How Does Aloha Estate Jewelry Examine Jade?
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We are often asked about our Jade pieces and how they are examined for authenticity and structural integrity.
We use several tools, including:
- Examination under magnification. This is to identify any structural or quality issues such as cracks, chips, repairs, other damage, or even dyes or other infusions.
- Examination under specialized "Jade Lighting" sources:
- White Light. A broadband, high-output visible light - typically in the 5000-6500k daylight range (cool white). Its primary purposes are:
- Translucency examination — shining through the stone to reveal internal structure, fibrous texture, and the evenness of material.
- Color and surface evaluation — assessing true body color, surface finish, and polish quality.
- White Light. A broadband, high-output visible light - typically in the 5000-6500k daylight range (cool white). Its primary purposes are:
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- Yellow Light. Yellow light is typically in the amber/warm range, roughly 580–590nm in wavelength. Yellow light is especially suited for jade flaw and defect identification. The practical purposes of yellow light are:
- Reduced surface glare and reflection — yellow/amber light cuts specular reflections off polished surfaces, allowing you to see into the stone rather than bouncing off it. Yellow light's characteristics are close to natural light, with non-reflective illumination that is conducive to observation.
- Crack and fissure detection — the warm wavelength tends to penetrate surface polish and highlight hairline fractures and stress cracks that white light may wash out.
- Texture visibility — the fibrous interlocking crystalline texture of high-quality jadeite, and the granular texture of nephrite, shows more clearly under yellow light.
- Yellow Light. Yellow light is typically in the amber/warm range, roughly 580–590nm in wavelength. Yellow light is especially suited for jade flaw and defect identification. The practical purposes of yellow light are:
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- 365nm UV Light. This is the most technically specific of the three. 365nm UV is considered best for more accurate fluorescence detection, providing the purest form of UV light, which can help detect subtle fluorescence in jade, not be visible under other wavelengths, which would indicate dyes, infusions, repairs, or other defects.
To Summarize
| Light | Primary Use | What It Reveals |
|---|---|---|
| White | Translucency, color, inclusions | Internal structure, cracks, even vs. uneven material |
| Yellow | Anti-glare penetration | Fissures, texture, surface treatments, depth view |
| 365nm UV | Fluorescence screening | Resin impregnation (Type B), coatings, some treatments |
- Thermal Conductivity Testing. Used to determine whether a Jade piece is Jadeite or Nephrite Jade. Those not conclusive, it provide a valuable data-point for further analysis.
- Refractive Index Testing. Where possible determining the refractive index (RI) of the jade piece provides additional authentication of jade type.
- Our Experience. This is perhaps our best tool. Years of handling pieces of Jade gives us the ability to assess the physical feel, presentation, weight, and general character of a jade item so that, when combined with other data points from other tools, gives the best possible authentication result.
