How Jade Makes You Feel Better

Yesterday I went to Honeybaked Ham store to pick up an order I made for New Year's Day dinner.  Traffic was amazingly light and I got there about 10 minutes before it opened. It was already 80+ degrees so I got out of the car and walked around the stores in the complex.  The only one open was a Starbucks two stores away from Honeybaked.  When I got back to Honeybaked, a small, furry white dog that was outside Starbucks with its owner started yipping and barking at me, wagging its tail like I was a long lost friend.  When it started howling, the woman brought it over to me, telling me the dog wanted me to pat it.  It was my pleasure, as it rolled around and panted, almost like it was humming or singing.  It didn't want to leave.

I was smiling.  I had white fur all over my gray jeans, and drool on my hands.

I love dogs, but can't have one.  I walk for at least 30 minutes right at sunset.  And I always hope to see dogs out walking too, and pat them.

Why do dogs make us feel so good?  Dogs are companions, sometimes assistant helpers, often get brought into hospitals, nursing homes to cheer up the patients.  Some people will not fly on a plane unless they have their medical assistance dog with them.

Earlier in the morning, I read an article in the newspaper about science proving that touch,  human or animal, causes our serotonin  levels to rise.  Serotonin is our "happy chemical".  Not only does it make us happy, but is essential in treating cardiac problems, including a study that shows higher serotonin levels improve heart valves, especially the mitral valve.  Doctors look for a way to raise serotonin levels, and all they need to do is hug, touch, or find a dog to pat for the patient.  Well, I don't know if science can cure prolapsed mitral valves that way, but they are experimenting with it.

Patting dogs, getting a hug, improve serotonin levels.  How does jade fit in here?

When you are wearing a jade bangle bracelet, you probably touch it during the day.  The bangle edges touch your skin, acupoints during the day.  When you touch your jade bangle bracelet, move it around on your wrist, you are getting pleasure, therefore raising your serotonin levels.  And getting acupressure on major points in your wrist.

Another reason to not only wear a jade bangle bracelet all the time, but also get the one that fits closest to your wrist.

NJ2363 small Chinese jade bangle bracelet

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What Does My Jade Bangle Mean: Black "Two Dragons Hold Pearl"

Often long time customers contact me when they are ready to buy more jade.  They show me that jade they are attracted to, then tell me what's going on in their life, and what they hope will happen.  A couple months ago, a jade friend who also owns one of my "sister" jadeite bangle bracelets was going through a stressful time at her work place.  She had previously purchase a Pixiu jadeite pendant, for protection.  We wear the same size jade bangle bracelets, so she is often interested in jade bangles I purchased for myself.   She has a lot of jade, so I wondered if some of the jade she has now would be helpful to her.  She was wearing it, but needed a little something extra. 

When I'm going through a rough time and need to "overcome adversity", feel strength and be protected, I wear my black Chinese jade "Two Dragons Hold Pearl" round bangle.  I haven't been able to get that good quality jade, nor find a jade carver who can do the detailed carving, so haven't bought any in years.  The sizes I have that are similar were too large for her, so I sent her mine on loan. 

I immediately put in on my wrist when it was returned, and felt so good.
Looks great with my old mine carved jadeite bangle (Pam's favorite, too)

She returned it before Christmas with a note.  She felt better wearing it for awhile. And she had moved on to a new project at her work away from toxic management and unproductive team mates.  She was busier, but happier. 

That's using jade for its energy.   Putting jade to work for you.  Feng shui for your life, as discussed in the previous blog. 

Some of the women who bought jade bangles as holiday gifts for themselves have been sending me comments, photos, stories.  I would love to share these on the blog.

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Which Jade Bangle Bracelet Should I Choose for Myself?

Every year at Christmas time, my birthday, and Chinese Lunar New Year I dig into my inventory and choose a jade bangle bracelet for myself.  I look at all of the ones I really like including the ones I put online for sale.  Then I hold each one and "feel" which one is best for me.  I know I will like any (and all!) of them, but my energy needs are constantly changing, so I am able to make my choice by feeling the qi energy I need.

This Christmas, my choice are already listed on the Jade Heaven web site.  This one I hoarded for many years before I listed it recently:

JHBB551 classic round grade A Burmese jadeite bangle bracelet

It's slightly more "yin" than the "sister" one I kept for myself, more white and more translucent. It calms my spirit, helps me get the blissful feeling when I need it.

JHBB3126 Wide "Cuff" of Natural Color Burmese Jadeite Bangle

I don't have a wide "cuff" style, and I like the heavy feel of this good green jadeite bangle bracelet.  I know I will have to use a plastic bag to put over my hand, then put on the bangle because the width makes it more difficult and painful to put on, but it will sit very close to my wrist and not slide up my arm like the more slender jade bangles.

Since I treat my customers the way I like to be treated, over the Christmas holiday I'm offering coupons and gifts on Jade Heaven and Ying Yu Jade.   Treat yourself.  It's not only for the beauty of the jade, but for the good qi energy.  

By the way, I think I'll take one now, and the other one just before Year of the Fire Monkey next month!  If you wear a small size, get it before I do. 

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Feng Shui: Putting Your Jade to Work For You: Jade Money Toads

Feng Shui is  defined as a  Chinese geomantic practice in which a structure or site is chosen or configured so as to harmonize with the spiritual forces that inhabit it. It is based in Daoism, the balance of yin and yang, also the basis of Chinese medicine. When your surroundings feng shui is not balanced,  it lacks the feeling of being "just right".  When you body feng shui of the meridians is not balanced, illness occurs.

When I first started going to China to buy jade and building an online store, I was introduced by my Chinese doctor friend and the jade associate I work with to jade money toads as feng shui for business, building wealth.  And the three-legged jade money toads are the classic and traditional style.  If you have one in your home or office, make sure Toad faces inward, towards your office if you have one.  Place Toad near an entrance, and put Toad on a table, not on the floor. Do not place it near kitchen, bathrooms or bedrooms.   If Toad's mouth is open, and it faces toward the outside of the home, it means the wealth qi will flow out, which you don't want to happen.  The open mouth means it is "hungry", for wealth, fortune and good luck.  The coin in Toad's mouth should not obstruct the mouth so the qi can flow smoothly.  The three-legged money toads traditionally have a coin in their mouth.  If there are symbols or Chinese writing on the coin, the coin should face upwards.

