The Reputable jade Sellers list

[Mr. Shinyshoes]

Helloing to all! Please avoid Jade Rabbit Gems. I purchased a simple Pi Disc from them, and 13 days later, "Sara" has not even bothered to ship the item, and has admitted she hasn't. She initially lied about the fake tracking number she had given me shortly after purchase, and DHL has steadfastly maintained they have never received anything from her, and there is no such tracking number. Yesterday, 12 days after purchase, DHL contacted me to tell me that she had finally sent a pre-shipping notice to them, but with no indication as to when she would actually give them the item to ship. They then said that the shipping time, if and when they receive the item, would be 14 to 21 days. Sara blames all the delay on the Chinese New Year. I have asked for a refund. She still has the item. I had a similar (but even worse!) shipping experience with Benjamart Maithong. I recommend neither seller (Etsy).

During the same Chinese New Year, Nandar of Ultimate Jadeite had no problems sending a purchased bangle via DHL three-day shipping (at her cost), and the bangle is awesome, passes with a high-chime and an ultra-violet light test with flying colours, and I recommend Ultimate Jadeite highly. The items may be pricier, but I think her pricing is fair, and the quality is first-rate.

What was your experience with Benjamart Maithong? I ordered a jadeite ring from her over two weeks ago, and still haven’t received it yet. The tracking information she gives is sketchy. It only tracks until it leaves Thailand. After that, you can’t track it anymore.

 

[Ruby In Paradise]

Hi Shinyshoes... I can't help but laugh a little, as it sounds like Benjamart Maithong is up to her usual tricks...

After waiting 16 days, Benjamart Maithong shipped me an empty bag. SERIOUSLY. An empty bag that she "forgot" to put the purchased item in. When I wrote to her about this, she responded with disbelief and denial, then later wrote back that she "could now confirm my story" as she had just found the unsent item. Insulted, and unwilling to wait out another long shipment from a woman who seems to have no time or respect for her customers, I asked for a refund. I left negative feedback for her, but she responded with a looooooong "Oh poor me" self-righteous post that probably took longer to write than the time it would have taken to simply ship the order in a professional and timely manner.... that is, if she remembered to put the item IN before shipping it!

It seems I dodged a bullet with both Benjamart Maithong, and Sara at Jade Rabbit Gems, as I have since read on these forum pages that both sellers deal in polymer impregnated jadeite jade (Type B, and B+C, not Type A, as advertised). Their carelessness saved me the time and money of two return shipments. Shinyshoes, if you are in the US, USPS Tracking WILL pick up the Thai tracking number and info as soon as your package reaches this country, and you will be able to resume the tracking of your package at USPS.com

 

[Mr. Shinyshoes]

Hi Shinyshoes... I can't help but laugh a little, as it sounds like Benjamart Maithong is up to her usual tricks...

After waiting 16 days, Benjamart Maithong shipped me an empty bag. SERIOUSLY. An empty bag that she "forgot" to put the purchased item in. When I wrote to her about this, she responded with disbelief and denial, then later wrote back that she "could now confirm my story" as she had just found the unsent item. Insulted, and unwilling to wait out another long shipment from a woman who seems to have no time or respect for her customers, I asked for a refund. I left negative feedback for her, but she responded with a looooooong "Oh poor me" self-righteous post that probably took longer to write than the time it would have taken to simply ship the order in a professional and timely manner.... that is, if she remembered to put the item IN before shipping it!

It seems I dodged a bullet with both Benjamart Maithong, and Sara at Jade Rabbit Gems, as I have since read on these forum pages that both sellers deal in polymer impregnated jadeite jade (Type B, and B+C, not Type A, as advertised). Their carelessness saved me the time and money of two return shipments. Shinyshoes, if you are in the US, USPS Tracking WILL pick up the Thai tracking number and info as soon as your package reaches this country, and you will be able to resume the tracking of your package at USPS.com

Thanks for the info Ruby. Yeah, I’ve been waiting over two weeks now and the rings still haven’t arrived. Have you ever bought anything from Wanda Jewelry on Etsy? Three months ago, I bought a “honey yellow” jadeite ring, in 18 k gold, for $400+. When I got the ring, I noticed that there were a few faint, hairline fractures on the surface of the stone, faint, but detectable. I noticed that along these lines, there was orange pigmentation that was different from the honey color of the stone itself. I suspect the stone has been dyed. I talked to someone named Julie and she said “the stone is natural. Natural means undated and untreated.” I told her that’s not necessarily true, as natural stone’s can still be dyed. She didn’t respond. I couldn’t get a refund. I’ve been dealing with a Mr. Lee on EBay at his store in Luohe, China, and he is very nice. His jadeite is pretty good quality and the workmanship is superb. The store or seller is leyingh. His other stores are lenotrade and trebrequi. The photos are a little enhanced though, so be careful.

