Chinese Jade and Burmese Jadeite - What's the Difference?

Chinese jade is the kind of jade Chinese people wore for centuries, used for carvings, teapots, Chinese medicine tools like jade rollers, gua sha tools.  And especially jade bangle bracelets.  It is mined mostly in the north east China, where weather is cooler in the winter and there are rivers, waters.  Then in the 18th century, Burmese jadeite was introduced, and Chinese people were quite attracted to it.  When I used to go to Beijing, China as my "starting point" for jade shopping and enjoying the culture, and I wandered around the shopping areas for the "locals", there were government owned jade shops that sold only Chinese jade.  They were often filled with customers, men and women couples, the man buying a classic round Chinese jade bangle bracelet for his beloved woman as an engagement gift.  The jade shops that tourists were taken to had some Chinese jade, but sold mostly Burmese jadeite. 

Burmese jadeite is different because it is gemologically considered a "gem stone", and can be tested by refraction and other methods, and labeled as grade A, genuine and natural, or grades B and C, color added, often bleached with acid to remove unpleasant color and replaced with a good green color, "hong" red, lavender.  Chinese jade is not considered a "gem stone".

Genuine natural traditional classic round Chinese Jade bangle bracelet

Genuine natural grade A Burmese jadeite bangle bracelet

We take all the jade photos in natural outdoor lighting, the bangles at different angles so you can see how they look all around, as the lighting varies.  We do not use Photoshop to edit photos because that makes them look "too perfect", not like the "real thing".  It is truly a time consuming process to get the photos, get them edited and listed so they look as close to the "real thing" as possible.  And most customers tell me that that when they receive their jade, it truly is more pretty than the photo shows.

An interesting thing is that more people who purchase Chinese jade send me an email telling me how much more pretty their jade looks and how pleased they are with it.  In my opinion, that's because Chinese jade has more "qi energy", is more alive than than Burmese jadeite.   And that's a reason it is used in Chinese medicine, not only for the tool itself, but for the qi energy of the jade.

Chinese jade roller, gua sha tools and jade mask for eyes and face

This is one of the Chinese jade pendants that looks great in the photo, and customers tell me how much more beautiful it is in person, more detailed, and has a "glow" that the photo just can't show:

"Butterfly Brings Love" Chinese Jade Pendant looks much more pretty "in person"

We probably spent at least an hour, several times, getting a good photo and editing it so it looks like the "real thing", but it is still so much more pretty in person.  And yes, the Chinese jade pendants are lower prices that Burmese jadeite.  But I can not resist getting the best photo possible of this cherished, traditional Chinese jade.  

There's more ways Chinese jade and Burmese jadeite are different, but if you are a jade lover, love to wear, touch, own jade, these are the "basics" as I have experienced both jades over the past 22 years.

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What Kind of Jade Should I Buy? How Do I Know if it is Real Jade?

During this COVID-19 time, when many people are home, self isolating, working at home, so many are using the internet for information, education and shopping.  I have had more contact from new customers than usual.  There are discount sales on Ying Yu Jade and Jade Heaven every day so you can get a lower price.  And most of them want to "know about jade". 

One of the recent contacts was from a man who wants to purchase a jade bangle bracelet for a girlfriend.  She never had a jade bangle, but wants one on her wrist now. He sent me a photo of a jade bangle bracelet he thinks she might like.

"Jasper" is not jade.   But it's green, it is often advertised as "jade", and the good green classic jade color makes is look desirable.

We spent a few days emailing each other about jade bangle bracelets, what is "real" jade, and what women like.  He then decided he would purchase a green traditional Chinese jade bangle from Ying Yu Jade, I gave him a discount coupon code.   A day later, he asked what size she might wear. 

That's a whole other topic.  You can watch the videos at the beginning of our jade bangle bracelet collections to learn how to measure and what to consider when finding your jade bangle size.

He decided to get the jasper bangle shown in the photo, because jasper price is lower than jade price and it looked like "the perfect green jade bangle bracelet".

The only way to really know if your jade is "real",  Chinese jade, or Burmese jadeite and if it's grade A natural color, or grades B, C, color treated by bleaching out the color, then adding color it to have it tested by a gemologist or a person which much experience in jade.  We test all of our Burmese jadeite by refraction, a gemology test, to make sure it is "real", and have the experience to know that it is natural color because we personally shop in China near the Burma border, directly from the jade carvers so we can see them at work, and the quality of the stone they are using.

But, I personally own a few Burmese jadeite bangle bracelets that are grades B, C, color treated.  Some are so pretty and fun to wear, it does not matter to me if it's not grade A.  It is still "real jade", and it's what I want to wear.

When you shop for jade online, and you see jade that really appeals to you, makes you smile when you look at it, maybe even makes your wrist tingle as you look at it, maybe you drool over the picture, and you keep coming back to look at it,  that is the jade bangle that's right for you.  If you are looking for jade as an investment, want a jade bangle that is worth thousands of dollars, either get one that has a certificate of gemology testing, or a guarantee that if you get it tested by a GIA gemologist and it is not genuine, or the grade A  you expect, you can return it for a refund.  And we offer that guarantee on our web sites.

Also, if you do want to invest in a high quality jadeite bangle that will increase in value,   you are welcome to "make an offer".   Look in our menu for Contact Information or "Make an Offer" and use the email to let us know the item number and what you would like to pay.  We accept most offers because jade bangles really do belong on a wrist, not sitting in a box in storage.

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