My three legged money toad is BIG and HEAVY.  It covers the top of a wooden two-drawer file cabinet next to my desk.  There are actually two toads with a chain to bind them.  Big Toad has a yuan bao carved on its back, the traditional Chinese symbol for money.  Little Toad has an open mouth but no coin in the mouth.  For me, Big Toad is symbolic of China and Jade, and successful and respected jade business in China.  Little Toad represents me, learning from Big Toad, and the chain is my emotional attachment to jade business.  It is very unfortunate jade business has lost a lot of respect because of fraud, but when I received Toads the business was still respected and that  is my vow to keep my jade businesses honest and respectful.

There are still a few jade money toads in the Carvings Collection.  It is auspicious to give or receive a three legged money to celebrate new year, Chinese lunar new year, birthdays, and business events. The photo shows a metal old Chinese coin in Toad's mouth, but if you are a blog reader and purchase one, you can request a jade coin, while supply lasts.

Chinese jade three legged money toads with coin

Three legged jade money toads are very auspicious, and it's important place them properly to benefit from the feng shui. 

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Keeping our Jade Buyers and Their Purchases Safe This Holiday Season

I've been busy filling orders, responding to customer questions, and help people decide what kind of jade to buy, and if it's a jade bangle, figuring out the best size.

Jade is different because of the qi energy, history, tradition, and culture that surrounds it. And unfortunately the amount of fake jades that abound, especially online.

I really do treat customers the way I like to be treated when I buy online.  So here are some of the things I do to keep customers safe, and their purchases safe after we ship them.

First and most important, I guarantee our jade is as described.  Every piece of jadeite is tested with a gemology testing refraction meter to make sure it really is jadeite.  I have documentation about where and how most of it was purchased to refer to.  The guarantee states that if you don't think your jade is "real", and you have it tested by a GIA gemologist (Gemology Institute of America) and it's not, you will receive a complete refund and deep apology.  And then I will be expecting an apology from a jade seller in China.  Most of the jadeite also gets tested in China by a government testing, but no formal certificates made. Sometimes I got a "deal" of jadeite with certificates, so if you want a certificate you have a choice of those jadeite bangle bracelets and bi pendants.

Burmese jadeite with number corresponding to certificate

When you buy online from our store, your credit card information is never divulged.  We see only the last four digits of your card, and get notified if there are risks or discrepancies. That's why we don't take phone orders, because you wouldn't want me to try to keep your card information safe for the years that are required.  And by completing your purchase online, we both have a copy of the transaction, the item numbers, shipping address so there isn't any confusion about what you ordered, where it was shipped to.

Then it's packed well, with padding, bubble wrap.  If you upgrade to USPS priority mail, there's $50 insurance included.  And if the order is $250+, it's shipped with insurance.  This time of year, the higher priced orders are shipped with signature confirmation, my gift to you, so the jade gets to you from the mail carrier, not left in a mailbox, or somewhere else in error.  You are notified of the tracking number, and can know when it's out for delivery.  If you receive an email that your package was delivered, and you didn't get, you have the tracking to try to "track it down".

And if you need to exchange, I do my best to make it as easy and inexpensive as I can, often waiving the restocking fee.  Jade is one of kind, and each piece needs photos and a description.  It takes approximately 40 minutes to get one piece photographed, edited, and put on the web site with a description.  So for returns we include a small restocking fee. It's not like selling t shirts where you have 1-2 photos for thousands of the same item in different sizes.

That's because jade is special.  And jade loving customers deserve special treatment, as is the jade when it's shipped to you.

Jade has good qi energy, and usually makes the journey to where it's supposed to be, and I encourage it with taking good care of it, and you, the customer.

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How Do You Know the Right Jade for You? Fun, Creativeness, and Managing Your Life

Several emails, comments from jade lovers who enjoyed reading the Creative Ways to Wear Jade posting.  There is often so much drama about jade: is the jade you sell real?  How can you prove that?  Are you sure your jade is real jade? I know there's a lot of fake jade out there, and jade that is color treated but described as grade A and natural, and it is a real sadness that the purity of jade has been so blemished by greed, ignorance.

And jade can really be fun.  I'll try to share some of the photos readers sent in a future blog post.

I've been really busy, stressed out with orders and  trying to provide excellent customer service the last few weeks and I haven't been getting away for a few hours of rest and relaxation.  One of my girlfriends knows me well enough to talk me into a shopping trip, or evening out when she sees I need it.  Last week, she talked me into dinner at a Mexican restaurant and Universal City Walk with our husbands.  She always wears Christmas clothes this time of year.  I don't own any, but I found a fun outfit to wear.  While I was looking for accessories, I came across a jade bangle bracelet that I've kept for myself, but never worn, and it felt so "fun" that I decided to wear it.

As soon as I put it on, stress disappeared, and I actually had an appetite.  When I'm busy, food is just for survival, and I really don't care about eating.  So feeling hungry was a surprise.  Antojitos Mexican restaurant has interesting decor, and we asked for a table that's like a centerpiece.  I ordered a dinner that I never ate before, but it sounded good, and I ate almost all of it.  And then had fun wandering around they City Walk.  I was relaxed, but with creative energy that didn't go negative when I got home.  And I slept all night.

With the jade bangle on.

And woke up wanting to go shopping, but had orders to get packed and shipped because I hadn't worked the night before.  So I took the "wild jade bangle" off, and put my "calm spirit" carved one on and settled down to "normal" again.

So what was so special about the jade bangle?   Other than it looks fabulous, so different, it's genuine Chinese "river jade", natural color and high quality with great color and polish.
It's very high energy with the deep green and black. And the honey color related to the spleen meridian gave me a good appetite.  The black color is related to protection, assertiveness and self confidence. And some of the hues in the honey are "hong" red, adding some fire to life, but also balancing with the softer colors on half of it.

I'm not wearing it now, but it's always with me. I've been carrying it around with me just to keep it close for the energy.   It's giving me hope and the promise that I can change my energy level.  It gives me the energy I need when I want some time to enjoy life and come out of my "comfort zone" for awhile.  I'm planning to wear it when I go the the holiday parties coming up this season.

