What Kind of Jade Do You Wear? Here's My "Collection"

I often get requests to show more photos of the very vintage Burmese jadeite carved bangle bracelet I wear.  So here are some photos, and photos of my custom made jade jewelry.

This is the jade bangle I have blogged about previously.  I was sitting across from a Chinese woman on a train from Beijing to Tianjin.  At that time, around the year 2000, many Chinese women were very curious about what "Western women" carried in their purses and bags.  I was organizing the chaos in my bags, and she watched intently.  I had learned a little Chinese language, and showed offered her some of those sample cosmetics you can get at cosmetic counters.  She was thrilled.  Then she took this jade bangle off her wrist, and asked to trade it for my handbag.  She was a young woman and the ancestry wasn't as meaningful to her, and she thought wearing the bangle was "old fashioned".  So we traded.  And I never regret swapping that bag for this bangle.  It has some "hong" reddish orange veins, and the carving is very detailed, bamboo, some lucky coins, lotus. In the photo of my wrist with bangle and bead bracelet, you can see how this jade had a clarification line.  As the jadeite stone was being formed, it cracked and resealed, which actually makes the stone more hard.  It's been around more than 100 years, and I wear it most of the time for the last 19 years, so it is certainly very strong, as I am an active person.

The first Burmese jadeite pendant I purchased was in 1999 when I was traveling in China with my qigong group and Master who lived in USA but home is Beijing.  Most tourist groups only go to tourist oriented jade shops, but we were traveling with a person who knew his way around China.  He taught me that "diamonds and gold have a price, but jade has no price", and since we were not in a tourist shop, the jade had "no price".  The bargaining lesson for me began.

Burmese jadeite double coins, auspicious carving pendant made into a necklace

I made the chain with jadeite beads and silver and learned how to wire wrap to attach pendants.

'Guan Yin" Buddha of Compassion Burmese jadeite pendant made into a necklace

The next pendant I bought on my next trip to China in 2000 when I went there on my own was so beautiful I could not resist it.  The seller was like I am when I love a certain jade piece, he didn't really want to sell it.   But he was impressed I could speak some Chinese AND had that gorgeous carved jadeite bangle bracelet, so I was able to bargain for it.  Then attached it to a wire with jadeite beads to wear as a necklace.

This is another necklace I made.  The jade piece is Chinese jade, from north east China where the jade mines are.  It's basically a simple polished stone, to which I attached an opal heart, and then mixed beads on a wire to wear as a necklace.

I'm not the only one in my home who wears jade.  My husband has no interest in wearing jade, but my teddy bears love it!

Teddy is actually wearing the jadeite bracelets that are adjustable with silk cord.  I can dress up Teddy whenever I find some jade that needs wearing.  Teddy is also watching the Christmas "necklace" bracelet that was worn during the Christmas holiday season.  These adjustable jadeite bracelets are beautiful and very versatile.   You can see more here.

Yes, I have draws full of jade that I just can't put on the web sites to be sold.  Of course I can't wear it all, but when jade touches your heart, that means it's good for you and you should have it, even if you can't wear it all the time.

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Jade Surving Paradise California Camp Fire: Is My Jade Real?

I finally heard from a "jade sister" long time customer who lives (lived) in Paradise, California and survived the Camp fire that destroyed the community.  She survived, and is living with family now, a relief to hear that from her. 

She is a true jade lover, and cherished her jade bangle bracelet.  She liked to bury them in her yard so they could experience the natural soil, coolness.  However, she wasn't able to evacuate with one of them.   When she returned to Paradise, this is what she found:

Paradise, California after the Camp fire, still smoldering

Jade bangle bracelet buried underground and surviving Camp fire, Paradise, California

She is a GIA gemologist, and knew that the jade she bought from Ying Yu Jade web site was genuine and natural Chinese jade and Burmese jadeite.  But there have been complaints posts by "customers" stating jade they bought was "fake".  When customers don't like the jade they purchased, or think it is fake, we accept returns.  But the complainers did not return them, probably because they want a refund and keep their jade bangle, too.  You have probably read other JadeBlogger posts about the "drama" that surrounds jade. 

This is the note "jade sister" included with the photo:

"Please understand no polymer treated or resin material would withstand the heat of a fire that destroyed an entire town at the rate of one football field per second.

This is a bangle from Ying Yu jade, found in the ashes of my home, destroyed in the Camp Fire, along with the entire town of Paradise, CA.

Temper your credulity with some hard evidence, public readers.
Thank you, "S", G.G.(G.I.A.)"

She tried to clean it up, but poor jade bangle had to "sleep".

Of course I sent her another jade bangle bracelet, one of the "old mine" Burmese jadeite because the jade she had purchased previously was from that era. I chose one with qi energy for peace, dealing with difficult situations.

And I am very pleased that she sent the email about jade surviving, and being genuine, natural jade.

By the way, because many people like older jade, some jade sellers are taking new Chinese jade bangle bracelets and burying them in dirt, adding fire, heat to them for a short amount of time to make them look "old". They even include the dirt on the bangle to "prove" that it's old. More Jade Drama!

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