AAA+++ Jade Grade - What Does it Mean?

I often get visitors to the web site who ask me where the "AAA+++" jade is, because they searched and couldn't find that grade.  They could find "only" A grade.

In the gemology world, AAA grade doesn't exist.  And AAA+++ in a jade description is a warning signal to you that it's either fake or color treated.

Web site visitors (I won't call them customers because they want only that AAA+++) have told me how cheap they can buy jade bangles and pendants on ebay and some other jade sites that are very good green and the AAA+++, and they bought them and love them.  They are "disappointed" to find only grade A and natural, earthy color on Jade Heaven.   Of course, I ask them to send me links so I can check it out.

I bought a few pieces to find out for myself what it is really like.  One of the purchases I made are very nice green translucent bead bracelets that are now in the clearance section on YYJ.  They were so bleached out that the stone was fragile.  A few months ago I bought a very good green translucent jade bangle bracelet on ebay from one of the AAA+++ sellers. I've kept it on my desk and half of the green color has disappeared.  A couple of years ago when I first saw this rating, I bought a jade bangle that had pretty green veins and when I found it last week while I was cleaning up, the color had turned to all brown.

For years, and mostly after the Lantos embargo on jadeite, some of the big gem and jewelry sellers like HSN have added disclaimers to their gemstones "gemstones and pearls are sometimes treated to enhance their natural beauty".  Diamond, rubies, emerald, opals and in fact most gemstones have been enhanced by heat, dyes.  And just because jade is color enhanced does not mean it's fake.  it's still real jade.  I'm very experienced at being able to look at jade and know if it's natural color or not, but sometimes I really can't tell and it takes a gemologist to test it.  One of my personal jadeite bangle bracelet is C grade.  I've had it for 15 years and the color has not changed, it's still very beautiful.  It was made when jade carvers did color treating purposely to enhance jade appearance, not to try to pass it off as natural.  That's why the overall quality is so good, and it still has good jade qi energy.

AAA and AAA+++ is not a gemology term for jade.  A, B and C are the grades used by gemologist.  A is natural genuine jadeite.  B is washed with acid, or color added.  C is the grade for jadeite washed with acid, then infused with color.

I can promise you that Jade Heaven and YYJ  does not have and will not carry AAA+++ grade jade.  (Except for the beads in clearance)  So don't be disappointed if you find only grade A jadeite.

JH268 Genuine Natural Color Jadeite Bangle Bracelet