It’s a natural tendency among Gemologists and gemstone enthusiasts to compare between two gemstones of similar color, properties, and value to find out the supreme one. Comparison between gemstones of similar color and properties gives individuals with keen interest in gemstones unique perspectives and several benchmarks to evaluate the quality of a gemstone.
Two of the most startling and riveting gemstones, emerald stone and jade, have long been the subject of emerald vs jade comparison. Both share a similar green color ranging from light green to deep dark green and hold paramount value astrologically and in the international markets as well. The ultimate objective of creating this blog post on emerald vs jade is to draw the most comprehensive conclusion about the supremacy of these two gemstones on the basis of pivotal parameters like origin, color, hardness, clarity, physical properties, astrological benefits, and value.
The comparison made here is completely rational and is not intended to give preference to any particular gemstone.
Table of Contents
Emerald vs Jade: Origin
We are well-versed with the fact that Emeralds belong to the beryl mineral family and is primarily formed where sedimentary rocks and hot magam are in contact. When the Magam cools, the crystals of emeralds comes out via natural activities like Volcanic eruption.
Some of the top-notch quality emeralds come from regions like Zambia, Colombia, Madagascar, Brazil, and Zimbabwe. Colombia alone is responsible for producing 60-70% world par excellent quality emeralds that are dark green in color with remarkable transparency and minimal to no color zoning.
Jade is one of the few gemstones in existence that is available in abundance at almost all the prime locations in the world. Jade resembles an emerald in color but is principally found in semi-dark green color. China, New Zealand, Russia, and all the Asian countries are the major producers of unparalleled quality jade stones.
Peek Here: – Panna Stone Benefits for Astrology
Emerald vs Jade: Color
The lush and dark green color in emeralds is the symbol of its unprecedented quality. Though emeralds also come in pale green to yellowish-green hues, dark color is revered the most in emeralds. Along with deep dark colors, emeralds with minimum color zoning and utmost transparency are the most-sought after ones.
On the other hand, Jade gemstone is fabled for its light to medium green color. Inclusions are natural in Jade stones but surplues of them dwindle its value by leaps and bounds.
Emerald vs Jade: Hardness
Emerald is a precious gemstone that is a variety of the mineral beryl. It has a hardness of 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs hardness scale.Jade refers to two different minerals – jadeite and nephrite.
Jadeite has a hardness of 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. It is rarer and more valuable than nephrite.Nephrite has a hardness of 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale. It is more common than jadeite.
So original panna stone is harder than both jadeite and nephrite. The hardness makes it more scratch-resistant and durable for jewelry purposes. However, because of its softness compared to other gems, jade is easier to carve into decorative items like figurines. The softness allows intricate carving.
Emerald vs Jade: Clarity
Emerald crystals typically contain inclusions, fractures or fissures known as ‘jardin’. These are expected and do not affect the value unless they impact transparency. High-clarity emeralds with few inclusions are rare and valuable. Jadeite jade is considered to have higher clarity than nephrite jade. Jadeite generally has fewer veins, spots or cloudiness compared to nephrite.
However, both jadeite and nephrite often contain imperfections like veins, spots, and variations in color. These are expected and part of the natural beauty of jade. So while emeralds can have excellent clarity, inclusions in jadeite and nephrite are more common. These inclusions show the natural origins of jade but do not detract from its value. In fact, some artistic carvings actually utilize the natural veining and patterns in the jade as part of the design. This is not really feasible with emerald’s clarity.
Worth Reading: – Types of Emeralds
Emerald vs Jade: Physical Properties
Color – Emerald is famous for its vivid green color. Jadeite can also be green but also comes in other colors like lavender, pink, white or black. Nephrite is typically green, white or grayish.
Crystal structure – Emerald has a hexagonal crystal structure. Jadeite is pyroxene while nephrite is amphibole in structure.
Transparency – Emerald is transparent to translucent. Jade usually has an opaque appearance.
Refractive index – Emerald’s is 1.57-1.59 while jadeite’s is 1.66 and nephrite’s is 1.62.
Density – Emerald has a density of 2.71–2.78 g/cm3. Jadeite’s is 3.25–3.45 g/cm3 and nephrite’s is 2.9–3.03 g/cm3.
Toughness – Jade is very tough and less brittle than emerald. This enables carving intricate jade pieces.
Emerald vs Jade: Price & Value
Emerald prices: High-quality emeralds can cost over $10,000 per carat. Medium-grade emeralds tend to range from $1,000 – $5,000 per carat. Low-quality emeralds can cost less than $500 per carat.
Jade prices: Top quality jadeite can cost up to $3,000 per carat, but is more commonly priced $500 – $2,000 per carat. Average quality jade can cost $50 – $400 per carat. Lower-grade jade can be priced under $10 per carat.
Rarity: Emeralds are considerably more rare than jade, which greatly impacts the pricing. Emerald mining is restricted to just a few locations worldwide. Jade deposits are found in many more countries.
Quality factors: The most important factors affecting emerald prices are color saturation, clarity, and cut. For jade, transparency, and texture are the most important. An emerald’s rarity and quality have a direct effect on pricing.
Also Read: – Emerald vs Diamond
Emerald vs Jade: Astrological Benefits
Emerald:
Associated with the planet Mercury. Said to enhance wisdom, eloquence, and mental clarity.
Believed to be beneficial for the heart chakra. Thought to bring harmony and balance.
Associated with the astrological signs of Taurus, Cancer, and Libra. Said to be the birthstone for May.
Linked to prosperity and abundance. Thought to attract wealth and success.
Represents friendship and unity. Believed to strengthen bonds and relationships.
Jade:
Associated with the heart chakra. Thought to promote compassion, tenderness, and nourishing love.
Believed to absorb negative energy and bring positive energy into the body.
Provides a protective quality and shields against harm or illness.
Represents wisdom, justice, courage, and modesty as per Chinese culture.
Associated with longevity, health, and vitality. Thought to promote self-sufficiency.
Linked to the astrological sign of Virgo. Believed to be the birthstone for March.
Emerald vs Jade: Popularity
Emerald is one of the four precious gemstones (along with diamond, ruby, and sapphire), which automatically gives it a prestige factor over jade.
Emeralds are regarded as the most valuable members of the beryl mineral family. Their vivid green color is iconic and highly desirable.
Emeralds have been treasured since ancient times by royalty, aristocracy, and the wealthy. They feature heavily in crown jewels and historic gem collections.
Jade has deep cultural significance in Asian countries like China. But beyond Asia, emerald is more recognized globally as a precious gemstone.
In the Western world, emerald engagement rings, necklaces and earrings are very popular, especially among high-end jewelry consumers. Jade is not as prevalent.
From a supply perspective, emeralds are considerably more rare than jade. Their limited quantities make natural emeralds more coveted.
At jewelry auctions, record prices are consistently achieved for exceptional emerald specimens, over comparable jade pieces.
Check Out: – Emerald vs Peridot
