Extraordinary Gemstones · 07
Jadeite
The stone of heaven
No gemstone carries more civilisation within it than jade. For three thousand years it has been the East's supreme material of virtue, worn against the skin, carved with meaning, passed between generations as character made mineral.
Of the two jades, jadeite is the rarer and finer: harder, more translucent, capable of the vivid apple and imperial greens, the icy near transparency, and the lavender that collectors cross oceans for. The finest jadeite, by weight, exceeds diamond in price.
The Science
What the earth had to do
A rock, not a crystal
Jadeite is a pyroxene rock of interlocking microscopic crystals, the source of its legendary toughness. Its beauty is judged not by facets but by colour, translucency and texture: the finest material seems lit from within, like water holding light.
Colour and the empire of green
Chromium gives the imperial green; iron the blue greens; manganese the lavenders. 'Icy' jadeite, nearly colourless and highly translucent, has risen from scholar's taste to auction star.
Type A
The market's first question is treatment. 'Type A' jadeite, natural colour, no polymer impregnation, only traditional surface waxing, is the only material serious collectors consider. Certification from recognised laboratories is indispensable.
Provenance
Where the finest come from
Gem jadeite comes, overwhelmingly, from the Kachin hills of northern Burma (Myanmar). Guatemala supplies historic and archaeological material, but the imperial standard is Burmese.
Collecting
How collectors judge it
Jadeite is judged by colour, translucency, texture and craft, and by the cultural literacy of its carving. Bangles and beads of fine colour are the blue chips; carved plaques carry meaning as well as material. The finest lavender and icy pieces have set repeated auction records in Hong Kong.
The Genesis Perspective
Jadeite is the deepest seam in the Genesis workshop: carved icy plaques, lavender peonies, pods of fortune wrapped in diamonds, bangles of near transparency, and a necklace of nine vivid greens, the house's largest single body of work.
From the Workshop
Jadeite at Genesis
All Masterpieces →
Further Reading
From the Genesis Journal
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Whether you are searching for an extraordinary natural gemstone, commissioning a bespoke creation or seeking expert guidance, we look forward to hearing from you.