Jade is growing more popular in the West. Here actress Jessica Chastain attends the 2014 Hollywood premiere of "Interstellar" wearing a pair of finely carved jadeite earrings.
Jade is growing more popular in the West. Here actress Jessica Chastain attends the 2014 Hollywood premiere of "Interstellar" wearing a pair of finely carved jadeite earrings.
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Growing demand from China's increasingly wealthy consumers and lower supply from Myanmar have seen prices for jade skyrocket. <br /><br />"It's really hard to find a good piece of jadeite nowadays because the supply is getting less," says Chiang Shiu-Fung, an associate vice president and jewelry specialist with Christie's Asia. "It can be very crazy prices."<br />
Growing demand from China's increasingly wealthy consumers and lower supply from Myanmar have seen prices for jade skyrocket.

"It's really hard to find a good piece of jadeite nowadays because the supply is getting less," says Chiang Shiu-Fung, an associate vice president and jewelry specialist with Christie's Asia. "It can be very crazy prices."
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Myanmar supplies the vast majority of the world's jade, and all of the higher quality jadeite. However, most stone is mined in a remote and conflict-ridden corner of the country, and the industry lacks regulation. Although there are no formal figures on the supply of jade, major auctions houses say supply is dwindling.
Myanmar supplies the vast majority of the world's jade, and all of the higher quality jadeite. However, most stone is mined in a remote and conflict-ridden corner of the country, and the industry lacks regulation. Although there are no formal figures on the supply of jade, major auctions houses say supply is dwindling.
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Jade is a broad term for a wide range of stones which, unlike diamonds and other gemstones, has no international standard for grading. Chiang says trained experts can be 80 to 90 percent sure whether a stone is jadeite or another kind of material. However, "if you really want to be 100 percent sure that a piece is jadeite, you have to send it to the laboratory," he says. <br />
Jade is a broad term for a wide range of stones which, unlike diamonds and other gemstones, has no international standard for grading. Chiang says trained experts can be 80 to 90 percent sure whether a stone is jadeite or another kind of material. However, "if you really want to be 100 percent sure that a piece is jadeite, you have to send it to the laboratory," he says.
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The highest quality stone, called jadeite, is the hardest, most translucent and most valuable form of the stone. Lesser quality nephrite -- a softer, cloudier stone -- is more commonly used for carvings.
The highest quality stone, called jadeite, is the hardest, most translucent and most valuable form of the stone. Lesser quality nephrite -- a softer, cloudier stone -- is more commonly used for carvings.
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Jadeite comes in a wide-range of colors that include traditional green, as well as lavender, red, yellow, black -- the result of high iron content -- and white.
Jadeite comes in a wide-range of colors that include traditional green, as well as lavender, red, yellow, black -- the result of high iron content -- and white.
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Green jadeite is the the most prized and valuable, but color gradients vary. <br /><br />"Green is a mixture of yellow and blue, but you have to go for straight green, purely green," says Chiang. "When the green is a little bit bluish, forget about it. A tiny bit of yellow is acceptable, but too yellowish makes it a little bit apple green or grassy green, that's no good at all."
Green jadeite is the the most prized and valuable, but color gradients vary.

