Galway Gemstones -Jade

Jadeite is one of the two minerals called Jade. The other is called nephrite Jade. Jade has been used for eons in China and Central America as an ornamental and religious stone of deep significance. It is the Jadeite stone that is rarer and considered more precious and was the Jade originally used by Native Americans and the ancient Chinese dynasties. Both of the jades are found and used today.
Jadeite has been a mystery to geologists for centuries. Its very source was an enigma since all known sources were from river gravels and boulders. Even today, only a few in-situ occurrences are known. Jadeite is now known to form in only high pressure and temperature regions that are coincident with continent to continent collisions.
Individual crystals of jadeite of any size are rare, they are usually microscopic. Although thought of as only green, jadeite's color is actually fairly diverse and can be yellow, pink, white, violet, orange and brown.