"Ben Snyder" > wrote in message .net>...
> i purchased a black jade gaiwan some months ago and was wondering if/how i
> can tell if it authentic jade. i can describe or send pictures if it helps.
>
> and no, i won't be devastated if it's just fancy glass, it was a gift for my
> wife and i didn't pay a lot for it. (my gaiwan is glazed clay :-) )
>
> thanks,
> -ben

Ben:

It is very difficult to say without seeing your black jade gaiwan. But
last week from India I have bought four polished Imperial Jade cups.
I will try to explain a little , how to check Jade:-

Jade used be thought as a single gemstone until 1863. But now there
are two classification of Jade- Jadeite Jade and Nephrite Jade.

Jadeite Jade:
found in wide range of
colors-green,lilac,white,pink,brown,red,blue,black,orange and yellow.
Jadeite has a dimple surface when polished. Your black Jade gaiwan
should have a lot of black inclusions if you check under a strong
light.It should be quiet expensive.

Nephrite Jade:
Colors vary from a dark green,cream, it can be found in homogeneous
color,blotchy or banded. Usally it is dark green and not so clear
looking like impereial jade same as Jadeite Jade.

Some more tips:
Some Gemsstore even cheat customerss with MALACHITE, MOONSTONE or with
SERPENTINE. For a new customer it is really very difficult to varify
the differences. Send me a picture of you Gaiwan pot but from picture
I can't assure you to give the answer but i can try.

A tips to confused gemstone seller:
Last week with my Imperial Jade pots, I also bought one antic
Tibbatian silver tea pot carving with Dragons. The piece was almost
perfect. I could tell, it was an stolen piece. I fallen love with it,
once they showed it to me. But I also found out(On the tea pot)their
was an empty hole, where suppose to be a placed stone. I asked for
that and they say- the piece came to their hand this way. I said- then
the pot was a incomplete piece(this way you make seller product
inferior). Then the seller say- he can replace a Jade stone on it. I
said-what abouut a Chrysocolla. He say-thats a cheap stone.I say- I
want a cheap stone. Then he gave me a real Chrysocolla with a fair
price. Real Jade is a soft stone, it can't be placed with silver which
one used for hot tea.

When you buy gems, never showed over interest. Always talk about
different gems
or lower grade gems(Just confuse the seller,what actually you are
looking for). This way, you can get a good bargain. And always take
some advance knowledge before you go to a gems shop.

Thats a simple tips, there are many more. Send me a picture of your
Gaiwan at I will try my best to check. And please
make sure your digital camera is minimum 4 mega pixels, use a powerful
light on it and send me -three close pictures from three different
sides and a picture of the whole Gaiwan. Thanks.


Ripon
(Dhaka,Bangladesh)