"Green is a mixture of yellow and blue, but you have to go for straight green, purely green," says Chiang. "When the green is a little bit bluish, forget about it. A tiny bit of yellow is acceptable, but too yellowish makes it a little bit apple green or grassy green, that's no good at all."
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Other important important factors in jadeite's value include its translucency -- how opaque a stone is -- the smoothness of texture, and the specific tone, hue and saturation of the color.
Other important important factors in jadeite's value include its translucency -- how opaque a stone is -- the smoothness of texture, and the specific tone, hue and saturation of the color.
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As jade prices have risen, simple designs -- like this jadeite, ruby and diamond cabochon that sold for more than $5.5 million at a Christie's Hong Kong auction in 2015 -- are being favored by Asian buyers.
As jade prices have risen, simple designs -- like this jadeite, ruby and diamond cabochon that sold for more than $5.5 million at a Christie's Hong Kong auction in 2015 -- are being favored by Asian buyers.
Christie's
Cuts without facets -- like the cabochon style pendant and round beads -- maximize the stone's color and highlight its quality.
Cuts without facets -- like the cabochon style pendant and round beads -- maximize the stone's color and highlight its quality.
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This simple, vivid emerald green jadeite bangle, for example, is expected to fetch between HK$50 to $70 million ($6.5 to $9 million) when it goes under the hammer at a Sotheby's auction in October 2016.
This simple, vivid emerald green jadeite bangle, for example, is expected to fetch between HK$50 to $70 million ($6.5 to $9 million) when it goes under the hammer at a Sotheby's auction in October 2016.
Sotheby's
This jadeite bead necklace, shown here during an auction preview in Hong Kong, sold for $13.7 million at a Tiancheng International auction held in Hong Kong on Novermber 28, 2012.
This jadeite bead necklace, shown here during an auction preview in Hong Kong, sold for $13.7 million at a Tiancheng International auction held in Hong Kong on Novermber 28, 2012.
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Jade has also traditionally been used in carving. This pale celadon jade marriage bowl from the 18th century Chinese Qianlong period sold for more than $675,000 at a 2011 Christie's auction in London.
Jade has also traditionally been used in carving. This pale celadon jade marriage bowl from the 18th century Chinese Qianlong period sold for more than $675,000 at a 2011 Christie's auction in London.
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It may look tiny, but this "exceptional apple-green jadeite 'chrysanthemum' washer" fetched over $140, 000 at a Bonhams auction in May 2016 in London.
It may look tiny, but this "exceptional apple-green jadeite 'chrysanthemum' washer" fetched over $140, 000 at a Bonhams auction in May 2016 in London.
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Christie's Chiang named this carved pendant, which he first saw under dim lighting at a client's house in China, as his favorite jadeite piece to ever be auctioned in his time at the company. <br /><br />"When we saw the piece in proper lighting and got the laboratory results, wow, what a piece!" he says. It sold for HK$5.08 million (over $650,000) in 2013.
Christie's Chiang named this carved pendant, which he first saw under dim lighting at a client's house in China, as his favorite jadeite piece to ever be auctioned in his time at the company.

"When we saw the piece in proper lighting and got the laboratory results, wow, what a piece!" he says. It sold for HK$5.08 million (over $650,000) in 2013.
Christie's
What's the most expensive piece of jadeite jewelery ever to be sold at auction? This jadeite, ruby and diamond necklace, once owned by Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton, sold for more than $27.4 million at a Sotheby's auction in Hong Kong in 2014.
What's the most expensive piece of jadeite jewelery ever to be sold at auction? This jadeite, ruby and diamond necklace, once owned by Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton, sold for more than $27.4 million at a Sotheby's auction in Hong Kong in 2014.
Sotheby's
The ruby and diamond clasp was designed by Cartier, and the piece was eventually purchased by the Cartier Collection after a reported 18 minutes of bidding.
The ruby and diamond clasp was designed by Cartier, and the piece was eventually purchased by the Cartier Collection after a reported 18 minutes of bidding.
Sotheby's
"Purchasing jadeite jewelry often comes with sentimental reason for general Chinese. More Western clients are into fine workmanship, carving details, and they are crazy about originality," says Eddy Hui, the artistic director of Edward Chiu Jewellery Art in Hong Kong. <br /><br />This 18K white gold Edward Chiu Jewellery Art brooch features green jadeite, white jadeite, black jadeite and diamonds.
"Purchasing jadeite jewelry often comes with sentimental reason for general Chinese. More Western clients are into fine workmanship, carving details, and they are crazy about originality," says Eddy Hui, the artistic director of Edward Chiu Jewellery Art in Hong Kong.

This 18K white gold Edward Chiu Jewellery Art brooch features green jadeite, white jadeite, black jadeite and diamonds.
Edward Chiu Jewellery Art
An 18K white gold brooch made with lavender jadeite, black coral, pearl and diamonds from Edward Chiu Jewellery Art.
An 18K white gold brooch made with lavender jadeite, black coral, pearl and diamonds from Edward Chiu Jewellery Art.
Edward Chiu Jewellery Art