Jadeite has been prized in Asia for centuries. Chinese emperors wore it. Mesoamerican kings carved it into ritual masks. Today, it remains one of the most sought-after gemstones in Singapore.
But buying jadeite in Singapore comes with questions. What does "Type A" mean? How do you tell good quality from treated stone? And do you have to believe in feng shui to wear it?
This guide answers those questions without the fluff.
Jadeite is graded into three types based on treatment:
Type A is natural jadeite. It has not been bleached, dyed, or filled with resin. The only treatment allowed is a light wax polish after cutting. This is the only grade that holds its value and colour over time.
Type B has been acid-bleached to remove impurities, then filled with polymer resin. It looks good initially but degrades. The resin yellows with heat and sunlight.
Type C has been dyed. The colour fades.
When shopping for jadeite rings in Singapore, Type A is the only grade worth considering for long-term wear.
At Of Mood & Stone, all our jadeite is Type A, sourced from Myanmar.
Four factors determine jadeite quality:
Colour: The most valuable shade is "imperial green," a vivid, saturated green. But jadeite also comes in lavender, white, yellow, and black. Choose what you like. There's no wrong colour for everyday wear.
Translucency: Higher translucency ("icy" jadeite) commands higher prices. But opaque jadeite with good colour is still beautiful and more affordable.
Texture: Fine-grained jadeite has a smooth, almost glassy surface. Coarse-grained material looks grainy.
Clarity: Natural inclusions are common and do not affect durability. Cracks, however, do. Avoid pieces with visible fractures.
For rings worn daily, durability matters more than rarity. A well-cut, solid piece in a colour you love will serve you better than a fragile collector's stone.
Jadeite was first mined in Myanmar (Burma) and traded along ancient routes into China. By the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), it had become the preferred stone of the imperial court.
The Chinese term for jadeite is "fei cui" (翡翠), named after two species of kingfisher birds whose feathers share jadeite's green and red-orange hues.
Unlike nephrite (the softer form of jade found in China for millennia), jadeite is harder, more vivid, and takes a sharper polish. Mineralogists only distinguished the two in 1863, though Chinese craftsmen had noticed the difference centuries earlier.
Today, Myanmar produces over 70% of the world's gem-quality jadeite.
Jadeite works with both gold and silver settings. For everyday wear, a simple band or bezel setting protects the stone while keeping the look minimal.
Some styling ideas:
Stack a jadeite ring with plain gold bands for a layered look. Pair lavender jadeite with warm rose gold tones. Wear a green jadeite ring alone as a quiet statement piece.
Jadeite scores 6.5-7 on the Mohs hardness scale. It handles daily wear well but remove it before heavy manual work.
We offer Type A jadeite rings in contemporary settings designed for everyday wear. Each piece is set in sterling silver or 14K gold-plated sterling silver.
No spiritual claims. The stone speaks for itself.
The Greeks called amber elektron, "made by the sun." The Aztecs shaped copal into offerings for the gods. And somewhere between ancient trade routes and your Tuesday morning coffee, a gemstone bracelet found its way to your wrist. This is the story of how it got there.
What does "Type A" jadeite mean, and how do you spot quality? A straightforward guide to buying jadeite rings in Singapore.