That's why I write:  if you see jade that appeals to you, gives you a special feel, and almost makes you want to drool over it, then that's the jade for you.

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Creative Ways to Wear and Use Jade Every Day

I purchased a new handbag for myself this week, a cross body medium size bag.  I couldn't find a really nice leather one at a price I wanted to pay.  Most were too small, or too large, and I need "medium".  I found one at Ross store, the size was right, it hung the way I want it too, and not too wide at the bottom.  Before I start using it, I want to make something to hang on it to make it look a little nicer.  I have a small box with odds and ends, and some small jade pendants, and use wire and clasps to attach it to a clasp that hooks on a handbag.  I also make key rings for important keys from jade to assure they won't get lost and will be lucky.  Then I remembered I had one jadeite "yuan bao" hanger that would look really good.  But reluctant to put it on a cheap handbag.

Jadeite "yuan bao" lucky hanger  

A customer had purchased one a few weeks ago, and sent me a photo of how it looks on her handbag.

That's a nice purse.  I'm going to wait until I get my good one for Christmas to use the last one I have.  It's still listed, and if you buy it, I can always make an alternative because there's so much you can do with jade.  The yuan bao hangers were bought in China when I was shopping there.  I learned that Chinese people use these on their mobile phones a lot.  I wish I had purchased more. 

If you buy a small jade pendant, or one of the hollow carved beads, you can make your own hanger for your handbag, or just a "little something" to carry in your pocket to keep you in good qi energy through the day.

Hollow carved jadeite bead

That's what I used the hollow carved jadeite beads for.  I made some hanging clips, then realized how popular the Pandora style bracelets are, and was very happy they fit on the bracelets, as well as you can easily string a necklace chain through it.

Some of the jadeite bracelets and necklaces can also be looped through the rings on your handbag to make them special. 

Jade is endlessly interesting.  That's why I have enjoyed buying and selling it for more than 16 years, and have blogged regularly about it for 12 years.  I can always thinking of something to do with and say about jade. 

Have fun being creative with jade!

What Does Jade Cost and How Much Should I Pay for Jade?

There's a saying in China: "Diamonds and gold have a price, but jade has no price".

Diamonds and gold have quality scales and karat and carat weights.  But jade does not.

When you go into a Chinese  jade store, or jade market, or buy directly from the jade carver, there are no prices on jade.  The seller "assess" you, and then the price is what you and the seller agree on.  Jade shops in Chinatown or online have prices.  If you didn't have online prices, it would be nearly impossible to buy.  Although I have offered "make an offer day".

If you read the blog, you may have read about my experiences going to China, the days it takes to get my US dollars converted to Chinese cash, because jade sellers don't accept credit cards, it's a cash business.  And how I would spend a day traveling by bus, train, van to get to a jade carver near the Burma border.  I can't put any price on the difficult trek, the unrecognizable food, squatting over a mud hole that serves as a restroom.  And although I learned some Mandarin Chinese language, the Chinese language in the south is different, and for many years I didn't have an app on a smart phone to help me.  But I had a very good quality jadeite bangle bracelet on my wrist so I immediately earned the respect of jade sellers.

A jade market near the Burma border. So much to buy and only one husband to help me get it home!

So that experience of acquiring jade to sell justifies any price on the Jade Heaven web site.

Before web sites went mobile, I designed and maintained a "real" web site, made on Dreamweaver, and using FTP to upload and keep it current.  But first, the domain name had to be purchased.  They were actual fairly inexpensive, but domain names that state the purpose of your online business are more difficult and expensive now.  The ideal domain name would be jade.com.  And that jade.com domain name sold to a company in Europe for $1.5 million dollars last year!

So real genuine, natural jade is cherished, and not cheap.

And on Jade Heaven and Ying Yu Jade, you get what you pay for.  The higher the price, the better the quality.  Ying Yu Jade focus is Chinese jade, with some Burmese jadeite, but the jade bangle bracelets and pendants on Jade Heaven are Burmese jadeite. 

    *The higher quality jadeite has more value.  It often is finer grain with a high "chime"
    *The more green and deeper green veins on a jadeite piece give it more value
    *Natural color is more rare and costly.  Some people love lavender jadeite, but an all lavender jadeite bangle bracelet is valued at thousands, maybe hundreds of thousand dollars,  Veins of "hong" red, honey, white add value.
    *Naturally translucent jadeite is also more rare, especially now.  The more translucent, the higher the value.
    *The only truly reputable gemology testing is through GIA, Gemological Institute of America, and the cost for a complete testing and certification is $100+.   Sometimes customers wear their jade bangle bracelets if they travel to China, and ask jade sellers there if their jade is "real".  Can you guess what you would be told and why they would say that?
(The answer is they tell you it's fake, but can sell you a real one, and will provide you with a certificate stating your original jade is fake)


While we all want our jade bangle bracelets and pendants to be "perfect", unless you are paying a premium price, you might find something that makes you wonder if it's a crack or some damage.  There's another Chinese saying: "The jade carver always leaves something behind".  And many Chinese people appreciate that "imperfection" because they know they have real jade.  (Jade has inclusions that sometimes look like cracks, but it's the way jadeite stone is often formed.  That's another blog post!)


I have had customers tell me that they showed a jade bangle bracelet on Jade Heaven to their jeweler to get their opinion, and were told that the jade couldn't be real because the price was too low.  I could raise prices because I agree they are low, but I'm at a point in my jade selling career that I want these to be on someone's wrist, because I do plan to retire one of these days!.

Translucent "glowing" soft green jadeite bangle bracelet
classic round style,  the kind of jade bangle I buy for myself

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Searching for that Perfect Jade Bangle Bracelet and How Do I Know My Jade is "Real"

Many people are shopping for jade bangle bracelets for the holiday.  Some are men looking for a jade bangle for the woman in their life.  Most are women looking for jade bangle bracelets for themselves.

