New Zealand GreenStone or Jade

Articles - News - Ideas and more

New Zealand GreenStone or Jade

Author: David Finlay

Learn More about Jade / Greenstone

What Is Jade? Well, to start with, there are two kinds of Jade:
their geological names are Jadeite and Nephrite. The common
names for Nephrite are Greenstone or in Maori - Pounamu.

Jadeite is found in an area around the northern Burnese border
with China. Nephrite is found in New Zealand, Australia, Canada,
Russia, Wyoming and in other small deposits around the world.

Jadeite is a silicate of sodium and aluminium. Nephrite is a
silicate of calcium and magnesium.

Do they look different? Yes, Jadeite is a rare mineral and the
lighter brighter colours have the greatest value. Nephrite is
richer in colour with interesting inclusions, rivers and other
variations of colour. It can be either dark or light - from
almost black-green, through greens, rust to light, - nearly
white in colour.

Is one kind of Jade more valuable than the other? No, the
preference is personal. Some people like dark stone and some
prefer light coloured stone. The preferences generally depend on
where you come from - your ethnicity. There are two schools of
thought to be aware of: the Maori school and the Asian school of
Jade appreciation. The Maori school prefers their stone to be
rich in colour, either dark or light, with interesting
inclusions, rivers and other variations. The Asian school has
developed over the last 5,000 years and prefers lighter brighter
colours with clarity and purity.

Why is Jade called Greenstone in New Zealand? This name came
from the first European explorers who came to New Zealand in the
eighteenth century and saw the Maori people wearing Jade tiki
and other ornaments. They didn't realise it was Jade and called
it Greenstone and the name has stayed.

What should I look out for when buying Jade? Check for cracks.
Hold the piece up to the light and study it carefully. If there
are any cracks they will be a point of weakness and could cause
your piece to break later on. Look for richness of colour. Some
Jade can be muddy or dull in colour. Look for translucence. The
beauty of Jade is seen in the way light reflects and moves
through the stone.

Where does jade come from? Many of you will be familiar with
Chinese jade in the form of carvings and jewelry items such as
bracelets and small carved pendants. You'll know that Chinese
jade comes in varying shades - from almost white to bright
green. Chinese jade is jadeite -a chemically distinct mineral
from nephrite, the type of jade found in New Zealand. While
jadeite is a silicate of sodium and aluminum, nephrite is a
silicate of calcium and magnesium.

Jade from New Zealand Commercial quantities of Nephrite jade are
found in only a few countries in the world besides New Zealand -
Australia, China, Russia and Canada. New Zealand has some of the
finest nephrite jade in the world. In New Zealand, nephrite jade
is named Pounamu, by Maori, the indigenous people of New
Zealand, and is also referred to as greenstone, a name given to
it by the early explorers and settlers to New Zealand who first
came in the eighteenth century. Nephrite jade is very rich in
colour. It is often marked with occlusions or darker colours
running through it. The most prized nephrite jade in New Zealand
is flower jade, jade with pale green or ochre clouds of colour.
This distinctive patterning and colouring comes from the outside
rim or 'rind' of the jade boulders or stones where the surface
has oxidized. Maori appreciation of jade centres on these
features: patterns that seem to evoke images of forests, rivers
and clouds.

Jade from around the world Jade is found in many countries
around the world but commercial quantities are found in only a
few. On any field where jade is found, whether it is in New
Zealand Canada or China, only 5% of all jade mined will be AAA
grade or what we know as "jewelry grade jade" - stone that can
be used for fine carving or jewelry. This grade of jade is
translucent, has perfect clarity and no fractures.

Each region has its own highly prized stone. In Australia, we
look for jade that is a deep black colour. In Canada, highly
sought after stone has bright green flecks through it. The best
quality Russian jade can be very white with a root beer colour
rind, or a very pale almost teal colour.

New Zealand Carvings Pounamu has special significance for the
Maori. The Maori believe that Pounamu absorbs the 'mana' or
spiritual power of its wearer. The Maori also believe that a
piece of Pounamu will always yearn to return to its source in
the rivers and mountains of New Zealand.

New Zealand jade carving is unique in its designs and forms. We
owe this to the Maori who have refined techniques of working
with the stone over a long period of time. We can trace their
use of Pounamu back to the twelfth century. Because of its
extreme hardness, Pounamu was used by the Maori for weapons and
tools. It was also prized by the Maori for ornaments - pendants
and earrings.

Many of the designs you see today are contemporary
interpretations of traditional designs, which have been carved
for centuries such as the hei matua (fish hook), the tiki
(representing man) and the manaia (serpent form).

It can be said that all jade carving has an organic dimension.
New Zealand carving is dynamic and diverse - a fact evidenced by
the increasing numbers of new and talented sculptors and
carvers, each creating their own unique designs from their own
particular sources of inspiration, whether that be Maori,
Pacific, Asian or Celtic.

The Process of Jade Carving Jade carving is a painstaking and
exacting art form. A carver first needs to study the stone to
see where its strengths and beauty lie, in terms of colour,
clarity and patterning. Some carvers call this "the heart of the
stone". The carver works to bring the heart of the stone to the
fore. To do this, a rough shape is first cut out on a diamond
bladed trim saw. Pre-forming, the grinding of edges of the rough
shape follows. A high-speed grinder then shapes the piece into
its final form. Still the surface needs to be polished - through
a series of increasing finer grades of sand paper until the
desired finish, from smooth and satin to a highly polished
gloss, is achieved.

About the author:
David Finlay is the co-founder of www.silverfernz.com an online
shopping site delivering the best crafts and gifts from New
Zealand.