Jade is a semi-precious stone that goes by many names

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What Is Jade

We source our jade from New Zealand and all over the world

Jade is a semi-precious stone that goes by many names, including nephrite, greenstone and pounamu. Typically green or black in colour and often flecked with stunning hints of gold and cloudy milky hues, jade has been revered by cultures around the world for thousands of years. We source our jade from New Zealand and all over the world, including Canada, Siberia, Australia and China. New Zealand’s European colonists typically refer to jade as greenstone, while Maori people call it pounamu. Elsewhere, geologists call the stone nephrite while gemologists know it simply as jade. Despite regional differences, these names all refer to same material, and we use them interchangeably across our site.

Differences between Jade

South Australian jade from Cowell is known for its black jade nephrite, which can be anything from deep black through to olive green.

The stone we seek out in western China is characterised by its ‘kiwifruit’ finish, comprised of a vibrant green base and black speckled dots. New Zealand jade comes in a variety of colours, including milky and yellowy mottled patches, silvery grey-green stones and rich green finishes, and boasts a variety of patterns and textures.

Meanwhile, Canadian jade includes both dark and light green colours and an even carving consistency, though it’s typically much harder than stone sources from elsewhere.

Hunting for Jade

We’re not content with sourcing jade from just anywhere - we make it our mission to actively source out the best stones from every corner of the world.

This includes two jade mines in Canada, one in Sibera (though exporting restrictions means this is becoming increasingly difficult to source), a South Australian township, western China and the USA. Along with this, we’re staunch advocates of New Zealand greenstone, which we source ethically and with the utmost respect for its heritage.

Discover Jade
Jadeite vs

Nephrite Jade

We only use nephrite jade for our carvings, but there can be some confusion between the stones nephrite and jadeite.

The term jade is often used to describe jadeite, which is in fact a vastly different gemstone. It is slightly rarer than nephrite jade, comes in a range of unique colours such as yellow, purple, and emerald green, is harder and can only be carved into structures with rounded edges. John Sheehan Snr is browsing jadeite carvings of a common pale colour in the left hand image.

Nephrite jade is rich in colour and tough, with a waxy and rich, resinous feel. Its fibres bend before breaking, making it a hard stone that is best worked with high-speed diamond cutting tools.

Healing Properties

Jade has been used for centuries to support the body’s healing process. Some sufferers of kidney stones would grind up the stone and use it as a paste, while others would adorn their bodies with jade charms to protect their vital organs.

More recently, books on healing crystals still credit jade with the ability to strengthen the kidneys and assist with bladder problems.