Jadeite: Savoring the Charm of Single Hues, Admiring the Splendor of Multiple Colors
Jadeite colors are nature’s gifts. Single-color jadeite has a calm appeal, and multi-color jadeite features unique luster. From simple to varied shades, all are vivid displays of the universe’s beauty in jade.
1. Monochrome Charm: One Color, One Universe
Away from the popular green jadeite, single-color jadeite still shines brightly. White is smooth, purple is elegant, black is deep, red is vibrant, and yellow is luxurious. Each color is a unique cosmos, with its own natural grace and value for collection.
Purple jadeite, commonly known as "chun" or violet, varies in hue and can be classified into pink-purple, eggplant-purple, and blue-purple. Pink-purple has a fine, translucent texture but often contains visible cotton-like inclusions, sometimes called "lotus powder ground." Eggplant-purple displays a rich, vibrant color but with a coarse texture and noticeable mineral particles. Blue-purple tends toward a bluish tint, is nearly opaque, and often shows prominent white cotton inclusions.
Generally, purple jadeite has larger crystalline grains and mostly falls into bean or waxy varieties. Ice-type violet jadeite is exceptionally rare, hence the industry saying, "Ten chun, nine woody." It is difficult for violet jadeite to balance color and texture specimens with good transparency often have lighter colors, while deeply colored pieces usually lack clarity. Notably, purple jadeite is highly light-sensitive and may appear significantly different under various lighting conditions, a key point for buyers to observe during purchase.
Red and yellow jadeite are commonly referred to as "fei" colors. High-quality red jadeite with excellent texture and color is extremely rare, with the finest variety known as "cockscomb red." This type exhibits a bright and vivid hue, fine texture, and good transparency, making it a premium category among red jadeite. It should be noted that some red jadeite on the market has undergone heat treatment for color enhancement, so enthusiasts must exercise careful discernment when purchasing.
Yellow jadeite typically appears in shades such as golden yellow, orange-yellow, honey yellow, or brownish-yellow. One particular type of yellow jadeite is called "yellow fog," which forms due to infiltration by limonite. This "yellow fog" is often located close to the surface of the raw stone and generally exhibits better texture and transparency compared to ordinary red or yellow jadeite. This variety is sometimes crafted into bead necklaces, with each bead displaying a half-yellow, half-white pattern, earning it the name "mandarin duck yellow."
Both red and yellow are colors particularly favored by Chinese people. However, red and yellow jadeite with fine texture and pure colors are relatively uncommon. Most pieces tend to have brownish or grayish undertones, lack transparency, and contain more impurities. Red and yellow jadeite are commonly found near the surface of the raw stone and often coexist with other colors, making them frequently used in cleverly carved designs that highlight their natural hues.
In the black jadeite category, there are primarily two types: "Wuji Jadeite" and "Ink Jadeite." Wuji Jadeite:Its black color comes from tiny black impurity inclusions within the mineral fissures, with jadeite as the main component. The color ranges from gray-black to black, often with uneven gray-green undertones. Its texture is typically between glutinous and bean varieties, and it remains gray-black under transmitted light. In recent years, it has gradually gained attention in the market.
Ink Jadeite:The primary mineral is omphacite, which appears black due to the extremely high concentration of green. When viewed under transmitted light, it reveals a deep green color. High-quality Ink Jadeite can achieve an ice-like texture and holds significant value, while lower-quality pieces have coarse crystals and poor transparency. Ink Jadeite is regarded as a special and precious variety of jadeite.
White jadeite is primarily composed of relatively pure jadeite minerals and lacks typical jadeite chromogenic elements, giving it a ceramic-like texture, which is why it is also referred to as "porcelain base." Some finer white jadeite even resembles the effect of nephrite jade. White jadeite can also serve as a base and often exhibits other colors, such as "white background with green," where green color roots appear on a white jadeite surface. Ordinary white jadeite is the most common type of jadeite, with relatively low value, and is often used to make jewelry or decorative items. Some people refer to white jadeite as "colorless jadeite." While this term may seem imprecise, it holds some validity and is a conventional expression in the industry. The term "colorless" here does not mean transparent like glass but rather indicates the absence of distinct colors such as green, yellow, or purple.
Colorless jadeite lacks noticeable color roots and may appear whitish or grayish, a state we can refer to as the "base color." Additionally, what we commonly call "white glass" generally refers to "colorless glass-type" or "colorless ice-type" jadeite. This type of jadeite is highly transparent, crystal clear, and exhibits a strong glass-like luster, making it highly popular among people.
2. The Splendor of Multicolor: Harmony in Beauty, Coexistence in Infinite Forms.
When jadeite possesses two or more colors simultaneously, it creates a unique and multi-hued beauty. These colors do not merely coexist but rather complement and harmonize with each other, collectively forming richer visual layers and artistic depth. Such naturally occurring multi-colored compositions embody both the rarity of jadeite as a natural gemstone and its profound artistic value.