 

[Ruby In Paradise]

Thanks for the info Ruby. Yeah, I’ve been waiting over two weeks now and the rings still haven’t arrived. Have you ever bought anything from Wanda Jewelry on Etsy?

Shinyshoes, my best advice to you, and to all, is to purchase an ultraviolet torch (flashlight) and LOOK at the jadeite jade piece you have purchased with the torch set to ultraviolet light. If you see any part of the jadeite that displays as BRIGHT NEON BLUE, send it back, and get a refund. The BRIGHT NEON BLUE is showing you that the item is either filled with polymer to increase translucence, or cracks in the piece have been GLUED, treated with glue, etc. Make sure to WIPE DOWN the piece before viewing it in ultraviolet light, as any lint on it will also show you a bright blue.

The torch/flashlight will be invaluable to you! I bought mine on Amazon for US $19.50 - you gave no indication of your location, but have you tried recapturing your tracking info stateside, if in USA? Please do not buy from someone who enhances their photos (re: Mr. Lee). Just say no, unless you do not mind having treated jadeite jade. Cheers!

 

[Mr. Shinyshoes]

View attachment 4366099 View attachment 4366099

Shinyshoes, my best advice to you, and to all, is to purchase an ultraviolet torch (flashlight) and LOOK at the jadeite jade piece you have purchased with the torch set to ultraviolet light. If you see any part of the jadeite that displays as BRIGHT NEON BLUE, send it back, and get a refund. The BRIGHT NEON BLUE is showing you that the item is either filled with polymer to increase translucence, or cracks in the piece have been GLUED, treated with glue, etc. Make sure to WIPE DOWN the piece before viewing it in ultraviolet light, as any lint on it will also show you a bright blue.

The torch/flashlight will be invaluable to you! I bought mine on Amazon for US $19.50 - you gave no indication of your location, but have you tried recapturing your tracking info stateside, if in USA? Please do not buy from someone who enhances their photos (re: Mr. Lee). Just say no, unless you do not mind having treated jadeite jade. Cheers!

Thanks for the ultraviolet flash torch info. I will certainly look into it. My advice is to avoid Wanda Jewelry on Etsy, or any jade seller coming out of Georgia. They sell treated jadeite, but sell it as “natural untreated”. For example, Wanda Jewelry sells deep lavender jadeite rings for $150. Yeah, right. Ultimate Jadeite seems legitimate, but Nandar takes forever to respond to my messages, and sometimes she doesn’t. I wanted to buy a jadeite pendant from her, but needed more information and more photos. She never responded. I messaged her a second time. Still no reply. I ended up buying from another seller.
Have you ever dealt with Koojade? They got nice jadeite pieces, but they’re on the pricey side. Also, I noticed they say they’re based in Taiwan, but I saw a pendant on their website that was the same pendant advertised by Lenotrade, a China-based company. I wonder if Koojade does business with the China company?

 

[Ruby In Paradise]

Mr. Shinyshoes said:

"My advice is to avoid Wanda Jewelry on Etsy, or any jade seller coming out of Georgia. They sell treated jadeite, but sell it as “natural untreated.”

I'm going to jump in here with a caveat: Dave Mathis DBA Tradewinds Antiques of Peachtree City, Georgia deals legitimately in Asian antiques and art, and is honest. A member of my family has done business with him, and recommends him highly.

Don't wipe out an entire state because of one dishonest seller, please. Georgia is a big state.

 

[jadeitebear]

Hello!
Thanks for the UV torch info, Ruby! Sounds useful.

Has anyone here dealt with BohoGemStudio on Etsy? I asked a question about a "jadeite" bangle that had little info posted about it: whether it is Grade A and if they accept returns if a lab test reveals that it treated /not jadeite and I got a long sob story from "Stella" about the high cost of jadeite testing and an even longer sob story about their costs for long return times, which I wasn't even asking about. A lab test turnaround time has been about a week for me from Mason Kay and the shop is supposedly located in Colorado! They seem fishy for not giving a straight answer, but I wanted to know if anyone here knows more about them.

Also, avoid seller furbelow2014 "Somkhit Viarasilpa" on Ebay. They advertised a grade A untreated, undyed jadeite bangle for $300 and sent a bangle that was clearly soapstone. When I let him know this and asked to return for a full refund he offered a small reduction in price to keep the bangle which was unacceptable (pay $200 for soapstone!!!) and insisted on the refund. Then he stopped replying. The pictures of it were clearly color enhanced as well. Now I have to ask Ebay to step in and hope to get the refund from them.

