The JADE thread!

[iiturtle]

Quick post before work this morning! Just wearing my bangle and engagement ring today

 

[iiturtle]

Hi lovely TFers, I’ve been a long time lurker. Have been admiring all your jade pieces since I was a student, now that I’m working I decided to buy a bangle for myself. But, now that I’ve bought, I found some cracks which I am unable to photograph well.

I also wonder if those lines in my pics are stone lines or anything that I should be concerned about? I paid 4 digits for the bangle... if those are stone lines and plus the cracks I found, I will try to seek recourse...
Thanks!

Welcome to the Jade Thread, Vinocoffeecerveca! Bernie and jadeitebear gave some really good advice. I cannot tell from the photos alone, but it seems similar to what is in my lavender bangle. They look more like clouds and inclusions, as opposed to cracks, but I cannot be sure. I will take some photos of my bangle tonight and show you!

 

[Cyanide Rose]

My dream nephrite bangle would be a mutton fat with some faint yellow I wear size 50-51mm

You gals are so right, everything I see is a 54 or larger. You will find the bangle meant for you for sure, but I do think you will have more success in the markets you mentioned [emoji4]

 

[Cyanide Rose]

Jadies all your pieces are gorgeous! Jade can never be boring but it is addictive [emoji6]

 

[Vinocoffeecerveca]

Hi , 4 digits in which currency ? At least that will give us some idea and comparison with where I m in Singapore if it’s too expensive .

I would say that most jadeite bangle have birthmarks . But as with bangles which are more aesthetically pleasing ( less flaws / stonelines / cloud ) , the presence of flaws tends to be less . But that would also mean it’s usually more $$$.

Most bangles even if really expensive ones might have some clouds or lines only visible under the touch but not so much as such flaws wouldn’t justify a high price tag from ethical sellers .

But some unethical sellers would try to sell bangles with flaws to layperson buyers who does not know what to look out for.

I got it from LH jade in Singapore. Now I’m starting to wonder if it’s too much to pay for what it is ($1.5k). I actually saw the scratches/cracks (not pictured above) right after paying, but the salesman assured me it’s not. But I could actually feel it with my fingernail at home. I’m indeed uncomfortable paying so much for a bangle with scratches/cracks. I believe I can exchange for something else within 7 days.

 

[Vinocoffeecerveca]

Welcome Vinocoffeecerveca!

I am not an expert by any means, so others can add better things to say.

The first thing I would check is if you feel the line with your fingernail when you run it across the surface. If you feel a slight bump as you go across the line then it is a "new" stone line or indeed a crack. If you do not feel anything then the case is more complicated. It could be a stone line that is healed, so technically the jade cracked while forming inside the earth but then it could be that more jadeite flowed in the crack and "healed" it before the stone was solidified and then mined. Or it could be a variation of texture / cloud. Experts will say different things about whether healed stone lines are really cracks and how they impact the aesthetics, strength and therefore value of a bangle but I don't know much about determining that and will leave it to others with more jade experience or industry knowledge here.

The bottom line is one of gut feeling. Are you ok with it? Most bangles might have one or more such lines but do you want yours to or not? If it bothers you, you are totally justified in asking questions.

How do others here check the internal structure in jadeite for a "cloud" a "healed stone line" or a new crack? I try to look for internal reflection with a light and vary the angle of the light to the piece. If the white appears and disappears along an internal plane then I think of this as more of a new crack, but I might be wrong. It is difficult to see, yet alone photograph this as internal clouds and other variations also tend to change internal reflection.

Thank you! I shone light through and I can see faintly the scratches/cracks from the inside of the bangle. I might just bring it down to the shop again to ask.

 

[Vinocoffeecerveca]

Welcome to the Jade Thread, Vinocoffeecerveca! Bernie and jadeitebear gave some really good advice. I cannot tell from the photos alone, but it seems similar to what is in my lavender bangle. They look more like clouds and inclusions, as opposed to cracks, but I cannot be sure. I will take some photos of my bangle tonight and show you!

