A Guide to Buying Jade Online

There are many things that you will want to consider when you are looking into buying jade online. Some of these include understanding the history of jade and understanding its importance in the Chinese culture, as well as some things that you should watch for when looking at purchasing jade online or looking into the purchase of jade jewelry.
The History of Jade
Most cultures have some type of precious gemstone. In the Chinese culture it is Jade. During the 1800's it was discovered that there were two different types of materials that made up jade. Since that time the two materials have been separated into different classifications of the gemstone, namely jadeite and nephrite. Jadeite is made up of sodium aluminum silicate and nephrite of calcium magnesium iron silicate.
Jadeite is found in a number of places. Myanmar is probably the most well known and jadeite has been mined there for some considerable time. There are also deposits in Central America however these are not as well known since finding jadeite in this area has been much more recent. Nephrite is actually quite easy to find in a number of different places, and probably accounts for such a difference in value between the two. Areas around the planet you can find jade include Australia, North America, South America, and Taiwan.
A Look into Chinese Jade
In the Chinese culture, the properties of Chinese jade have been considered heavenly and something that should be looked at as almost godlike. The Chinese have a rich history with jade and have used the gemstone for a number of reasons. They believe, firstly, that the stone has mystical qualities and that the stone represents love and virtue. It was actually believed at one point in history that by crushing up the stone and eating it you would be able to cure kidney and other internal medical problems. The stone is even carved into figurines that are used in the practice of Feng Shui.
Beliefs about Jade
Jade has been connected to a number of mystical beliefs. Wearing jade has been considered a way of protection in many cultures. Also it has been believed that jade could grant the wearer immortality and would even protect a dead body from decaying. The stone has also been connected to good luck, good friendship and good health.
What to Look for When Buying Jade Online
If you are interested in buying the highest quality of jade then you will want to make sure that you are purchasing jadeite. Do keep in mind that this is the more expensive of the two types of the gemstone and that you will have to pay more when looking at this. You will want to take the gemstone to a jeweler after you make the purchase and receive it to establish that you were indeed sold jadeite as many people can be ripped off this way.
How to Buy Jade Online
There are a number of different ways in which you can buy jade online. You can purchase just the gemstone. In some cases you are actually able to buy unfinished jade gemstones online. This is important to note as when you purchase an unfinished stone it still needs to be heated and finished before it can be made into a piece of jewelry. There is no sparkle with these stones and they are dull and have more of a rocklike quality than a finished stone. You can also purchase the gemstone finished online and you can purchase jade jewelry as well.
Looking online can be simple or it can be difficult. To make it simple you will want to begin your search on one of the search engines such as Google or Yahoo. Once you find a company that has the gemstone that you want, you will want to make sure that the company is reputable. Check out some independent reviews that are not on the company's website and find out if there are any negative experiences or if any negative comments you find, are things that you are willing to chance or have to deal with. If so, then you can make your purchase knowing what to expect and how to deal with it.
How to Find the Perfect Jade Jewelry
There are many things that you can look for with jade jewelry. Some of these include that you find the perfect piece. Jade can be put into any type of jewelry including necklaces, pendants, rings, earrings and bracelets. There are a number of different styles of each of these items that you could find so you will want to know what you are looking for when you begin your search.
The Last Word about Buying Jade
Looking for Jade can be an exciting experience as you browse the various types of jade available. Seeing all those wonderful figurines and jewelery pieces can make for a very pleasurable experience when you are out looking to buy jade.