Jade explained — jadeite vs nephrite, the distinction that matters

Jade is two minerals wearing one name — and the difference is the whole
market.

• Jadeite — the precious jade: sodium pyroxene, harder (6.5-7), denser,
  and the source of the imperial greens and the lavender hues. Myanmar is
  the classic source.
• Nephrite — the tough jade: calcium amphibole, slightly softer but
  FAMOUSLY tough (fibre structure); the historical jade of China, New
  Zealand and Central Asia.

The A/B/C trade code — Type A = natural, untreated (the only kind for
investment); Type B = acid-bleached and polymer-impregnated (unstable);
Type C = dyed. Asking "is it Type A?" is the single most valuable question
in jade buying.

Testing — refractive index and density separate the two; spectroscope
confirms. This is core syllabus in the gemmology course — and
culturally central in Singapore, where jade questions dominate the
webinar replays.

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Go deeper — free

Watch the free replays at the gem webinar library — the gem e-book is the written companion. When curiosity becomes commitment, the gemmology foundation course is the ladder's first rung (online entry: GT100e); dates on the calendar. Play Name That Gem to train the eye between sessions.

What students say

“I enjoyed fancy weaving because its something unusual and nice.”

— Nikoletta M. (Cyprus) · published student feedback

“I intend to contribute articles to jewellery magazines and hope that someday I can be an authority in this field. That's a dream.”

— Yen Ting C. (Singapore) · published student feedback

Free ways to explore

No sign-up, no payment — start with any of these.

WWatch a free gem webinarFREE
Full recorded sessions — the best free starting point.JJDMIS on YouTubeFREE
Course previews, blended-learning explainers and school life.FFree jewellery webinar replaysFREE
Recorded sessions on design and the jewellery industry.DDownload the gem e-bookFREE
The school's free guide to gems — pairs with the replays.

Keep exploring

Opal — play of colour, care and buyingOpal explained — precious opal's play of colour, body tones, stability and the care rules Jewellery video library — webinars, replays and free learning resourcesFree jewellery video learning — the gem, jewellery and pearl webinar replay libraries fromSapphire — every colour except redSapphire explained — blue and the fancy colours, why corundum toughness makes it a daily-wPearls — types, grading and carePearls explained — freshwater vs saltwater vs shell, the lustre-first grading order, and t

See the online and blended options

Gemmology can be started fully online, and every classroom course at JDMIS has a video-supported path.

Visit jdmis.edu.sg