Jade is a name that was applied to ornamental stones that were being brought to Europe from China and Central America. The two varieties of Jade are known as Jadeite and Nephrite. Jadeite is very hard, appears in many shades of green to hazel and has a greasy feel when polished. Nephrite is more common than Jadeite, and is an even harder stone. Nephrite includes colors ranging from dark green to grey-black or even blue grey. Candy Jade is dyed bright colors, while white jade is actually Serpentine.
See also: Beading Wire | Headpins & Eyepins | Beading Thread and Cord | Clasps | Jump Rings & Split Rings