"Spring with Color" jadeite derives its name from the simultaneous presence of purple ("spring") and green ("color"). Purple symbolizes "auspiciousness arriving from the east," while green signifies vitality and energy. The fusion of these two colors embodies people's aspirations for youthful prosperity and a fulfilling life. The name is said to have originated either from the purple-red hue of the water shield flower with the character for "water shield" gradually evolving into "spring" due to its rarity or from the purple-tipped, green-budding spring shoots of the Chinese toon tree in Yunnan, which led to purple in jadeite also being referred to as "toon color."
When selecting "Spring with Color" jadeite, it is important to note that its texture is primarily of the glutinous or glutinous-ice varieties. The color should be carefully examined under natural light, as purple tones tend to appear distorted under indoor lighting. Emphasis should be placed on the harmonious combination of purple and green pieces with pure hues and well-balanced intensity are of higher value. Due to the simultaneous presence of these two precious colors and the increasing scarcity of raw materials, "Spring with Color" jadeite holds significant collectible value and has become a highly sought-after treasure in the market in recent years.
"Yellow and Green" jadeite refers to naturally formed, untreated jadeite that contains both yellow (fei) and green (cui) colors. Its scarcity stems from the stringent geological conditions required, it must possess both primary green and secondary yellow hues, which undergo a prolonged process of mutual infiltration and fusion over millions or even tens of millions of years. As a result, yellow and green jadeite is produced in limited quantities and is far rarer than single-color jadeite.
In traditional Chinese culture, yellow has long been a symbol of power and wealth. From the ceremonial systems of the Shang and Zhou dynasties to the yellow robes of emperors in the Sui and Tang dynasties, yellow consistently represented nobility and sanctity. Green, born from the fusion of blue and yellow in the spectrum, has since ancient times symbolized vitality and nature, evoking a sense of peace and tranquility when observed. When the luxurious yellow meets the vibrant green, these two colors collide to create a unique aesthetic that is both opulent and elegant. This not only aligns with the Chinese philosophical pursuit of "prosperity and vitality" in color but also imbues the artwork with profound cultural significance.
In artistic creation, yellow-and-green jadeite offers master jade carvers abundant creative possibilities. Through the skill of "clever color carving," artisans can leverage the layers and transitions of colors to craft a three-dimensional sense of space and visual rhythm. This ensures that each piece not only embodies the wonder of natural creation but also highlights the ingenuity of human craftsmanship.
"Fu Lu Shou" jadeite, also known in the market as "three-color jadeite," is an extremely precious and rare type of jade. It simultaneously features three colors: red, green, and purple (or yellow). These colors symbolize fortune (red), prosperity (green), and longevity (purple or yellow), respectively. Thus, in Chinese culture, three-color jadeite is regarded as an auspicious object, embodying blessings of happiness, wealth, and long life.
The formation conditions of "Fu Lu Shou" jadeite are extremely demanding. It requires the original stone to be permeated by different mineral elements during geological processes to achieve such rich coloration. Due to its rarity and unique aesthetic value, "Fu Lu Shou" jadeite typically commands high prices in the market and is a treasured item coveted by collectors and jade enthusiasts. Some jadeite on the market undergoes artificial dyeing treatments to mimic the appearance of three-color jadeite. Although these pieces may look similar to genuine three-color jadeite, their value and quality are far inferior to naturally formed three-color jadeite.
"Fu Lu Shou Xi" refers to a four-color jadeite, typically combining red, yellow, green, and purple, or red, green, purple, and white. It stands out as one of the most richly colored varieties among multi-hued jadeites. Due to the rarity of finding so many colors concentrated in a small piece of jadeite, such gems are usually carved from larger raw stones, making them ideal for sizable decorative pieces like sculptures. This type of jadeite is seldom seen in the market, making "Fu Lu Shou Xi" jadeite exceptionally valuable for collection.
The term "Five Blessings Arriving at the Door" refers to the traditional Chinese concept of the five blessings. This type of jadeite is mostly legendary and rarely seen in the market today. Happiness, prosperity, longevity, joy, and wealth are the central themes of the traditional five blessings. The industry also associates the five most beautiful colors of jadeite with these blessings, with the specific pairings as follows: red represents happiness (福, fu); green represents wealth and prosperity (禄, lu); white represents longevity (寿, shou); yellow represents riches (财, cai); and purple represents joy and celebration (喜, xi).
From the serene purity of monochrome to the radiant interplay of multiple hues, the colorful world of jadeite is more than just a visual feast, it is an enduring symphony of nature and human culture. Each shade of jade holds a unique story, quietly awaiting the appreciation of those who understand.
Related Reading:
1. Jadeite：Why Is Green the Most Revered Color?
2. From the King of Jadeite to the King of Green Gems: Exploring Top-Tier Green Hues
3. What is Mò Cuì (Ink Jadeite)? The Complete Guide to Black Jadeite Jade