 

[Lulafleur]

Hi! I'm looking for buying this bangle from "https://www.etsy.com/se-en/listing/673289087/grade-a-jade-bangle54-mm-untreated" do you have any experience with this seller? is the price to high? Looking from a bangle that is not to Heavy and apx 10 mm with.(Prefferable violet) do you have any recomendations? Many thanks in advance! Kind Regards Kristin

 

[Ruby In Paradise]

Hi! I'm looking for buying this bangle from "https://www.etsy.com/se-en/listing/673289087/grade-a-jade-bangle54-mm-untreated" do you have any experience with this seller? is the price to high? Looking from a bangle that is not to Heavy and apx 10 mm with.(Prefferable violet) do you have any recomendations? Many thanks in advance! Kind Regards Kristin

I have never even seen that seller before, but that sure is a beautiful bangle! That's the kind you put on, and wear for months or years at a time. Seems a bit pricey - do they negotiate their prices at all?

 

[Ruby In Paradise]

Looking from a bangle that is not to Heavy and apx 10 mm with.(Prefferable violet) do you have any recomendations? Many thanks in advance! Kind Regards Kristin

**The next day**

Kristin, rather than spend $1K on this bracelet, and you really want lavender/violet jadeite, I would contact Nandar at Ultimate Jadeite. Tell her your price range and colour desire, as she probably has some in that price range, perhaps even for less. UltJ is tried and true, and I can say from experience that they do not sell treated jade; they don't even sell untreated jade with "glue in the cracks". Nandar is gracious, and she will spend all the time (and extra photos) you need before making your decision. UltJ is a foolproof option. They have a website, along with both Etsy and eBay stores.

Cheers!

 

[jadeitebear]

Lulafleur, let us know how your dealings with this seller BofungJewelry go if you pursue it.

I recently messaged the same seller BofungJewelry, "Rony" about a bangle before trying to purchase and I am glad I did because he got back to me saying the bangle I was interested in was already purchased through his "real shop" and he would look for others like it to suggest to me. I'm glad I checked beforehand as I would not want the headache of trying to get my money back (some etsy reviewers of the shop mention in the comments that he does not give money for returns and only offers exchanges!) I cannot attest to the authenticity or quality of his jade though, so I would be interested to find out.

If there is something UJ or another reputable seller has that suits your preferences I would second Ruby in Paradise to go for that seller instead. Alas, my size is a bit of a tricky one and I have to try unknown sellers, if I want to find anything!

I have just asked to purchase a bangle from JadeEmporium on Etsy but made sure they put in writing they would honor a full refund if the bangle does not test Type A (they did not have a certificate). It is for sure going to MasonKay as soon as it arrives and back if not genuine. Will let you know as soon as I find out if their word is good.

Let me know if you have had dealings with JadeEmporium in the past, or if this one looks fishy to you.

 

[Ruby In Paradise]

I would also like to recommend eBay seller songsong0104. This woman also sells under another name on eBay, but since she posts as a collector and jade lover on The Jade Thread with her eBay username, I won't mention it. She has never "marketed" herself or her products in any way here, but I like her a lot, and don't want her to have any troubles. She sells Type A jadeite jewelry, and I have purchased several items from her. Her prices are good, but be aware that in the lower under-$50 dollar price range, she sells technically untreated jadeite, but if "cracks" are mentioned in the listing, the cracks have usually been glue reinforced (by the original carver). In the $100+ range, you can trust that the jade is untreated, no polymer, no dyes. I have a few great Type A bangles from her, but I have also purchased "fun jade" bangles that are untreated, but UV light reveals that cracks have been glued. The "fun jade" bangles are beautiful, and otherwise untreated. As long as you don't go dancing in a nightclub with a black light on the dance floor, no one would ever be able to tell, lol. I have had two of the over-$100 dollar jade bangles from her tested in the US, and the reports came back Type A untreated. This seller grew up in a family in the jade industry in China, and is a genuinely sweet person as well. She accepts returns, although I have never wanted to return anything. She also sells lots of nephrite jade, but I am a serious Burmese Jadeite lover (it's my drug of choice, lol), so I haven't purchased any of her Hetian offerings. Cheers to all!

PS - She is located in the US, so no expensive shipping costs, or long waits... she seems to ship right after you buy something from her. She's faaaast!

