YAN Gemstones – Nephrite

Nephrite the gemstone

Made into beautiful figurines and adornments nephrite jade is a versatile and valuable gemstone found and traded since ancient times in China and across the globe.

Of a variety of colours nephrite jade is one of two forms of jade, the other being jadeite, though both forms are considered jade and worked and fashioned in similar ways they are two distinct minerals. Tougher though not harder than jadeite it is present in lighter white, red and brown colours though richer greens are considered rarer.

Nephrite jade is considered a sacred stone by the Maori in New Zealand where it is found on the South Island, traded extensively since ancient times this form of jade has been shaped into myriad forms from elephants to horses, pendants to beads over countless millennia. Ancient Chinese empires used this jade as barter in royal courts where evidence of jade carving has been found dating back thousands of years.

In Buddhist culture jade such as nephrite is seen widely across Asia, it’s precious lustre imbuing carvings of Buddha and sacred lotus flower emblems in the forms of pendants, rings and statue carvings of Buddha found in temples often surrounded and dressed with golden dress and attire.

Nephrite and YAN Jewellery

Of our YAN Jewellery selection we have a beautiful matching necklace and bracelet combination pairing rare red-orange garnet with a silky green nephrite jade stone. Yan has selected a high quality nephrite of a dark green colour poising a key centrepiece while brightened and lifted in lightness by the silver pieces adorned around.

Though hard to catch in the photographs our nephrite does project a green translucence under the right lighting while tending towards deeper tones otherwise.

One combination of this set is wearing the bracelet as a necklace, worn as two necklaces the set projects a richer and more notable character better for matching to clothing of stronger character.

Red colours matched to green are a popular combination in many manners of carved and worn jade design while materials, cloths and other jewellery that carry light such as gold, silver or lighter greens and reds are often found lifting the deeper rich palette of green nephrites.

Nephrite in Fashion

Our own photos showcase green clothing with a rich fabric showing off the green colour of the jade while the red garnet balances the colours out. Presenting a lovely rich tapestry of colour this set can also be set off against contrasting backgrounds while holding it’s own against dresses more rich in style.

In China nephrite is favoured shaped into bangles worn over the wrist and matched to elegant and flowy dresses and clothing which carries volume and flows.

Jade bangles are a popular high end fashion product in Asia, price being matched to reputability of the dealer and the colouring and purity of the jade. Worn everyday bangles though beautiful are very prone to breaking due their circular form and manner in which worn the Chinese however believe the wearing of jade confers protection to the wearer against misfortune and the breaking of a bangle or other jade jewellery is the jade saving the wearer from misfortune that would of otherwise have effected them.

For those worried over the higher risk of bangle breakage jade is also popular clad in silver as ring or as pendant necklaces which are less fragile in nature.

Popular throughout history across the world and into the present times jade as both nephrite and jadeite is a classic and eternal jewel as beautiful to the peoples of those rich and vibrant past cultures as it is to us now.