Jade is a beautiful green colored precious gemstone. A real jade can comprise of one of the two different minerals namely, jadeite or nephrite. However, most of the times people cannot figure out the difference between the real and fake jade and hence get cheated by the dealers. Any stone which is green in color must not be jade. It can be anything from a simple crystal to plastic. One must check the gemstone for a few things before buying it in order to confirm if it is a real jade. Here is the list of ways that one can find out whether the stone is an authentic jade or not.
Basic Information
One must possess some basic information regarding the gem in order to be able to identify its originality. It is a fact that authentic jade can only be either jadeite or nephrite. Myanmar produces the most expensive and exclusive jadeite such as Burmese jadeite, Burma Jade, Imperial Jade or Chinese Jade. British Columbian mines produce nearly 75 percent of jade in the form of nephrite. Although fake jade stones could be made of any material, however, some of the most popular gems that look like jade can be aventurine quartz, serpentine, Chrysoprase also known as Australian Jade, opaque dolomite marble or Malaysia Jade.
Identification through Naked Eyes
If you bring the gem in bright light, you will be able to see a fibrous intertwining that resembles asbestos structure and pattern of 10X loupe. If you can see that in the stone, then it can be confirmed that it is a real nephrite or jadeite.
Density
Jade is a high density gemstone with jadeite weighing around 3.3 and nephrite approximately 2.95 in density. Either one can perform a special density test or can simply through the stone up in the air. When the stone falls back into your palms, it might feel a little heavier than the rest of the stones or equivalent to them. If it feels heavy then it is likely to be a genuine jade. Another way one can check if he/she is being sold an authentic jade is by clonking it against a real jade stone, if you have one. The sound produced as a result of clinking can help one determine the authenticity of the stone. If it gives a sound of a heavy stone then it is a real jade. On the other hand, if the sound resembles more to a plastic collision then you have a fake jade in your hand.
Using your Hands
A real jade must feel smooth, cold and soft just like a piece of soap. It would take some time to draw heat from your hand and get warm. This is a sign of pure jade.
Above mentioned ideas can help you get an idea of whether you are in for a fair deal or not. You can also learn a few tests such as density test and scratch test in order to be more certain about your findings.