 

[jadeitebear]

I would also like to recommend eBay seller songsong0104. This woman also sells under another name on eBay, but since she posts as a collector and jade lover on The Jade Thread with her eBay username, I won't mention it. She has never "marketed" herself or her products in any way here, but I like her a lot, and don't want her to have any troubles. She sells Type A jadeite jewelry, and I have purchased several items from her. Her prices are good, but be aware that in the lower under-$50 dollar price range, she sells technically untreated jadeite, but if "cracks" are mentioned in the listing, the cracks have usually been glue reinforced (by the original carver). In the $100+ range, you can trust that the jade is untreated, no polymer, no dyes. I have a few great Type A bangles from her, but I have also purchased "fun jade" bangles that are untreated, but UV light reveals that cracks have been glued. The "fun jade" bangles are beautiful, and otherwise untreated. As long as you don't go dancing in a nightclub with a black light on the dance floor, no one would ever be able to tell, lol. I have had two of the over-$100 dollar jade bangles from her tested in the US, and the reports came back Type A untreated. This seller grew up in a family in the jade industry in China, and is a genuinely sweet person as well. She accepts returns, although I have never wanted to return anything. She also sells lots of nephrite jade, but I am a serious Burmese Jadeite lover (it's my drug of choice, lol), so I haven't purchased any of her Hetian offerings. Cheers to all!

PS - She is located in the US, so no expensive shipping costs, or long waits... she seems to ship right after you buy something from her. She's faaaast!

Thank you Ruby in Paradise, for the review. This is super helpful. Also, will be investing in a black light flashlight (Thanks to your suggestion above.) for looking at what is in those bangle cracks! (BTW this comment is in no way aimed at songsong0104. I second Ruby's positive opinion of her as I have purchased from one of her accounts in the past and have found her to be an attentive and knowledgeable seller and her prices are amazing.)

An update on my dealings with JadeEmporium: the bangle in my previous post arrived and it chimes beautifully, passes the metal scratch and density tests with flying colors (I have not checked fluorescence) and it is off to the lab for further testing. In the mean time, I am getting the run around from them about another bangle. So the jury is still out.

Thanks for sharing your experiences with those less known sellers!

 

[jadeitebear]

View attachment 4039546 View attachment 4039547 View attachment 4039548 Hello Jadies, things didn't go well with gojade. I politely emailed with my concerns of the pale color, surface flaws and something I didn't tell you all: it glows like a Christmas tree under UV. That made them quite upset that I was implying that it was not Grade A. They were very offended and said that it couldn't be possible that it was polymer or color powder since they don't do that at their factory. Said I could return it (my cost) to an address in California if I wanted. Here are some photos I took of the fluorescence-- see what you think. My others are inert, BTW.

So I have been playing with my new UV flashlight and my jade collection and noticed the same thing reported above by LunaDoo: all my pieces from gojade have some UV spots that glow. The glow is concentrated only in some areas or lines and present on all their pieces I have (I seem to have acquired a bunch of their jade beaded bracelets, bangles and a few pendants across price ranges). The glow is concentrated where there are surface or deeper imperfections and concave areas in carvings and not so much inside stone lines (not like UV fluorescent glue). Gojade is pretty good at disclosing stone cracks and the UV glow is not in the cracks I can see under regular light in some beads with stone lines I have from them.

There are also other very small spots that seem like they fluoresce in many jades but these are like the fly's wings that one sees under regular light when the light reflects on tiny spots and flashes back. This happens with UV light too but it is reflected UV and not actual fluorescence so I am not talking about this. The areas that glow in the gojade jadeite are much bigger.

Hey, I think I figured it out! It IS wax, and when I used the LED UV light along with a desk lamp, I could see that the fluorescent pattern matches with the surface imperfections on the bangle. So, nothing is "inside" glowing. Whew. Ok.
Although, it's not as nice of a polished surface as it could be (understatement) and "small flaw" was mentioned, I feel somewhat better.

I thought gojade is generally considered reputable for medium quality A grade jadeite. Has anyone else seen this in their jades? Do people know more and if this is indeed smoothing wax and OK for A grade (it is foreign matter in the jade after all) or should gojade be avoided? Other A grade jadeite I have acquired from various sellers does not glow like this.

 

[Ruby In Paradise]

There is only one way to find out, Bear... soak the jade piece in a small bowl of pure acetone for a bit... brush areas with a soft tooth brush, then wash it off with liquid soap and water. If it is glue, it will fade, and possibly run into other areas of the piece. But some of the glue will be gone. Maybe even a lot of it. I have removed the glue from an inside crack on a carved bangle that way. It's chemical free now, baby! But it was just that one area that was treated. Glue will look "psychedelic poster in black light circa 1967", but wax might appear simply light blue, I don't know! If you don't want to risk anything, wear the bracelet or piece often, particularly in a warm shower or bath, daily. If it is beeswax or parafin, it will fade over time. Glue won't change a bit.

PS: You sure got that UV torch fasssst! You will love it! The white light can locate tiny dropped items in carpet, etc., like you wouldn't believe!! The yellow light is awesome for seriously looking into the crystal formations inside your jadeite, and you will keep discovering additional uses for the torch, I'm sure!