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JADE
Jade is a semiprecious stone that ranges in colour from green, white, lilac and brown to almost black. Translucent jade is more highly valued than opaque jade. Jade is often cabochon set. Two different minerals are known as jade: jadeite and nephrite. Jadeite is the harder of the two; it is usually used in jewellery production. Nephrite is slightly softer and is often veined; it is used in carvings and for making beautiful bowls and vases. The Chinese have prized jade for thousands of years and regarded it as having medicinal properties when worn or ingested as a powder.
Hardness 5 to 6