Jade Identification Flowchart
Follow this structured workflow to identify and authenticate jade. Click each step to expand detailed guidance, tips, and key reference values.
Before any testing, ensure you have a clean, well-lit workspace with neutral (daylight-equivalent) lighting. Gather your tools: loupe/microscope, refractometer, hydrostatic balance, UV lamp, and spectroscope if available.
Key Tips
- •Work over a soft surface to protect the item
- •Handle bangles with extra care — they are the most fragile form
- •Document the item's condition before any handling
Use a lint-free cloth with lukewarm water only. Avoid chemicals when treatment status is unknown — solvents could damage polymer fills or coatings. Photograph under diffused daylight-equivalent lighting from multiple angles.
Key Tips
- •Never use ultrasonic cleaners on unknown jade
- •Avoid acetone or alcohol — they can dissolve polymer impregnation
- •Capture photos showing colour zoning, fractures, and surface texture
Using a loupe (10x minimum) or microscope (up to 20x), systematically examine the item for diagnostic features. Look for colour concentration in cracks or grain boundaries (suggests dye), pits with different lustre (suggests corrosion and filling), and surface-layer colour differences (suggests coating).
Key Tips
- •Dye concentrations along fissures/grain boundaries = red flag for Type C
- •Waxy lustre in pits or fractures = possible polymer impregnation (Type B)
- •Surface colour peeling or flaking = possible coating
- •Granular 'orange peel' texture under magnification = common in bleached jade
RI is one of the most diagnostic classic tests. Use a gemmological refractometer for a spot reading on polished surfaces. Key ranges: Jadeite ~1.65-1.67, Omphacite ~1.67-1.68, Kosmochlor ~1.68-1.72, Nephrite ~1.60-1.63. For SG, use hydrostatic weighing: SG = Weight in air / (Weight in air - Weight in water). Jadeite typically 3.25-3.40; nephrite 2.90-3.02.
Key Tips
- •SG below ~3.32 in supposed jadeite may indicate polymer impregnation
- •Some untreated jadeite can have lower SG due to mineral admixtures
- •Repeat SG measurements 2-3 times for consistency
- •RI borderline results need lab confirmation — jade is heterogeneous
- •Use polariscope to confirm aggregate optical behaviour if available
Compare your measured values against the reference ranges for jadeite, nephrite, omphacite, and kosmochlor. If values fall outside all jade-family ranges, the item is likely a simulant or different mineral entirely.
Examine under long-wave UV (365nm): treated jadeite often shows bluish-white to yellowish-green luminescence from polymer. Under magnification, look for evidence of bleaching (etched grain boundaries, 'orange peel' surface) and filling (waxy lustre in fractures). If a spectroscope is available, check for dye-related absorption patterns versus natural chromium/iron lines.
Key Tips
- •UV reactions alone are not conclusive — some natural jadeite fluoresces
- •Polymer-filled fractures may show different lustre than surrounding material
- •Natural chromium green shows distinct absorption lines at ~437nm (Fe) and Cr lines
- •Dye produces broad, diffuse absorption bands rather than sharp lines
If any treatment indicators are found, or if the item has significant monetary value, laboratory testing is essential. Labs use FTIR (definitive for polymer impregnation via ~2900 cm⁻¹ absorption), Raman spectroscopy (mineral ID at grain scale), and UV-Vis-NIR (colour-origin analysis). Even items that appear natural may be treated — visual assessment alone cannot guarantee Type A status.
FTIR provides conclusive proof of polymer impregnation via intense absorptions around ~2900 cm⁻¹. Raman micro-spectroscopy enables mineral identification at grain scale (spot sizes ~1-3 μm) and can distinguish jadeite from omphacite — critical because classic tests sometimes cannot. UV-Vis-NIR separates natural colour mechanisms (Cr/Fe) from dye patterns. XRF screens for elemental composition but has limitations with fine-scale heterogeneity.
Key Tips
- •FTIR is the gold standard for detecting polymer impregnation (B-jade)
- •Raman can overturn classic-testing assumptions (jadeite vs omphacite)
- •Request a full report with treatment declaration and species identification
- •Trusted labs: GIA, HKJSL, SSEF, Gübelin, NGI (Singapore)
Jade quality is assessed by four key factors: (1) Colour — saturation, distribution, and tone; Imperial Green is the most valued. (2) Translucency — ranges from transparent to opaque; semi-transparent with fine texture commands highest prices. (3) Texture — fine, uniform grain structure is preferred. (4) Workmanship — carving quality, proportions, symmetry, and surface finish. Note: jade is typically sold by the piece, not by carat weight.
Key Tips
- •Colour should be vivid, evenly distributed, and of good tone
- •Higher translucency generally means higher value in jadeite
- •Fine, smooth texture indicates tightly interlocked crystal structure
- •Carvings are also judged by artistry and cultural significance
Create a complete record including: species/variety identification, treatment declaration (Type A/B/C/B+C), quality assessment notes, all measurements (RI, SG, dimensions, weight), laboratory certificate number if applicable, provenance claims and supporting evidence, and photographs. This documentation protects both buyer and seller and aligns with CIBJO trade-practice standards for consumer confidence.
Key Tips
- •Always record the certificate number for online verification
- •Note any discrepancies between claimed and observed properties
- •Photograph under consistent, neutral lighting conditions
- •Keep documentation with the item throughout its ownership history
End of Pathway
This concludes this branch of the identification workflow.
Alternative Outcome
Common jade simulants include serpentine/bowenite, quartz/aventurine, prehnite, pectolite, talc/steatite, idocrase/vesuvianite, and glass. Many of these are sold under misleading trade names. A professional gemological lab can provide definitive identification.
- •Serpentine (RI ~1.56, SG ~2.6) is the most common jade simulant
- •Aventurine quartz (RI ~1.54, SG ~2.65) often sold as 'Indian jade'
- •Glass imitations may show gas bubbles under magnification
- •Never assume identity from colour alone — demand lab documentation