Some of them do look like clouds!

 

[2boys_jademommy]

So much to catch up on and beautiful pics!
Welcome Vinocoffee - Your bangle is pretty. There are some clouds but I don’t think they are cracks.
Uli you live up to to your reputation as Stack Queen [emoji73]
Bernie your jade is never boring - that bangle is tdf.
iiturrle I love the beautiful pairing of your engagement ring with your vibrant bangle.
And a hello to C Rose [emoji257][emoji847] I hope you are feeling better.

 

[Vinocoffeecerveca]

Any advice is appreciated!

Am thinking of going down to the shop to ask about the scratches (not photographed) and also possibly exchange for something else.

I took more pics of the bangle under sunlight. Do you ladies think it is worth $1.5k? Or could I get something better at this price? I don’t really know how to see quality besides translucency...

 

[Cyanide Rose]

So much to catch up on and beautiful pics!
Welcome Vinocoffee - Your bangle is pretty. There are some clouds but I don’t think they are cracks.
Uli you live up to to your reputation as Stack Queen [emoji73]
Bernie your jade is never boring - that bangle is tdf.
iiturrle I love the beautiful pairing of your engagement ring with your vibrant bangle.
And a hello to C Rose [emoji257][emoji847] I hope you are feeling better.

Hi 2B! I am coming along, slowly but surely. Once my voice is back, then I’ll be a ma’am again [emoji6] Thanks for asking dear friend, I really appreciate it [emoji16]

 

[Cyanide Rose]

Any advice isI took more pics of the bangle under sunlight. Do you ladies think it is worth $1.5k? Or could I get something better at this price? I don’t really know how to see quality besides translucency...

Hi Vinocoffeecerveca! It’s s pretty bangle but the only opinion that matters is yours hun and you really should be happy with your purchase. You paid a lot for that bangle and even if you didn’t, you shouldn’t have to settle for anything you aren’t 100% satisfied with. If I were you, I would definitely go to the place you purchased it and not leave until you are happy with what’s on your wrist or what’s in your wallet. That’s just my opinion. You really should love it honestly [emoji4]

 

[berniechocolate]

I got it from LH jade in Singapore. Now I’m starting to wonder if it’s too much to pay for what it is ($1.5k). I actually saw the scratches/cracks (not pictured above) right after paying, but the salesman assured me it’s not. But I could actually feel it with my fingernail at home. I’m indeed uncomfortable paying so much for a bangle with scratches/cracks. I believe I can exchange for something else within 7 days.

Li Hong ?

Why don’t you bring it back to ask if you could exchange it for something else you might be happier with .

Assuming you did not buy it too long ago ? Perhaps u could bring a torch / or ask for a touch to have a good view of any bangles that caught your eye this time ?

I can accept that jadeite being a natural stone , even when priced 4 digits . Might have some flaws like stonelines which cannot be felt , clouds , or just one mild surface indentation which are part of the bangle being cut too close to the surface .

But I don’t like cracks . You know like cracks that are obviously white and if your hands can actually feel them , kwim ?

I think since you paid this much for it , and do not like it , you should really bring it back ASAP to exchange it for something that u are happy to wear . Else it would be something that you put aside and not enjoy .

 

[udalrike]

I would say the same as Bernie and CR said before, Vino!
Jadeitebear and 2boys, thanks!

 

[udalrike]

Bernie, looking like Snow-white!

 

[udalrike]

Iiturtle, love your ring and,of course, your beautiful bangle .
The carved bangle on the left is Kaa. She is permanent as well as the black jadeite one, which was a generous gift from a far away friend .
Got the third from Matsalice a short time ago. I could remove it quite easily from the right arm so I thought it would be even better on the left. Now it turned out that this one might be my third permanent one.. On the other hand it does not really matter if I have 2 or three permanent bangles, right?