6 Most Accurate Ways to Identify Real and Fake Jade
Key Takeaways
- Marble Jade is a precious gemstone with captivating beauty, profound feng shui value, and wide applications in crafting jewelry and feng shui items. Just like diamonds – which are crafted into many exquisite...
Marble Jade is a precious gemstone with captivating beauty, profound feng shui value, and wide applications in crafting jewelry and feng shui items. Just like diamonds – which are crafted into many exquisite designs such as men's diamond rings, women's diamond rings, diamond earrings or diamond necklaces – Jade also carries remarkable aesthetic and feng shui value. So how can you accurately identify real Jade? In this article, Jemmia Diamond will guide you on how to identify Jade simply by its appearance.
How to identify Jade with the naked eye
Real Jade has distinctive characteristics in color, texture, and luster. Therefore, you can apply some of the following tips to identify real Jade with the naked eye:
Observe the color of Jade
Real Jade usually has an even, natural color that is not overly vivid. In particular, for green Jade, the green shade will be fresh and deep. In contrast, fake Jade often has colors that are too bright or too dark, lacking harmony and looking unnatural.

Check the surface texture of Jade
Real Jade, especially high-grade Jadeite, usually has high transparency or slight translucency. The transparency of real jade allows light to pass through and clearly reveal the stone veins..
Fake Jade is often cloudy or unnaturally bright. This is because fake stones are usually made from different materials and do not have a natural crystal structure.

Check transparency
When touching the surface of Jade, it usually feels cool, smooth, and has a natural shine. Real Jade often has a soft, smooth surface but may sometimes have small imperfections due to the natural formation process. Meanwhile, fake stones often have an overly glossy or uneven surface, and when touched, they often feel inauthentic like plastic or are too light.

How to identify Jade using specialized tools
Besides visual observation, there are ways to identify real rough Jade using specialized tools to determine more accurately whether jade is real or fake.
Check hardness
Real jade has a hardness ranging from 6.5 - 7 on the Mohs scale. Therefore, hardness testing tools are often used for testing. When scraping Jade with metal, real jade will not be scratched, while fake jade may be scratched.

Observe stone veins and impurities through a magnifier
A way to identify real Jade is by using a microscope or magnifying glass to observe the veins and impurities inside the stone. Real Jade usually has natural veins, along with impurities or uneven veining. In contrast, fake stones will have artificial, straight, and unnatural veins.

Test with water to check translucency
Placing the stone in water is a simple way to identify Jade. Real Jade has natural translucency, so you will see light spreading evenly around the stone when it is in water. For fake jade, this phenomenon usually does not occur, or the light will be obstructed.

How to distinguish treated and untreated Jade
Today's market has many types of jade that have been altered with chemicals to enhance beauty or translucency. This affects the stone's value and feng shui energy. Therefore, you need to clearly understand how to identify original Jade and processed jade.
Type A Jade: This is natural Jade that has not undergone chemical treatment and is considered the highest in value and feng shui. This type of stone has natural color and veins, high transparency, and carries positive energy.
Type B Jade: Type B Jade has usually undergone chemical treatment, being cleaned to remove impurities and impregnated with resin to increase transparency. Although it has an attractive appearance, the value of this type of stone is not as high as Type A Jade and its feng shui energy may be reduced.
Type C Jade: It has been dyed to create brighter colors. Type C Jade is usually sold at a low price and does not bring good feng shui effects.

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Although identifying real jade can be quite difficult if you do not have experience, the simple tips and methods mentioned by Jemmia Diamond in the article above will help you feel more confident when buying and using this stone. Follow Jemmia Diamond to get more of the latest news about gemstones, jewelry, and more...