Only one of the five jade sellers I usually buy from were there at this show. And the seller had very similar items I purchased last time, but the prices have almost tripled. My customers like jadeite bead bracelets and I have purchased strings of beads 8-12 mm that are genuine and natural Burmese jadeite and have them made into bracelets. That was disappointing, but them I realized that if he increased his prices, jade might be increasing in value and higher selling prices.
I wandered through the show and resisted the temptation to buy gemstones and jewelry for myself. Halfway through the vendors, I stood back and partially closed my eyes to get a "feel" for the energy of the vendors. It led me to a vendor who was selling metal bowls, the "singing bowls". I have several and use them for meditation, absorbing the vibrations which are healing. Of course they were so "modern" and didn't have all the variety of metal in them that the older ones do, but still a good sound. I knew I have better at home.
So much has changed in the 20+ years I've been doing qigong, taiji, yoga, Reiki and it sure doesn't feel like "my world" anymore!
Then I saw a gem seller who had a small bangle holder with a few Burmese jadeite bangle bracelets on it. I picked up the first one and knew right away it was not grade A because of the dull chime, and asked the price: $3000 I told her that seemed a very high price for B or C grade jadeite, and she wanted to know how I knew it wasn't grade A. I showed her the jade bangle I was wearing, and this Chinese woman then knew I knew what I was talking about. She offered to sell it tome for $1500. I smiled and walked away.
A few aisles over I again saw a Chinese woman with several of the bangle bars on her stand, and they were all grade A. They were like the "Modern Jade" we sell, with certificates of Chinese gemology testing. Her prices started at $500. That's wholesale price. It's traditional for sellers to make their price approximately three times what you paid for it. You have the price you paid, the costs for photography, listing it and the costs of web sites, insurance, shipping, advertising, and the costs you pay to accept credit cards, which means you also pay state taxes on the amount it is sold for, which is close to the cost you paid. So the profit is hopefully one third for the seller.
(When I'm having a "make an offer" sale, and have a jade that I list as $500, and someone offers me $100, I cannot accept it because that doesn't even cover the cost of what I paid for it, so that's why your offer may be declined)
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| Burmese jadeite bangle bracelets for sale at gem show |
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| Burmese jadeite bangle bracelets and jewelry for sale at gem show |
I didn't see anyone buying from her every time I checked back, but I would guess someone would want to buy a jade bangle for their personal use or as a gift, but not to re-sell. I was very inspired talking with her and learning she uses the jadeite to draw buyers to her other gem and jewelry items. And makes me wonder if I should continue to promote "make an offer" and continue lowering prices, because my Burmese jadeite bangle bracelets are as pretty, the "old mine" ones much more valuable. The reality is that I truly do want the jade I sell to be worn by someone who loves it, rather than sitting in a storage box. The jade I sell is like an investment, will increase in value, but jade is more than about money: it's the good qi energy and traditional of wearing jade.
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