Versatile and Colorful Jade Earrings
by Patty Buttonweiser
Jadeite is one of two minerals commonly referred to as jade. The other mineral is called nephrite however they both look close to the same thing and it is impossible to tell the difference between the two without examination of their spectra lines, specific gravity, or refractive index. Jade earrings may be made from either material and not much effort is made in the trade to identify one from the other nor is much effort spared to identify dyed vs not dyed material.
most of the jade you see in the budget jewelry has most probably been dyed or enhanced by with dye to produce different colors. Natural colors include apple green and dark green to black, light purple, reddish orange, gray and brown. There is also dyed jade that is not representative of any of the natural colors of jade like the Tacori blue bridal hairpin created especially for Anne Hathaway’s character in the film “Bride wars” with five faceted turquoise blue jade petals that encircle a white topaz gem stone set in sterling silver.
A jade earring can thus come in a multitude of colors, usually they are cabochon cut but may also be faceted like the hairpin described above. Jade is abundant in larger sizes but for earrings they are usually small cabochons or carvings because they are heavy stones and so when designing them into earrings you have to take comfort into consideration. Jade is also formed into beads and used to make wire earrings like the sort that you see in beading magazines and craft magazines.
All it takes is some silver wire and various types of jade like moss in snow jade, kingfisher jade and Yunan jade. Green jade earrings are quite popular because the green shades found in jade go well with sterling silver. Jade hoop earrings are also popular because they are reminiscent of the familiar Chinese disc shaped jade that look like a flattened donut with a hole in the middle. Jade stud earrings are usually made from matching jade cabochons although I have seen many small matching jade carvings made into stud earrings.
Jade is a much tougher gem than most others because of its mono clinic crystal system which does not cleave that easily when stress is applied to the jade. This makes jade ideal for carving because it can take an enormous amount of shock from grinding implements without shattering. Some of the best looking jade drop earrings are the ones where the jade piece dangling at the end of the earring is a beautifully carved Buddha, dragon or serpent.
In earrings some women prefer various jade colors over others so there is quite a variety from red jade earrings, lavender jade earrings, to pink jade earrings and yellow jade earrings. You will often find the different colors combined into one earring. Some of the popular combinations include green jade and black jade along with white jade and orangey red jade as multiple dangling beads hanging off of silver wire. Pink jade is often combined with purple jade, white jade and apple green jade for a more pastel colored look. Intensely colored purple jade earrings are obviously color dyed but look great faceted or as cabochons.
Jadeite is one of two minerals commonly referred to as jade. The other mineral is called nephrite however they both look close to the same thing and it is impossible to tell the difference between the two without examination of their spectra lines, specific gravity, or refractive index. Jade earrings may be made from either material and not much effort is made in the trade to identify one from the other nor is much effort spared to identify dyed vs not dyed material.
most of the jade you see in the budget jewelry has most probably been dyed or enhanced by with dye to produce different colors. Natural colors include apple green and dark green to black, light purple, reddish orange, gray and brown. There is also dyed jade that is not representative of any of the natural colors of jade like the Tacori blue bridal hairpin created especially for Anne Hathaway’s character in the film “Bride wars” with five faceted turquoise blue jade petals that encircle a white topaz gem stone set in sterling silver.
A jade earring can thus come in a multitude of colors, usually they are cabochon cut but may also be faceted like the hairpin described above. Jade is abundant in larger sizes but for earrings they are usually small cabochons or carvings because they are heavy stones and so when designing them into earrings you have to take comfort into consideration. Jade is also formed into beads and used to make wire earrings like the sort that you see in beading magazines and craft magazines.
All it takes is some silver wire and various types of jade like moss in snow jade, kingfisher jade and Yunan jade. Green jade earrings are quite popular because the green shades found in jade go well with sterling silver. Jade hoop earrings are also popular because they are reminiscent of the familiar Chinese disc shaped jade that look like a flattened donut with a hole in the middle. Jade stud earrings are usually made from matching jade cabochons although I have seen many small matching jade carvings made into stud earrings.
Jade is a much tougher gem than most others because of its mono clinic crystal system which does not cleave that easily when stress is applied to the jade. This makes jade ideal for carving because it can take an enormous amount of shock from grinding implements without shattering. Some of the best looking jade drop earrings are the ones where the jade piece dangling at the end of the earring is a beautifully carved Buddha, dragon or serpent.
In earrings some women prefer various jade colors over others so there is quite a variety from red jade earrings, lavender jade earrings, to pink jade earrings and yellow jade earrings. You will often find the different colors combined into one earring. Some of the popular combinations include green jade and black jade along with white jade and orangey red jade as multiple dangling beads hanging off of silver wire. Pink jade is often combined with purple jade, white jade and apple green jade for a more pastel colored look. Intensely colored purple jade earrings are obviously color dyed but look great faceted or as cabochons.
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