|
Jade Rings
This gem, with its discreet yet rather greasy lustre, which
comes in many fine
nuances of green, but also in shades of white, grey, black, yellow, and orange
and in delicate violet tones, has been known to Man for some 7000 years. In
prehistoric times, however, it was esteemed rather more for its toughness, which
made it an ideal material for weapons and tools. Yet as early as 3000 B.C. jade
was known in China as 'yu', the 'royal gem'. In the long history of the art and
culture of the enormous Chinese empire, jade has always had a very special
significance, roughly comparable with that of gold and diamonds in the West.
Jade was used not only for the finest objects and cult figures, but also in
grave furnishings for high-ranking members of the imperial family. long ago as the pre-Columbian period, the Mayas, Aztecs
and Olmecs of Central
America also honoured and esteemed jade more highly than gold. New Zealand's
Maoris began carving weapons and cult instruments from native jade in early
times, a tradition which has continued to the present day.
'Jade', or yu, as it is called in China, is strictly speaking a generic term for
two different gems, nephrite and jadeite. The name is derived from the Spanish
'piedra de ijada', loin-stone, jade because the natives of Central America believed it to be a remedy for kidney ailments. Jadeite and nephrite are both regarded in China as
'zhen yu', 'genuine jade'. It was not until the beginning of the 19th century
that mineralogists and gemmologists started to differentiate between them, since
they bear a considerable resemblance to each other in terms of their appearance,
their hardness and the properties they exhibit when being processed. Both are
tough, since they consist of dense, close-grained, matted aggregates, but they
differ from one another in their chemical composition and colours. Nephrite
ranges mainly from mid to dark green or grey-green, but it can also be white,
yellowish or reddish. Rarer, and somewhat tougher, jadeite displays hues which
include green, but also white or pink, and reds, blacks, browns and violets. In
both minerals, the way the colour is distributed varies a great deal. Only in
the very finest jade is the colour evenly distributed. Both nephrite and jadeite
often have veins, blemishes and streaks running through them, though these may
not always be regarded as flaws. On the contrary, some of these patterns are
considered particularly valuable.
|
|
|
| Click on photo to enlarge in new window. |
|
Light green 6x11 triangle of Wyoming jade set in a custom-made bezel cup and mounted on a size 8½ hammered pure sterling
silver band.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Click on photo to enlarge in new window. |
|
Fascinating green and white 6x11 lozenge-shaped cabochon cut from southeast Asian material. I set this in a custom-made
bezel cup with silver accents all around the stone and mounted it on a fancy hand-made size 7½ split shank ring.
|
|
|
