Jade Necklace

Jade is a mineral that has been used for thousands of years to make jewelry. Even today with technological advances and new machinery a Jade necklace is much appreciated anywhere in the world.  Hundreds of years ago when a Chinese empress or a Mayan priest wore them they were made by hand with materials and tools available then today machines are used that will take advantage of even the smallest piece and turn it into a beauty.

Two different minerals have been given the same name, jade for many years; they are similar in nature and color but not quite. The first one is Nephrite and the other is Jadeite, nephrite is always green, different shades of green from a light color to dark green. Jadeite comes in many colors, yellow, green pink and even different shade of blue.

Both jade and jadeite have been used in numerous countries for many years. Mesoamerican cultures valued it highly and used it to make weapons, masks and other decorations including highly decorated jade necklaces which were used in special human sacrifice ceremonies to their gods. The most valuable jade is nephrite which is translucent. It is not important what shade of green it has, but when the jade loses its milky characteristics it has become pure and almost crystalline, and this is when it is most valuable.

Today you can find beautiful pieces of jewelry combining both jade and jadeite in the same piece. Gold and platinum are used to complement them. Central American jewelries make pieces like necklaces and earring sets that are made out of jade or jadeite combined with gold and they resemble those used by their priests and kings. Some of them are absolutely amazing and you wonder how these people manage to make the same pieces without the tools and machines we now posses.

Chinese inspired pieces are also magnificent; Chinese tend to surround the jade pieces with gold while the Mayans would only use gold to keep the pieces together. It is also a mistake to say “Chinese styled” pieces because jade was and still is used in many oriental countries not only China. Any way oriental pieces are even carved and have gold incrustations inside the jade to add color to the rock or show some kind of symbolism. Oriental pieces combine different colors of jadeite with the actual pieces of large jade to add color too.

Jade necklaces are found today in many jewelry stores but especially in those of oriental or Mesoamerican orientation. You must be sure what style you prefer because they are different in many ways. Oriental pieces and necklaces have always been larger are more ornate. Using many different jadeite pieces of different colors to add lights and contrast to the pieces. Mesoamerican pieces are more conservative in the amount of jade used on the pieces but tend to be exaggerated by the gold. So it is really a matter of taste, jade is a beautiful stone to wear and will match with many different materials especially with light colors.