The question I get at least once every day even when it's not holiday season is: "what kind of jade bangle should I buy" and then "how do I know if my jade bangle is real".  Today I got a question about why the jade bangle bracelets on Jade Heaven are "expensive" and  not as "pretty and green" as the ones on a web site she referred me to.  It's a web site that has been selling jade bangle bracelets for as long as I have, and is in California, and probably a Chinatown area.  The jade bangles on the site are organized by price range.  They are all translucent and have good green color.  The higher priced ones are more translucent with more green color.

She wanted to buy jadeite, Burmese jadeite, so I explained about jadeite, and the political problems in Burma that have caused the good green imperial jadeite to become more rare and very expensive.  Then she asked if the jade bangle bracelets on the other site were "real" because if imperial jadeite is so expensive, why was the other seller's basically less than $1000.

They appear to be real jadeite.

And the higher priced jadeite bangle bracelets have been very nicely color treated.

It's common to color enhance most gemstones, even diamonds.  But people get extremely upset about color enhanced jade.

Color enhanced jadeite is "real" jadeite.  When tested by refraction, it will show the same value as any jadeite, whether it's $10 or $1 million.  So if you want "good green" and translucent jade, and at a "reasonable" price, you should purchase from this other seller because they are beautiful.  And they have a great selection.  They also have a lot of information about jade that is accurate.  But I didn't see any statement that their jade is not grade A, natural color.

If you wear jade as jewelry,  and you want it to look green and translucent, B and C grade jadeite is the kind to get.  People will be impressed, and you will be happy with it.

Some people like natural color jade because that's the kind of person they are.  They are mindful of how they live their lives, their diet and wellness plan.  And they want jade that will blend with their body qi energy, as jade in China has done for centuries, until the last couple hundred years.  That's the kind of jadeite on Jade Heaven, genuine and natural and purchased during the years 2000-2005 when I was getting the jade business started, still working a "regular" job and spending every dollar buying jade when I went to China.  So it's older jadeite, and it's somewhat rare.  My first visit to China was to learn Chinese medicine, and that's when I learned about jade, and the qi energy relationship.

Grade A, B and C jade are all "real jade".

Jadeite Carved Bead Bracelet Grade A

Pretty color treated jade beads

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Why Does Jade Make Us Feel Better? Some Benefits of Wearing Jade

If you have been reading the Jade Blogger, you have seen several posts about jade and health.  We know Chinese jade has been used for centuries by Chinese medicine doctors for balancing body qi to treat illness and prevent people from becoming ill.  And the colors of jade just happen to be the colors related to the five meridians, the basis of acupuncture.  The Chinese "river jade" is cherished for the natural color caused by the mineral that were in the water where it is mined, and if used as medicine can correspond with balancing the meridians.  The qi needs to flow smoothly through the meridians.  When it gets stuck, that's when we feel ill or in pain, and acupuncture helps release it.

Natural Color Chinese "River Jade" colors related to liver, spleen and lungs

That's the classic, centuries old traditional thoughts about jade and healing.  And today, with alternative medicine and treatments becoming more popular, jade again stands out as healing.  One of the best healing aspects is that it is natural, and you don't ingest it.  You simply share body qi with it.

If you are attracted to a particular jade piece, perhaps a jade pendant with green and "kiss of hong" you might need the stuck qi in your heart and liver meridians to flow smoothly again.  When you wear that jade pendant, you will probably touch it often to stimulate the healing.  And if it's a jade bangle bracelet that you are attracted to, you will feel it stimulating the acupressure points on your wrist throughout the day.

The other "new age" reason is that studies show that doing something pleasurable raised the serotonin levels in your body, the chemicals that make you feel good, maybe even blissful.  So not only are you getting the healing qi energy of the jade, but when you love your jade, touch it, look at it, the pleasure you feel is raising the serotonin and helping you to feel better.

Now all you need to do is to get your physician to write that you need jade to help your health and then you can use your jade purchase as an income tax deduction for health care!
Aren't some of you jade lovers physicians, health care providers?  Let's get this movement going so we can claim our jade purchases for health care needs.  (When pigs fly!)

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Protecting and Taking Care of Your Jade at Home

Yesterday I went to a jewelry and fashion wholesale trade show.  My biggest purchase was very cute boxes I want to use over the holiday season for customers who order small items like jade pendants, some of the necklaces, and other small things.  There is so much to look at, when I arrive I go up and down each aisle just to see what's being sold and where I might want to make purchases.  This show has some sterling silver jewelry but most is the cheap costume jewelry, although it looks pretty.  But after walking up and down all the rows of vendors, it was kind of disgusting, and I can honestly say I didn't desire any of it.  I spend hours, and days, walking around jade markets, and never get tired of looking at jade.

I was surprised to see a Chinese man selling jade bangle bracelets at one booth.  As I approached, I could see right away that it probably was agate and not jade, and if it was jade, it was very acid washed and color treated.  He started telling me about how fine his jade was, and only $8 each.  I asked what kind, and he kept telling me "jade, real jade, all natural.  Only $8 today.  Sometimes sells for millions of dollars, some days only $8".  It looked similar to these on ebay:

"Fake" jade,  probably agate

I showed him the jade bangle and he jumped up and knocked some of the bangles on the concrete floor and they broke into pieces.

There is another seller I have met with and her workers custom make some of the jade necklaces that are on my web sites.  She also has a few jadeite bangle bracelets, but states they are color treated, sells them wholesale $100.  She places a carpet mat on the floor before she unpacks her items.  If buyers knock something over or drop something, it doesn't break.

And that's a good tip for taking care of your jade at home.

When we planned our new home that replaced the one damaged in the storm this year, all the floors except kitchen, laundry area and bathrooms are carpeted.  We do like hard wood and tile, but it's safer for handling all the jade here.  My office has rugs over the carpet.  Handling hundreds of jade bangles and moving them around, this is crucial.  The place where you take off/put on your jade bangle should be a soft surface.  I can't tell you how many women have sadly told me that they were so excited to get their new jade bangle, they took it out of the packing near/on their way from their mail box, and dropped it, cracking/breaking it.  Or trying to put on a small jade bangle so it stays close to the wrist, using lotion or soap, and it goes flying and landing on a hard surface, damaging it.  The only jade bangle bracelets that I personally own were broken trying to get them on and off, and not doing it over carpet, a rug, the bed or other soft surface.  And the jade that gets broken as it's getting ready to be listed is due to dropping on an uncarpteted floor on the way to the outdoor photo area, or on the concrete when I'm unpacking a jade shipment.  I often carry too many pieces from one place to another, and so grateful the drops were over the carpet.

