My Day at a Gem Trade Show: What's Going on in the World of Jade

Earlier this month I went to my favorite Gem Trade Show.  Every space of the building is filled with people selling all kinds of gems.   I always go on the first day, and try to be there as it opens because some Chinese gem sellers set aside jade to show me.  But the jade sellers seem to be going out of business because the usual sellers have not been at the past two shows.

But I wander around every area at least three times with my eye out for jade. 

There was a lot of green stone being sold as "jade" that was aventurine quartz,  they had labeled it "aventurine jade".  When I asked if they sold jadeite, I was shown  all kinds of green "stuff" that was certainly not jade.   The most disappointing "jade" I saw for sale was huge boxes filled with "jade" rollers.  They weren't jade, they were plastic!  When I mentioned it to the seller, I was told that it was real jade they ordered from China. 

Classic Chinese Jade Double Roller

Genuine Natural Chinese Jade Acu-Roller for Chinese Medicine

There were a few sellers who were selling real Burmese jadeite, and it was priced much higher than at the last show.  Any jadeite that is green in color and natural, and is well carved is rare, and the price reflects it.   I had an interesting conversation with a Chinese gem seller who does not shop for his jade near the Burma border, like I do, but travels to Guangzhou Jade Market.  He always takes a look at my web sites, and he told me that the same jade bangles I sell are priced higher in China.  He said tourists pay the most, often don't get genuine and natural jade, but pay the premium price. 

I saw the trend toward selling non-jade as real jade a few years after I started selling online, about 15 years ago.  Real genuine and natural jade and Burmese jadeite is special.  It has the good "qi energy" jade is known for it.  It makes you feel good, and when you feel good, the jade looks better. 

"Non-jade" is pretty, but you should get what you think you are buying.

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Jade Bangle Bracelet "Surprise" Taking Care of Jade

My husband and I wait until actual voting day to go out and vote "in person".  We learned from experience that new information often gets revealed just before election day, and we don't want to regret that we voted one way, and wish we had the information to help with our decisions.

We went to our local polling place mid-morning, expecting a long wait in line.  We were pleasantly shocked that the parking lot was quite empty, and we walked right in.  There was only one other person ahead of us when we showed our ID's and got our ballots.  When I reached for the ballot she handed me, she asked if the bangle on my wrist was "jade".  I smiled as I looked at her wrist, and saw she was wearing a jade bangle bracelet, too.  And, oh my, did we both want to talk about jade!  BUT...of course she couldn't because she was working. 

Seeing her wearing a jade bangle bracelet was kind of surprising, because I rarely see local residents wearing jade.  There's a woman who has been a long time customer, starting when I still lived in Ohio.  Then when we moved to Florida,  the Poinciana area, I "recognized" her one day because she was wearing one of the jade bangles she purchased. 

If you live in a hot and sunny environment like central Florida, and south, it's important to take special care of your jade to keep it healthy.  Jade stone is formed underground, often in caves, where it is cool and dark.  The opposite of hot southern weather.  I wear my jade bangle bracelet all the time, indoors and outdoors, in the pool, relaxing in the hot tub.   I don't allow it to be directly in the sun.  And after being in the pool or hot tub, I immediately wash it with soap and pat it dry. Genuine and natural jade will survive well, but if it's color treated, especially when acid is used to enhance the color, the color will fade faster in heat.

The jade I sell is always kept inside our home so the temperature can be kept stable, cool.  And it's kept in "the dark".  That means the closets are full, and under the beds are full of boxes. 

Chinese jade seems to be less sensitive to sun and heat.

Carved Chinese Jade Bangle Bracelet

Burmese jadeite needs to be protected more.  When I shopped for jade in China, I trusted the jade shops that looked like they were closed because they had the main lights turned off.  

Burmese Jadeite

I think jadeite actually looks more pretty when it's on a wrist, which is warm.  If you wear a jade bangle all the time, you probably notice the part that touches your wrist is warm, while the part that doesn't feels very cool when it moves around on your wrist.

If you have valuable jade that you want to keep in good condition,  don't expose it to direct sunlight and heat.  Clean it often.  Polish it with wax, furniture polish when it looks like it needs. 

And of course,  the jade in our online stores is meant for every day wearing.  That's a reason why I keep it "in the dark" for several years before listing it to make sure it's a good quality, genuine and natural.

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