Types of Jade Enhancements & Treatments

It is a common market practice for gemstones used in jewellery to be treated with heat or colour enhancement to produce more beautiful gems at an affordable pricing. The common ones include: diamond, ruby, sapphire, tanzanite, topaz, amethyst, citrine, tourmaline & many more. Jade is no exception. 

When purchasing a piece of Jade jewellery, it is important to know how much processing the stone has undergone because this determines its value. To an untrained eye, it is close to impossible to tell the difference between natural & treated jade. Even experts may be fooled at times! 

The extent of treatment can be classified into 3 grades: Type A, Type B & Type C.

Type A Jadeite - Natural form with no chemical treatment. 

Sometimes after polishing, the Jadeite may be coated with a layer of colourless wax or oil to improve its lustre. This is accepted as long as there is no damage to its crystalline structure. Type A Jade is the most expensive & durable out of the three.

Type B Jadeite - Chemically treated & polymer resin infused

The Jadeite is firstly soaked in an acid bath for 1-2 days & heated to 110 Celsius to allow the chemicals to seep in removing any impurities or oxidation stains creating a “bleaching” effect. This process lightens the Jade colour & leaves it with many holes. Polymer resin is then infused into these holes making it look smoother & more lustrous. However, over time Type B Jade’s appearance can change & deteriorate due to the polymer resin within which may discolour, oxidise, turn yellowish when exposed to heat & sunlight. The Jade’s toughness & durability will also be reduced from the bleaching process. 

Type C Jadeite - Dyed colour

Type C Jadeite has undergone all the treatments of Type B Jadeite plus dyed colouring is added to the polymer resin to produce an enhanced effect. Normally in Green, Lavender, Yellow or Red Jadeite. This leaves the Jade unstable & over time the colour will fade away. 

Our Opinions: Always buy Type A Jade for Health, Wealth & Feng Shui purposes. Treated Jade are mostly low-quality Jade & have no value over time. The harsh chemical treatments that they undergo can cause damage to your skin, some may experience allergic reactions/skin burns (acid bath) after wearing the Jade for some time. Natural Jade is believed to be good for the body & to bring luck but Treated Jade do not have the same benefits. Which is why you should always purchase your Jades from a reputable store & for the high-end pieces you can have it certified at a local gemological laboratory.