Another tip for protecting your jade is to put it in the box or wrapper that came with it, or a soft jewelry box.  Make sure other jewelry doesn't hit it, like when you're rummaging around your jewelry box looking for something.

If you have worn jade for a long time, you may have learned protection methods the hard way, so if you give the gift of jade to someone who is new to jade, be sure to share the protection tips with them.  It's heartbreaking to hear stories from customers who gave a jade bangle bracelet to a friend or family member who was so excited to get it, she dropped it putting it on...and it broke.

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Buying (and Selling) Jade Online - Getting Ready for "Black "Friday"

Everyone is targeted this time of year to buy online and get special savings, especially on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.  How does buying jade fit into this?

Ying Yu Jade and Jade Heaven will have special sales.  In fact, we are following Amazon's lead and start "early" BF deals now.  One of the new features is the Layaway payment option for orders $500+.  When you choose the Layaway payment, you write in the comments box how you would like to structure your layaway.  Then we send you an invoice for your first payment, and we work out how and when you will make your next payments over 60 days, but could be longer for pricier items.  When you check out using Layaway, the item is marked as "sold" so no one else can purchase it, and we both have a record of the purchase.  If it's confusing, you can always contact us at the email address given in the information.

And we have free gifts starting now, that you add to your cart when you meet the minimum purchase price.  They are listed in the Specials, or Featured Sale sections.

And yes, we have sale prices on many items.

Here's a true story that I encountered in the past week.  A new customer has been looking for a special jadeite bangle bracelet for a special occasion.  She considered having some custom work done on it by a goldsmith.  She showed the goldsmith some of the listings.  The goldsmith told her that she probably doesn't want the kind of jade we sell, because "real jade sells for millions of dollars.  True, some of the imperial translucent green jadeite does sell for millions of dollars".  I have been told that our grade A jadeite bangle bracelets are "too cheap" to be "real" quite a few times.  This is more of the 1) misinformation and lack of knowledge, and 2) the "drama of jade" that legitimate jade sellers have to deal with.  And that makes having a jade business, especially online, very frustrating.

I am probably the only jade seller in US who has older jadeite, prior to the Lantos embargo. And yes, the prices are low, considering if you went to China and tried to buy the same thing, which they probably don't have much of.  In fact, I frequently get offers for the jadeite bangle bracelets from China and Hong Kong.  They sold these lovely jadeites years ago at very cheap prices, and now they are rare and difficult to find. But we have them!

I took a big risk when I started selling jadeite bangle bracelets.  I was still working a "regular job" 1999-2004.  During my annual vacation, I took every dollar I had been saving and went to China, made the agonizing inland trip to near the Burma border, and bartered with the jade carvers and bought as many jade bangles as I had money for and could haul home.  I brought home hundreds each trip.  Then in 2004 I stopped my regular job and did online selling because it was more fun, and I was selling a lot.  I still went to China and bought the jadeite bangles until the embargo in 2008 (which was finally ended October, 2016).  During  that time, I brought my husband with me, so we could buy more, bring more home.  We still have a home filled with jade.  I'm getting older, the "drama" around jade is getting worse, and I'm selling these jadeite bangle bracelets much lower than they should cost, but still profitable for me.  And a good price for a high quality older jadeite bangle bracelet, pendant for you.

So, you will really get a good price on our already low priced jadeite bangle bracelets and pendants during this holiday shopping time.  We have a guarantee of authenticity that we honor, Layaway options, and sale prices.  With all this positive jade qi energy I work with every day, I want to see other people benefit from owning and wearing this awesome jade.

Jade Gifts and Chinese Culture

I finished Jade Gift Guides on the Ying Yu Jade web site, for men, children, health care workers and people who do energy work, professionally or personally, and of course, women.  I will add to them as I get new ideas.  It was so enjoyable rummaging through all the jade for specific ideas without putting in too much that would make gift choices more difficult. 

I added some gifts that are not jade.  They are from my personal collection.  When I was going to China at least once each year, I read a lot about China, in novels and non-fiction.  One of the books sets I read included a book "Red Mansions".  A friend gave me a vintage plate with one of the "beauties" on it.  Then when I was shopping in Beijing in an older part of the city I found two of the classic inside painted glass bottles with a "beauty" on each one. 

I really love those inside painted bottles and have quite a collection of them. But the Beauties bottles are extremely nice, I don't think made for "tourists", rather for local Chinese people who enjoy their culture.  I put the bottles and the plate in the gift section for sale.

I went outside this evening to look at the Super Moon.  It's been very cloudy here all day,  and I didn't see it, so I went out an hour later.  It still wasn't completely visible, mostly the glow from it was all I could see.  Then for a few seconds the clouds broke and I saw it.  My jade bangle also picked up the glow from the moon.  Too bad I couldn't get a photo because it was so beautiful.   Jade is always beautiful, but some lighting situations make it look awesome.

Light shining through  Ying Yu Jade "luminous" bangle bracelets

Jade Gift Guide for You

The holidays really are coming on fast.  Not only Thanksgiving here in the US, but also Christmas, New Year's and Chinese Lunar New Year. The "Year of the Fire Rooster (Chicken and/or Cock)" begins January 28, 2017. Hmmm....somehow that seems to relate to the outcome of the US's presidential election with inauguration in January.

I will be blogging on the Ying Yu Jade news blog about gift guides for men, women, children, and special interests during the next week, to give you some ideas about what kind of jade makes good gifts for people that you want to give something special to.

The first blog is the gift guide for men.  There are certainly a lot more jade items that are good for men than what are suggested.  Dragon is the symbol of man, and man is "yang", but also needs some yin to keep him balanced. 

Vintage carved jade belt buckle for men

Vintage nephrite jade carved cuff links

Two of my favorite jade items for men are the vintage carved jade belt buckle and the nephrite jade carved cuff links.  There are only one of each, and each is one of a kind.  
I like the cuff links and actually wore them myself a few times on a very tailored long sleeve shirt, and they were in my "Ying Yu's Jewelry Box".  Since I don't work where I have to dress up any more, I don't wear them, and they deserve to be worn.  Although the color of the nephrite jade is yang dark green, the carving is "flowery" to add yin, so good for women as well as men.

