Where does jade come from?
|
Many of you will be familiar with Chinese jade in the form of carvings and jewelry items such as bracelets and small carved pendants. You'll know that Chinese jade comes in varying shades - from almost white to bright green. Chinese jade is jadeite -a chemically distinct mineral from nephrite, the type of jade found in New Zealand. While jadeite is a silicate of sodium and aluminum, nephrite is a silicate of calcium and magnesium.
Jade from New Zealand
Commercial quantities of Nephrite jade are found in only a few countries in the world besides New Zealand - Australia, China, Russia and Canada. New Zealand has some of the finest nephrite jade in the world. In New Zealand, nephrite jade is named Pounamu, by Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, and is also referred to as greenstone, a name given to it by the early explorers and settlers to New Zealand who first came in the eighteenth century. Nephrite jade is very rich in colour. It is often marked with occlusions or darker colours running through it. The most prized nephrite jade in New Zealand is flower jade, jade with pale green or ochre clouds of colour. This distinctive patterning and colouring comes from the outside rim or 'rind' of the jade boulders or stones where the surface has oxidized. Maori appreciation of jade centres on these features: patterns that seem to evoke images of forests, rivers and clouds.
Jade from around the world
Jade is found in many countries around the world but commercial quantities are found in only a few. On any field where jade is found, whether it is in New Zealand Canada or China, only 5% of all jade mined will be AAA grade or what we know as "jewelry grade jade" - stone that can be used for fine carving or jewelry. This grade of jade is translucent, has perfect clarity and no fractures.
We travel to some of the remotest places on earth, Siberia in Russia, the Gobi desert in China, Yukon Territories in northern Canada and South Westland in New Zealand to seek out this top grade of jade.
Each region has its own highly prized stone. In Australia, we look for jade that is a deep black colour. In Canada, highly sought after stone has bright green flecks through it. The best quality Russian jade can be very white with a root beer colour rind, or a very pale almost teal colour.
Where to find jade in New Zealand
Jade can be found in many shops around New Zealand but the Jade Factory has the largest selection of contemporary jade carving in New Zealand, employing some of the finest carvers and sculptors.
|  |
|
|
