I just started my collection with 2 pretty but pretty pricey bangles from Little Jadeite House. I am wearing one right now, waiting for the pink one to get here. Pictures will be posted soon! I used to have a lovely green one I sold back to MK after wearing it for 5 years but it too was pricey. I live in a relatively safe area and I think it’s safe to wear most pieces although I almost never wear my more expensive Indian gold pieces…. Uh… just in case lol. I am more. Worried of a jewelry snatching than the stuff breaking because jade is strong and my gold will take a decent beating but can always be bent back to shape. (The exception is the pure 24K gold Vietnamese or Chinese bracelets). Be super careful with those!I try to rotate my jade and I love wearing all my pieces. I try to remember that jade is very strong and is supposed to be protective (if you believe that) so wearing it is good. My bangle "Smoke" is my most expensive one and I wore it for almost 5 years before taking it off. My black bangle is my pandemic bangle. I put it on before we went into lockdown in 2020 and sheʻs been on since. Iʻm pretty klutzy... I knock into walls, desks, doorknobs... I fall down more than is good for me, but so far so good.
I lost one of my favorite pendants recently though... it was on a necklace that has a hook to hang pendants off of, but the closure was loose. So sad.
repost pic of Smoke.
lost pendant
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Hi everyone! Any tips for shopping for white or off-white “Hetian”? I found my perfect black nephrite bangle, and I feel like I’ve virtually found my perfect off-white to pair with it. But as much as I love it, the bangle is a princess style, which is not as comfortable to me as a D-shape.
My bangle has a waxy feel that I love, and the texture is fine. Fibers aren’t visible, and there are no cotton spots or water lines. It’s translucent (i.e., can see fingers through it in the light) without the cooler “icy” look of some Qinghai white.
Shopping around, I’m very confused because I see bangles with less consistent texture/color going for exponentially more than my bangle. I also see a really wide variation of pricing generally even where the differences are much less apparent in photos than in colored jades. I’m finding it so challenging that I wish I could just transform the princess into a tiny D and call it a day.
My bangle has a waxy feel that I love, and the texture is fine. Fibers aren’t visible, and there are no cotton spots or water lines. It’s translucent (i.e., can see fingers through it in the light) without the cooler “icy” look of some Qinghai white.
Shopping around, I’m very confused because I see bangles with less consistent texture/color going for exponentially more than my bangle. I also see a really wide variation of pricing generally even where the differences are much less apparent in photos than in colored jades. I’m finding it so challenging that I wish I could just transform the princess into a tiny D and call it a day.
White nephrite or mutton-fat jade is probably one of those things that are challenging to shop for cause as what you listed, inconsistent texture alongside prices varying wildly. If you really are searching for mutton-fat then you’re going to have to ask some online sellers if they even have one in their inventory since a mutton fat in a D-shape demands a good couple to 10s of thousands, moreso if it’s from a cobble that originated from the river. You’ll have better bets on Russian white nephrites since these are a tad more commonly found, you could contact Allan Spehar of JadeDivers, Stephen Sednik of TheFriendlyBeadCo./SiberianJade to see if they can do white bangles, you can even contact HarvesterGifts and ask if they probably have some white nephrite bangles in storage although best you do ask her now as it feels like she’s already down to a manageable inventory nowadays.
As for reasons why some white nephrites are priced higher than others despite quality differences is due to supply-and-demand for a specific region’s nephrite based on what I’ve been seeing and bought from, let’s say Qiemo nephrite as example, they’re known for the creamy feeling and White + Brown sugar jade, while Russia or other Xinjiang regions may have the same type as Qiemo, theirs maybe different for better or worse simply cause it just doesn’t look as good as ones from Qiemo, then there’s labor costs and how much the source’s would like based on grams w/ scarcity likely playing into factor. There are definitely videos out there of how the people from Xinjiang source these materials and trust me when I say this, the labor is very intensive and you’ll definitely develop a strong core and limbs from having to carry a lump of nephrite and walk on the loose debris of Xinjiang’s mining fields.
Thanks! I have been in touch with Allan and probably will work with him on something custom if material is available, so I’m trying to gather data for that project and understand white jade better. I’m not normally very price sensitive, but the bangle I have is priced <$100 and so much more attractive (imo) than many others I see on the market for much more, so that’s making me wonder what I’m missing/why I can’t find a similar small D.As for reasons why some white nephrites are priced higher than others despite quality differences is due to supply-and-demand for a specific region’s nephrite based on what I’ve been seeing and bought from, let’s say Qiemo nephrite as example, they’re known for the creamy feeling and White + Brown sugar jade, while Russia or other Xinjiang regions may have the same type as Qiemo, theirs maybe different for better or worse simply cause it just doesn’t look as good as ones from Qiemo, then there’s labor costs and how much the source’s would like based on grams w/ scarcity likely playing into factor. There are definitely videos out there of how the people from Xinjiang source these materials and trust me when I say this, the labor is very intensive and you’ll definitely develop a strong core and limbs from having to carry a lump of nephrite and walk on the loose debris of Xinjiang’s mining fields.