If you need ideas for gifts for special people, or something special for yourself, check out the News Blog on Ying Yu Jade frequently to see the guide that's been added.

Gifts of Jade for the Holidays, or Any Time

I can't believe Thanksgiving day is only two weeks from today!  I make the entire dinner for 8-10 people each year and better get a shopping list made and do some planning.

That means "Black Friday" is right around the corner, too. 

With the holidays coming soon, I'm going to list gift items on Ying Yu Jade and Jade Heaven web sites.  Women who purchase jade bangle bracelets from our sites love them, and come back for more.  I'm told they would like to give jade bangles as gifts, but determining the recipient's jade bangle size is very challenging.  So to make it easier to give a gift of jade, I will list some of the jade pendants, necklaces, jade rollers and other "smaller" jade items at sale prices on the "Today's Special" on Ying Yu Jade, and the Jade Sale page on Jade Heaven.

And I started today, gifts of special jade for your special friends and relatives.

This is a new listing today of a jade and sterling silver hinged bracelet that's in the Ying Yu's Jewelry Box collection.  It has a hinge so the bracelet opens, and doesn't need to be slipped over knuckles and a hand like bangles do.

I've had it awhile, used it for talks and presentations about jade, but never worn it.

Jade, sterling silver and cubic zirconium hinged bracelet

 Check back often to see what's on sale for great gifts for the holidays (maybe a little something for yourself, too!)  When you make a purchase and your order is filled, you receive a coupon for 10% off your next order, so that will help you buy those special gifts.

I Am Surrounded By Jade

I have been talking about "retiring" for at least three years.  My friends keep asking me when I'm really going to do it, because  there's so much we all want to do together.  They can't understand why I work almost all afternoon.  What do I do that takes so much time when I've been selling jade online for 16 years?  Surely, I should have all the "work" done by now!

Ah, jade!  Every piece is different.  Even when I have jade made from the same jade carver, using the same rough, the pieces are different.  That's because it's natural stone, and nature had endless variations and differences.  If I sold t-shirts, I could take one photo and list perhaps 100 items using the same photo in all the different sizes.  But jade is different.  And each piece needs at least 20 minutes of photographing to get 2-4 photos.  The photos are taken in natural daylight in an outdoor area, and the day needs to be fairly clear, and the best time for the photos is between 11 am and 1 pm.  That's when the light shows off the beauty of the jade from my photo spot.  Then editing the photos is very minimal, mostly just sizing, and adding our store name to the photo, and tags, so they can be found online.  Listing each one takes 20-30 minutes to get all the measurements, details, perhaps retesting by refraction if I'm doubting it's genuine while I'm holding it to list it.  Then checking the photo on different browsers to make sure it looks like the "real thing".  After listing on the desktop computer, I check on a Windows and a Mac computer, then on an iPhone and another phone.  And on an iPad.  Then another 20-30 minutes to add to Pinterest and Facebook.  Then putting it away in the proper storage area so I can find it later.

I can get about three items listed in an afternoon of work.  And that's my goal for five days of the week.  There are three different stores: JadeBangleBracelets, Jade Heaven and Ying Yu Jade.

I have a lot of odds and ends of jade bangles, pendants, carvings scattered around my desk because I'm still organizing the office since we moved in in July.  I pick up three pieces on photo days to get them dealt with, and "the mess" is almost cleaned up.  Now there's a closet full of unlisted items.  So it never ends!   I will never retire!  I'll take offers if a reader wants to buy this exquisite and time consuming business.

Today one of the items I listed has been around the house for at least 10 years.  It's one of the vintage bangles That's so pretty I keep it near my desk just to look at it often.

Red cloisonne and Jade bangle bracelet Item #TI-1308

As I was listing it, I saw that the box was quite old and perhaps I should pitch it and put it in a new box.  Then I saw the company name inside the lid:  Julius Garfinckel & Co, Washington, D.C.   I looked online to see what that company is, and learned it is quite famous and the items from that company are listed on eBay, Pinterest, Etsy.  I knew one of my girlfriends was at the pool, and she lived and worked in Washington, D.C. for awhile, so I went to the pool to ask her about this company.  She didn't know, but the pool security guard did, and he wanted to come over and see it.  It's beautiful.  It's red cloisonne and jade, classic round bangle bracelet.  The cloisonne is the best quality I've ever seen, and the jade is excellent.  I decided I would continue to hoard it for myself, but everyone at the pool said they would like to see comments about the bangle and the company.  So your comments are welcome.  If you make a comment, it won't be published until I see that it's not SPAM. The comment gets approved and shows in the post within 24 hours.  It's only been a few hours since I listed it, and already a jade dealer in Hong Kong wants to buy it.  But I don't ship jade to China or Hong Kong because it "disappears" during customs check there, and the customer never gets it.

So yes, I spend a lot of time "working".  But what a job!  Being surrounded by jade.

Blue Cloisonne and Jade Classic Round Vintage Bangle Bracelet Item TI-1307
It's very pretty, and I like it as much as the Julius Garfinckle bangle

What Kind of Jade Should I Wear: November

If you wear jade for health, wellness and "medicine", November is the month related to the lung qi energy.  You can read the entire post of what kind of jade to wear for November on the Jade Blogger previous year November post.

Most of us have lived in areas that experienced a more hot and stormy summer than in previous years.  Many of us who experienced damage to body, or property from this warmer and stormier weather may still be processing the sadness and loss.  As readers may know from previous blogs, our home was so severely damaged it had to be replaced and that grief and loss is still present.  We also over react when storms occur now.  Healing the lung meridian helps with managing the grief and loss of life's events.  And the color of jade associated with the lung meridian is white.  But white with other colors may be more helpful this November.

The Chinese "river jade" bangle bracelets have the qi energy often used by Chinese medicine for healing.  And the "river jade" bangle bracelets often have white along with other colors.

Ying Yu Jade "river jade" natural color jade bangle bracelets for health

River jade is mined near a river in China, and the minerals in the river are what cause the natural color in the jade.  Our jade carver is aware and practices Chinese medicine and purchases the jade rough then carves the jade bangles so I have a selection of jade colors that work with the meridians for health and healing.

