The mysticism and beauty associated with jade, have made it one of the most intriguing and desired gemstones, especially in China, where it has mythical status and is believed to embody the five virtues of wisdom, justice, compassion, modesty and courage. For thousands of years jade has been worn as jewelry and carved into artistic objects. Its use goes all the way back to prehistoric times when people used jade to make tools, weapons, ritual objects and adornments. Today, jade is mainly used in jewelry and carved to create spectacular objets d’art.
The Mayans, Aztecs and Jade
In both Mayan and Aztec cultures jade was used to make religious relics, jewelry and ornaments, but they also used the gem for medical purposes, which is in part how it got its name. The word jade derives from the Spanish phrase “piedna dei jada”, which translates to “stone of the side pain”. The description came about when Spanish explorers watched indigenous people in Central America hold jade to their sides to stop aches and pains. The phrase eventually became shortened to jade.
Nephrite Jade and Jadeite
There are two types of jade, nephrite and jadeite, both are jade, each with its own set of distinguishing characteristics.
Jadeite is semi-translucent to opaque, glowing with a glassy shine. While we generally associate jade with green, jadeite comes in several colors each with its own meaning. Green symbolizes harmony and renewal; red suggests love and energy; yellow is associated with joy and creativity, orange with ambition, lavender with spiritual awareness and intuition and black jade is said to bring protection and grounding. Imperial Green is the most revered of all the jades, it is the highest quality, with the brightest color and a lustrous shine. When you touch jadeite, it will feel smooth, cool and glasslike.
Nephrite jade is a little more subdued in its appearance. It is generally opaque and comes in fewer colors — green, brown, white and gray. It has less shine and a slightly more matte look that is sometimes described as creamy, or greasy. When you touch nephrite jade, it has a more waxy feeling. Nephrite comes from the Greek word “nephos” which means kidney. In Chinese medicine, jade is used to treat the kidneys which is how the name was derived.
Jade Carving
There is a tremendous amount of mythology associated with Jade, perhaps because it has been used in various cultures around the world for thousands of years. It has been carved into monumental artworks by master carvers in China for over 3,000 years. It has also been carved into smaller decorative objects and jewelry, with the carved motif having its own special meaning. Some of the traditional themes are bats for happiness, butterflies for long life, dragons for power and prosperity and peaches for immortality. One of the most popular forms for jade and one that is often found in jewelry, is the Bi, which represents heaven. It is a flat disc with a hole in the center that is often worn as a necklace. Jade, whether Jadeite or Nephrite, is always a symbol of good luck, prosperity and success.
The gem was so important that Chinese Emperors during the Han dynasty were buried in suits made of thousands of pieces of nephrite jade sewn together.
Jade Mythology
There is an ancient Chinese saying that “gold is valuable, but jade is priceless”. While jade is intrinsically valuable, much of the value of jade is also due to its metaphysical properties, beliefs held around the gemstone for thousands of years across many cultures. While both jadeite and nephrite allegedly have beneficial healing energies, they are slightly different.
Jadeite is said to bring balance and harmony into your life, while clearing negative energy away and introducing feelings of hope and joy. Nephrite supposedly has calming energy that leads to peace and serenity. It is suggested that both are beneficial for meditation, nephrite protects the soul and jadeite opens the mind to peace and finding your true purpose in life. Known as the “dream stone”, jade is said to help people access the spirit world to gain insights into hidden thoughts.
Whether you are attracted to jade for its beauty and value, or if you love it for its mystical properties, jewelry is a great way to connect with this gem that mythology says is made from crystalized moonlight.
Top: Carved natural jadeite, diamond, onyx and 18-karat white gold floral motif pendant, courtesy, J.&S.S. DeYoung (@laurendeyoungjewelry).
Authored by Amber Michelle