Likewise, when I see princess bangles that are similar whiteness/fineness (just thicker) priced at $800-900 from 3jade, I can’t tell if they’re overpriced or if the increased thickness can account for the full delta. I understand you have to take claims of origin with a grain of salt in today’s market, and I don’t think that seller is overly focused on their bangles being from Qiemo or even true “Hetian” (though I haven’t asked the question).
Using 3jade’s inventory as an example, I’m confused about relative opacity and undertones in white/off-white jade. They’ve had “mutton fat” priced at $8-10k, and it clearly looked different than their other “white” bangles, almost more opaque. So I can wrap my head around that even though the opacity factor was surprising to me. But they also have “rare creamy white” that I can’t really distinguish from others (but maybe just a bit more dense/opaque?). As to the different undertones in the off-whites (green, yellow, gray), I haven’t really picked up a pattern re: impact on value other than that gray is less desirable. For better or worse, sugar and skin accents are not to my taste, so that’s one variable I can leave out.
In case helpful, here’s my budget off-white bangle photographed with flash on a pure white background with a gray-toned off-white Siberian river cobble. In real life, the bangle is slightly more ivory until under bright indoor light, at which time a green undertone peeks through.
Ahh that's understandable, yes the more white it is, the higher (and exponentially high) the price will be, translucency/opaqueness factors in slightly, but it's all based on how closely it resembles and feels like mutton fat literally
The grains in mutton fat should be barely visible as well should light be shone behind it. In my opinion if you're like me and some other jadies here, go ahead and own yourself a piece worthy of being passed down for generations so long you have the money to do so! Even if the brown or skin accents aren't up your alley. (Who knows, perhaps a piece of splendid white nephrite might grow on you! It does pair very well with a white morning gown or any warm toned outfits!)Oh right I should note that if a white nephrite ever has any undertones that isn't just white and has any mineral flecks inside it, then price decreases drastically and isn't considered mutton fat anymore.
I bruise very easily too. No matter, if I do soapy water, bag and soap, lotion, oils, etc....And to be quite honest, I prefer sleeping without a bracelet on. I feel I need to rest my hand and bangle perfectly to not cut off my circulation, and have decided to give them a break for a while and see about wearing them again in a couple months.
Come one come all… I’m still flying solo. Would love to get to meet y’all the jade forum is a play off on the jade thread and purse forum. Hope I can write all that out without getting in trouble for promoting something else anyway hope everyone is having a wonderful night. I just bought something I need reassurance on…. I’ll add in next image.
Oh interesting! I actually find princess styles much more comfortable than D bangles
Hey Jadies! Need your opinion on this, so as you all know by now, I'm quite fascinated with Guatemalan jade currently and want to know your thoughts on this piece https://www.ebay.com/itm/175211201122, worth the price? I'm probably gonna leave it uncarved as well despite making a beautiful landscape statue/bangle. TIA!
Would give me another reason to maybe dump some photos of my collection too.
I really tried searching on FB but I somehow for some reasons can't find it at all? Really wanted to join too so that gives me a reason to reinstall it back to my phone despite heavily disliking what it's CEO has been doing lately.
Would give me another reason to maybe dump some photos of my collection too.
Hi! I have a few bangles from Little Jadeite House
I think the Hk seller pic I posted is jadeite. I also love fine grained, watery pieces with no white flakes if possible.
Thanks! Yes I guess most important it has to be Type A jadeite jade regardless whether from Guatemalan or Burma
I've only bought a pendant from them so far. But I noticed the prices for blue jadeite really varies. So i am still looking around, hoping to find one more translucent .Hi! I have a few bangles from Little Jadeite House
Pricing for jade is so hard to nail down with all the variables... I always just try to be "lucky" when it comes to my purchases. Iʻll find stuff in my price range and then see something that looks so close for $$$ more. Sometimes I'm sad that just a few changes push such prettiness out of my range, but I'm always satisfied with what I can get, so I'm glad I have such cheap taste, haha.
Really pretty! I like the gray toned white the best, but I don't mind a green undertone. I usually can't see it very much with my eyes, but photos always pull way more saturation of color for me.
I've tried doing a search, it is same for me as A.Angle, nothing pops up.
So pretty! I love when the light shines through.