Not sure which jade bangle is best for you?  When you look at the jade bangle selection, and you keep coming back to one or two, and you are happy with the appearance, may even drool a little, then that's your intuitive body telling you it has the qi energy that will be beneficial to you.  Trust that feeling.  And that's why if you wear jade for health, you may benefit from a collection of different kind and colors of jade.

There are also more Chinese river jade bangle bracelets listed on our sister site, JadeBangleBracelets

JBB3201 "Overcoming Obstacles" Jade Bangle Bracelet on JadeBangleBracelets

 
More information about jade for health is in other Jade Blogger blogs.  The topic of the post is generally related to a question people have about jade.  But you can always contact us at jadeheaven@yahoo.com if you have questions.

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Changing Your Jade for Your Body Balancing: What Kind of Jade Should I Wear?

The "snowbirds" are back in Florida, and they brought much cooler weather.  Last week the temperatures were in the 90's during they day and 70's at night. Yesterday our temperatures were mid 70's during the day, and 50 last night.  I woke up feeling achy, tired, and generally out of sorts.  Maybe it was time to change my jade bangle bracelet.  I have been wearing a carved, soft neutral color, the "Pamela Favorite".

I took out one of the three boxes that holds my personal jade bangle bracelets. I took the lid off, and without looking, felt through the box.  Since it was cool in our home, they all felt deliciously cold.  I got a "tingle" and good feeling inside from one, and took it out of the box.
I usually don't wear "good green" and was surprised that was the "one for me" today.

Green color jade is related to the liver meridian, for overall health and wellness of the body, mind and spirit.  The element is Wood.  It will help my feelings of anxiety and frustration (probably due to the past 6 months of losing one home and have another built). I also have some other symptoms of Liver meridian imbalance including dry and brittle nails, headaches, sinus congestion and abdominal distress.  I'm going to continue to wear it while we are taking a few days for vacation next week.  (Online stores Ying Yu Jade and Jade Heaven will be closed October 25-27).

While I was "searching" for the right kind of qi energy in the jade bangle box, my fingers kept touching an unusual color jadeite bangle bracelet that has a "mysterious" feel about it.

 Indoors it looks like soft lavender with some "clouds" of lighter coloring.

Outdoors in daylight it doesn't show as much variation in the color.

I bought it in 2003 while shopping in China near the Burma border.  I kept coming back to it, and when I was done shopping and bargaining for jade (no prices on jade, it's all about bargaining) I had money left over to splurge on myself.  When I got back to Beijing, my Chinese doctor friend told me that this color of jadeite is almost like the rare blue jade, and although I didn't understand all his Chinese language description, I understood this coloring is related to the "extraordinary" meridian, sometimes called "Big Heaven" that is circular in the center of the body, from bottom of spine to head, then back to bottom of spine.  It relates to spirituality, intuitiveness and the nervous system.  I'm going to put it on Ying Yu Jade web site in the "Ying Yu's Jewelry Box" collection, put a sale price on it, and if it doesn't sell by mid November, take the listing off and keep it for myself for the holiday season.  I promised in a previous blog to list some of my personal jade bangle bracelets, but I have to say it's difficult to think about parting with jade I bought because it felt like harmony with me.  The item number is BB2869 and will get listed when the YYJ site goes back online next Thursday.  You can see it fits my wrist well, and my size is 53-55mm.

Back in the year 1999 when I bought my first jadeite bangle bracelet, I intended to have only one very good jade bangle, wear it all the time, and have only one.  I didn't know at the time I would be starting a jade business. And learning Chinese medicine, the meridian healing system, I appreciate that the colors of jade are as healing as the jade itself.  Sometimes when I go through my personal collection, I truly do not know which one I would choose if I had to have only one.  I change every day, my body changes, health changes, and my jade is "medicine" for body, mind and spirit.

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your comment posted until it has been moderated  through SPAM check

"Bamboo Knot" Carved Chinese Jade Bangle Bracelets - Pretty and Meaningful

Look what I found buried in the storage locker.

"Bamboo Knot" Green Translucent Chinese Jade Bangle Bracelets

These were designed and carved for my by my jade carver in China at least 10 years ago. I had them listed on the old Ying Yu Jade web site, but for some reason, they didn't get listed when we changed to the new, mobile friendly web site.

The jade carver chose some of the very best quality of Chinese jade from the mines.  The jade is a good green color, and is nicely translucent.  It's the best kind of Chinese jade I have seen in high end stores in China. 

The design is "bamboo".  There are knots spaced around, like bamboo ties, and a bamboo leaf is etched between each knot.  Bamboo is a classic Chinese symbol.  Bamboo is flexible.  It bends instead of breaks.  It represents ability to deal with adversity in a positive way.

The green color jade is related to the liver meridian, with qi energy for health and healing. Green jade is classic color used by Chinese medicine doctors for health tools, like jade rollers, jade gua sha tools and jade "needles" for acupressure.  The beautiful translucence is spiritual, with a "glow" that makes the jade more pretty.  This kind of Chinese jade is genuine and not treated with color enhancing dyes. 

If you wear "jade as medicine", Chinese green jade is good to wear this time of year.  If you don't get a flu shot, and want to stay healthy over fall and early winter, the qi energy in the jade will help your qi energy flow smoothly to help keep you well.

Of course, I kept one for myself, and have been wearing it during the photographing and listing on the web site.  I feel relaxed, cheerful and positive while wearing it.  And I'm wearing it along with my every day jadeite bangle bracelet.  The size is slightly too large for me, so I'm wearing it on my right wrist, which is slightly larger than the left wrist I wear my jadeite bangle on all the time.

These are in various sizes, and just listed today, and on sale as Today's Special.

Giant Jade Stone Uncovered in Myanmar (Burma)

This is a story on BBC News about a giant jade stone uncovered in Myanmar (Burma).

It was discovered near the border with China. 

