FAQ About Jade
What is jade made of?
Jade refers to two natural minerals: jadeite (a pyroxene, Mohs 6.5–7, SG ~3.34) and nephrite (an amphibole, Mohs 6–6.5, SG ~2.95). Both are genuine jade with different structures, looks, and markets.
What is Type A jade?
Type A jadeite is natural jadeite with no chemical treatment: no bleaching, dyeing, or polymer impregnation. The term applies to jadeite only; natural nephrite is described separately.
Is green jade always real jade?
No. Many green stones sold under jade-adjacent names are dyed quartzite, serpentine, glass, or resin. Material identity requires testing or a verifiable certificate, not color.
What is the most valuable jade?
Top-grade Type A jadeite combining vivid color, high transparency, and fine texture, with Imperial green the most famous example. Untreated material prices at 5x to over 100x against treated pieces of similar appearance.
Is jade harder than diamond?
No. Diamond is far harder and more scratch-resistant. Jade's fame is toughness (resistance to breaking and chipping), which is why it survives generations of daily wear despite being scratchable.
What is Burmese jade? What is Hetian jade?
Burmese jade means jadeite from Myanmar, the source of nearly all fine jadeite. Hetian jade refers to China's nephrite tradition, historically the most culturally important jade in Chinese history. Both are real jade; they're different minerals.
How do I know if my jade is treated?
You can't reliably tell at home; polymer treatment is invisible to touch, weight, and flashlight tests. Lab certification (FTIR testing in particular) is the only dependable answer for jadeite.
Is jade expensive?
The range is enormous: honest Type A pieces start around $100, while auction-level jadeite reaches millions. Material, treatment status, and the three quality factors (color, transparency, texture) determine where a piece lands.
