How "Old" s My Jade?

A few weeks ago I purchased some jade pieces from and estate sale.  Some of it was easy to identify as Chinese jade.  I tested each piece with refraction testing to determine if it was Burmese jadeite. But it is not easy to determine the age of the jade because there wasn't anyone to discuss it with.

Most of the Chinese jade pieces were small carvings.  I listed them on Ying Yu Jade and most of them sold within a few days of posting.  There are still some carvings available.

Vintage jade horse carving

Vintage estate "what is it?" carving

The most interesting pieces are two Burmese jadeite bangle bracelets.  They don't look new at all.  But they don't have any cracks, scratches or damage to indicate they were worn often.  They appear to be carved from the same jadeite rough.  Here is one of the two that I listed. 

BB2918  Vintage Pre-Owned Burmese Jadeite Bangle Bracelet

A few years ago a woman sent me an email with a photo of a "blue" jade bangle bracelet that she wore to a USA China Town shop.  She was offered $10 for it, but she kept it and did online research, and that's how she found me.  Jade is not easy to photograph and capture how it really looks.  But something made me think it was quite valuable.  I suggested she take it to a gemologist and have it tested to see if it was Burmese jadeite and if it was natural color.  The gemologist she used was not very familiar with jade, so he asked a Chinese person who was very familiar with jade to help him determine the value.  They decided to contact Christie's auction, and they determined that it was worth around a million dollars!  She was was not to sell it for $10.

The two I purchased from the estate sale have a similar appearance.  They are not green, but not really blue either.  Perhaps lavender.  It took about 50 photos to get three that could be lightly edited to look like the "real thing".   This jade bangle and its "sister" look different every time I look at them. As I was handling it, it seemed to be so similar in color the my favorite personal carved jadeite bangle bracelet I wear most of the time.

My Qing Dynast carved Burmese jadeite bangle bracelet on top
BB2918 below it

It's not the same "blue" color as the almost $1 million jade bangle, so I don't have a $1 million price on it.  I love my carved jade bangle shown on top of it.  Mine is very old, probably from the Qing Dynasty as the woman I got it from told me its history as we were riding on a train in China.  She offered to trade the bangle for most of the personal items I was carrying on the train, like my hand bag and the "western" things in it, my cosmetics, and some of my clothes.  I wear it probably 90% of the time.  It's not "perfect" but I love the color, pattern and "feel" of it.  It's so calming and beautiful to wear.

There is something special about vintage, pre-owned estate sale jade.  If you are sensitive to qi energy, you can "feel" if it's right for you.  And you know there is very much history behind it.  

Comments are welcome and reviewed to make sure they are not SPAM.

Please allow time for your comment to be reviewed and posted.

Crusising with Jade Bangle Bracelets

We started October with a 6 day Caribbean cruise.  I felt hesitant about booking the cruise in May because September is the height of hurricane season, and we usually get some tropical storms as late as November.  We traveled with two other couples who enjoy cruising.  As you may have read in previous blogs, I am considering finding a popular port in the Caribbean to rent a store space for 6-12 months to sell out my jade collection and "retire".   I wanted a chance to see closer ports, in the Mexico area, and this cruise stopped at Grand Cayman and Cozumel.  Unfortunately, those two ports were the worst ones for shopping I have been to.  Usually you can find interesting and rare, possibly hand crafted jewelry, clothes and other souvenirs in the port shops, but most of the shops were related to the cruise line so very commercialized.  We took a taxi to downtown in Cozumel and that's the only place we shopped, but rarely do tourists go there.  So, no:   not moving to the Gulf ports.

The fourth day at sea at night we saw waves hitting the fifth deck and decided to go outside and walk around the ship.  Brilliance of the Seas is a very stable and sturdy ship, and our cruise had been very smooth.  We didn't feel the rocking from the waves.  The wind was 49 mph and waves were crashing around.  I grabbed the black Chinese jade bangle I wear for protection when I travel.  It didn't look safe out there, but I felt safe with my black jade.  I had a feeling a storm was forming because the radar maps showed rainy odd areas prior to the cruise.  When we returned to our home port in Tampa we learned a tropical storm was forming.  Not surprised, because we felt it! 

Today it is officially hurricane Michael, working its way up the Gulf of Mexico and expected to hit land in the Florida panhandle as a category 2 or 3, with rain and winds extending to here in central Florida. 

Did the black jade protect us all?  Probably not, but it gave me the sense of safety and protection, and I enjoyed the rest of the cruise not worrying about the storm attacking us.  Black jade is calming and gives that protection feeling.  There's also a Chinese saying that when a jade bangle bracelet we are wearing breaks, it's because the jade took the impact of the danger and protected the wearer.  Mine didn't break.

I wore a classic round Chinese jade bangle bracelet made by my jade carver in China.  I also have a "luminous" deep deep green jade bangle bracelet, but like the true black jade when I travel.

Black Chinese jade bangle bracelets with qi energy for protection

I also had one of the best acupuncture treatments on board Brilliance of the Seas.  Doctor James did my pulse and tongue diagnosis and his explanation of my body needing more "yin".  The excessive yang has been causing muscle tightness, stress and some anxiety.  I felt much better after the treatment and have slept better since the acupuncture.  Now I know what I need to address to my primary care doctor when I have my appointment later this month.

Many people who wear jade have contacted me to tell me how their jade makes them feel.  Some are surprised that jade really does have qi energy.  And most people intuitively choose the jade that has the best qi energy for them.

 

Comments are welcome and reviewed to make sure they are not SPAM.

Please allow time for your comment to be reviewed and posted.

What Kind of Jade to Wear: October

During September, it was so hot and humid here in central Florida that I stayed in the air conditioned home and areas most of the time.  But being outdoors, especially at sunset, is what I prefer.  I missed my outdoor time, felt some anxiety and stress.

So I used my time adding new products to the jade websites.   After they were photographed, edited, the jade pieces went in a box where I randomly chose a piece to list.  I pulled out a carved Burmese jadeite bangle bracelet and started listing it on Ying Yu Jade.  It is an oval jade bangle, and I add the two inside diameter dimensions to determine how it would fit like a round jade bangle bracelet.   Then I put it on my wrist to check how it really felt. 

And I have had it on my wrist since that time.

The colors and carving are very soothing, and I love looking at the color pattern and the way it's carved.  This is one of those jade bangle bracelets carved in the very traditional way.  The jade carver examined the stone to determine how to use the colors and jadeite stone variation to get the best result.  Then on an auspicious day, he would do the carving.  It looks like there are some clarification lines on the surface that were incorporated to the entire design. Not damage, just part of natural stone.  The colorful side is the side that is on the top of my wrist and contacts my wrist most of the time.

The white side is on my wrist by the veins.  This area is smooth, not carved except lucky coins and lotus where the white meets the carved colorful area.

As I have stated before, I think most people choose the jade that has the best energy for them.  It's October now, autumn setting in, and this color combination is giving me the calming, soothing and transitional qi energy so helpful.

And I have another special Burmese jadeite bangle bracelet in my (never-ending) collection.

Comments are welcome and reviewed to make sure they are not SPAM.

Please allow time for your comment to be reviewed and posted.