When you see the jade rough, it's amazing when you see the final product, polished and beautiful and green.  Of course, it's impossible to know what's underneath: what is the color of the jadeite.  If it's mostly imperial green, the stone is worth a fortune.  It will be carved into mostly pendants, that will sell for high prices, perhaps some bangle bracelets.  Most of it will stay in Asia because people outside China are used to paying low prices for color treated jade that's sold as "natural".  If it's not good color, spotty, then it will probably get color treated by bleaching with acids, then adding polymer coloring and sold outside of Asia.   When jade carvers purchase rough jadeite, it's called "gambling", because there's usually a small window cut in the rough, and the buyer looks at the color and "gambles" if it will be worth millions, or practically worthless.

It's quite a "surprise"  that this discovery of the uncovered jade stone comes the same week that President Obama finally lifted the sanctions and embargo on jadeite and rubies from Burma. 


Who wants to go with me to Burma to try to "gamble" on this huge jade stone!

Chinese Jade Classic Round Bangle Bracelets Perfectly Matched "Sister Sets"

One of the things about getting my "jade office" set up in our new home is discovering the many jade pieces I have hoarded.   I like them, but not my size, but they are unique and special and I wanted to keep them for myself.  When I packed everything to move out of our old home, the newer jades went in the boxes first, and the older pieces were at the top, so when I unpacked again, I discovered many beautiful jade pieces I had forgotten about. 

Finding them again was like running into an old friend!

Perfectly matched classic round "sister set" pair of Chinese jade bangle bracelets

I found three sets of Chinese jade bangle bracelets that are perfectly matched in size and color because they are carved from the same jade rough.  "Sister sets".  All three are different sizes.  I remember purchasing them prior to moving to Florida in 2004, so they are really older jade.  My jade carver in China made them as a surprise for me, and included them in one of my regular orders from him.  When I looked carefully at my invoice, I saw they were not gifts, and I was charged for them and he intended that I sell them.  He knows i wear a smaller size.

Now that we are getting cooler and brighter sunny weather, it's the perfect time to get accurate photos of jade.  Jade is so difficult to accurately photograph.  It's easy to get very excellent photos, but all the photoshopping can make them look much different than they actually are.  So photos are taken outdoors in sunlight, and minimally edited. They were listed today on Ying Yu Jade.  There are only three sets, so if this is something you have been waiting for, now is the time to get them.  And since new listings get sale prices, they will have lower prices for a couple of days.

"Sister sets" of jade bangle bracelets are fun to have, and wear both together, but if you have a sister, sharing the jade's qi energy can be a very spiritual bonding experience.

Hurricane Matthew Passing Through - Jade Protects the Person Who Wears It

Thanks to all of you who sent good wishes and energies for getting through hurricane Matthew storm.  We're in the middle of the storm effects now.  So far there's been more than 8" of rain because neighbors who have rain gauges reported their 8" ones had overflowed.  The streets are slightly flooded, our lawn is flooded, the power flickers but comes back on so we're preparing for a power outage if the 40+ mph winds increase.

It was forecast that our area would be at the edge of the high winds, but overnight Matthew shifted slightly to the east so we avoided being in the strong bands of wind gusts and rain.  Maybe all that good energy from the jade pushed the negative energy of the hurricane away.  There's a Chinese belief that jade protects the wearer, and when your jade breaks while you are wearing it, the jade has taken the damage to keep it from hurting you.  The best story I heard about this was a woman who was in the hospital ICU and she kept getting worse and the family came to her because it was expected she would die.  Suddenly, for no reason that could be seen, her jade bangle bracelet cracked and split.  And suddenly her vital signs started returning to normal.  She said that her jade bangle was one of the Chinese jade "blood red" ones that are color treated with vegetable dye.

I wore the jade bangle I've been wearing for weeks and put a carved deep green almost black two dragons protecting pearl Chinese jade bangle on my other wrist.

Guan Yin Buddha of Compassion Jadeite Pendant

Today I'm wearing a Guan Yin jadeite pendant.  Guan Yin is Buddha of Compassion.  I know people in our community are going to need compassion over the next few days, cleaning up and repairing damage.  I'll wear it mindfully and project the good energies of it to those who need it.

Hurricane Matthew: Preparing and Protecting

Hurricane Matthew's rain bands have been over us all morning.  Although we are in central Florida, Osceola county, we will have significant impact from this storm, with high winds, even higher wind gusts,  heavy rain downpours, possible tornado, and hail. 

(Personal note: Our home is not even completely finished, we have lived in it only a few weeks, after being replaced from a microburst of tornado with huge hail end of March.  This is a very stressful time for us and our community.)

Matthew seems to be moving more toward the west to impact central Florida and possibly the west gulf coast. Last night we cleaned our yard of what might turn into a weapon or projectile when it's in high wind.  Workers started installing an irrigation sprinkler system last Saturday but the job had complications and they were supposed to return to finish Monday, but that didn't work out, so they promised to finish this Saturday.  They had dug up most of the lawn and laid some of the irrigation water lines, but left at least half of the small ditches to put the lines in uncovered, and left a lot of lines in the yard.  Those would have made true projectiles if we hadn't picked them up.  This morning we finished moving everything that could get moved by high wind to our storage shed, and on the enclosed side of the porch.  Cars, golf carts under the carport and bikes tied down.  We haven't got our back up generator for the new home yet, and of course they are all sold out, as is gasoline.  And food in the grocery stores.  When we first saw the storm path, I decided we had enough food for sandwiches, snacks, and didn't think I needed to stand in long lines to purchase more, but now we're being told power may be out for a week, or more, and we should prepare for at least a week to 10 days.  As I blog this, I'm making small meals in crock pots to put in the freezer so they last awhile even if the power goes out.  We have a gas grill and cooker we can use. 

It's so unpredictable. 

If Matthew moves more inland, I'm moving the jade inventory to a storage under the house.  I'm planning on keeping the online stores open, so if you place an order, they should be able to get shipped by Friday.  If we have electrical power.  I will ship your purchases in the order they were received.  I may be using a different source of power and computers, and you may not receive updates.  But former customers know we ship as quickly as we can.

Deep Deep Green almost Black Chinese Jade "Two Dragons Hold Pearl" Jade Bangle Bracelet

I'm wearing my black deep deep green Chinese two dragons hold pearl, the most protective piece of jade I have.

My "Hurricane" Sterling Silver Bracelet
purchase in Key West