Ideally, color should be completely even to the unaided eye, without spotting or veins. In lower qualities, fine root- or vein-like structures that contrast with the body color of the stone may be considered attractive. However, dull veins or roots are less desirable. Any form of mottling, dark irregular specks, or blotches that detract from the overall appearance of the stone will reduce the value.
Translucency: This is another important factor in evaluating quality. The best jadeite is semi-transparent; opaque jadeite or material with cloudy patches typically has the least value. It is interesting to note that even if the overall color is uneven or low in saturation, jadeite can still be quite valuable if it has good transparency.
Among the various gems, no single stone has a closer relationship with a culture than jade with the Chinese. It is considered the “Stone of Heaven” and is thought to provide a bridge between this world and the next. Jade also played an important part in Mayan and Maori cultures. In each of the above cultures, jade was considered “beyond price.” (R W Hughes)
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Prices: Next to certain rare colors of diamond (such as blue, pink and red), jadeite is the world‘s most expensive gem, with prices above even ruby and sapphire. The record price for a single piece of jadeite jewelry was set at the November 1997 Christie’s Hong Kong sale: Lot 1843, the “Doubly Fortunate” necklace of 27 approximately 15 mm jadeite beads, sold for US$9.3 million (see figure 25). Indeed, out of the top ten most expensive jewels sold worldwide by Christie’s in 1999, five out of ten were jadeite, including three of the top four. These auctions clearly show that jadeite is among the most valuable of all gemstones. The most valuable jadeites are those of high translucency and rich Cr-green color. Nephrite has little value as a gem in and of itself, but carvings can be quite valuable.
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