Real Jade Bracelet: How to Tell A-Grade From Treated Jade

A real jade bracelet is jadeite or nephrite, the two minerals sold as jade.^(GIA) However, real is not the same as untreated. Many makers bleach jadeite and fill it with resin, or dye it, and it is still jadeite underneath.

So for jadeite, buyers use three grades. A-grade is natural colour and untreated. B-grade has gone through acid bleaching and a polymer resin fill. C-grade carries dye as well as resin.^{(GIA 2016)} When people ask for a real jade bracelet, they usually mean A-grade.

According to GIA, A-grade jadeite is natural in colour and untreated, B-grade is bleached and filled with polymer resin, and C-grade is dyed and filled. First ask which grade you are buying. Then ask for a report from an independent gem laboratory. Finally, keep that report with the bracelet.

A-grade is the only grade that matches what most buyers mean by a real jade bracelet. B-grade and C-grade stones are still jadeite, but acid bleaching, resin and dye change both the look and the way the stone ages. For example, the polymer resin in a B-grade bangle can yellow or weaken with time, and the dye in a C-grade piece can fade.^{(GIA 2016)} Imitations form a separate group: glass, quartzite and other stones sold under the jade name.

Nephrite sits outside the A, B and C scale, because most Hetian jade reaches the market untreated. For a significant purchase, a report from an independent gem laboratory settles the grade, according to GIA.

Home checks on a real jade bracelet are useful warning signs, but none is proof. First, look at the colour. Dye often gathers in fine cracks, so look for colour that follows the cracks. For example, green that runs along a crack line points to dye rather than natural jadeite. Second, feel the weight. Jadeite is dense, about 3.34 in specific gravity, so a real jade bracelet feels heavy for its size.^(GIA) Nephrite comes in at about 2.95, so jadeite is roughly 13% denser than nephrite of the same volume.

Third, look at the surface under a bright light. Resin-filled stone can show a net of fine lines or a slightly waxy look. However, home tests such as tapping, scratching or burning are unreliable, and some damage the stone. Finally, treat every home result as a warning sign only, and leave proof to a gem laboratory.

Buying a real jade bracelet online is harder than buying in person, because you cannot handle the stone. So ask more questions. First, ask which mineral the bracelet is: jadeite or nephrite. For example, a listing that says only "jade" deserves a follow-up question. Then ask for the grade in writing, and whether a lab report is available. Next, ask for a video of the exact piece, not a sample photo.

We sell our jade bracelets the same way: we film the piece you will receive, close up, before you pay. Also, compare prices with care. A real jade bracelet in A-grade jadeite rarely sells for the price of costume jewellery. Finally, keep the listing and the video as a record.

Jadeite and nephrite are both real jade, but the two minerals differ in hardness, density, look and treatment, according to GIA.^(GIA) Jadeite is a sodium aluminium silicate with a hardness of about 6.5 to 7. Nephrite is a calcium magnesium iron silicate at about 6 to 6.5. Both minerals are also very tough, meaning both resist breaking better than hardness alone suggests.

Jadeite often looks glassy and can show a vivid green. Nephrite, such as Hetian jade, usually shows an oily lustre in white to green. In practice, the A, B and C grades apply to jadeite, so a seller of a nephrite bracelet should instead tell you about any dye or wax.

Checking a real jade bracelet before payment is a four-step routine. In step 1, ask the mineral: jadeite or nephrite. In step 2, ask for the grade, A, B or C, in writing. Next, ask for a report from an independent gem laboratory, which GIA suggests for a significant purchase.^{(GIA 2016)} Finally, ask for a close-up video of the exact bracelet you will receive, so the colour, the surface and any cracks show.

A real jade bracelet is jadeite or nephrite, and the best one is also untreated. First, ask for the mineral and the grade. Second, ask about a lab report, and see the exact piece before you pay.^{(GIA 2016)} Home checks such as weight, colour in cracks and a waxy surface can raise doubts, but only a laboratory can confirm A-grade jadeite. For example, a bangle that feels heavy and looks even can still carry a resin fill.

Browse our jade bracelets, and read about the meaning in our guide to jade bracelet meaning. We film every piece first.