By Hao, Founder of RUYI Jewelry Last updated: August 2026
A note from the author: I’m Hao, founder of RUYI Jewelry, with a background in biology. This guide covers “jade” as a whole — both jadeite and nephrite — and how to tell natural stone from dyed or treated material.
Why This Matters
The word “jade” covers a lot of ground, and so does the price gap between natural and treated stone. Dyeing and resin treatment are common enough that two visually similar pieces can differ in value by several times over.
By the end of this guide, you’ll understand:
- What the word “jade” actually refers to, mineralogically
- The core differences between natural and dyed or treated stone
- Simple checks you can try at home, and when it’s worth getting a lab opinion
What “Jade” Actually Means
Most people don’t realize “jade” isn’t a single mineral — it’s a name shared by two entirely different ones. In 1863, French mineralogist Alexis Damour used chemical analysis to confirm what had long been called “jade” was actually two distinct materials:
- Jadeite, a pyroxene mineral found mainly in Myanmar
- Nephrite, an amphibole mineral that’s more widespread and generally more abundant
This two-mineral classification is the accepted gemological standard worldwide, and it hasn’t changed since. Anything genuinely called “jade” falls into one of these two categories — there isn’t a third.
Hetian jade belongs to the nephrite family. It’s the most storied and celebrated variety, sourced from the Hotan region of China’s Xinjiang province. RUYI’s green and white Hetian jade bracelets fall into this category. That’s a different mineral family from our Blue Toned Jadeite pieces, which we covered in our previous guide.
A Bigger Risk: Things Called “Jade” That Aren’t Jade at All
Beyond jadeite and nephrite, plenty of materials get sold under jade-adjacent names despite not being jade at all, mineralogically speaking. Serpentine is the most common culprit, often marketed as “New Jade,” “China Jade,” or “Korea Jade.” Dyed quartzite and certain green quartz varieties show up under jade-sounding names too.
This is a different problem from the natural-versus-treated question we’ll get into below. One is about whether a genuine jade stone has been artificially altered; the other is about whether it’s jade at all. Serpentine typically has a noticeably lower hardness than jadeite or nephrite, which the physical tests further down can help you screen for.
Jadeite’s Treatment Grades: A, B, C
Jadeite’s treatment status has a well-established grading system in the trade:
| Grade | Definition | What’s Done |
|---|---|---|
| Grade A | Natural jadeite | Only cut, carved, and polished — no acid treatment, no resin, no dye |
| Grade B | Acid-treated and resin-filled | Soaked in strong acid to remove impurities, then vacuum-filled with resin |
| Grade C | Dyed | Dye is introduced into colorless or pale jadeite |
| Grade B+C | Both treatments combined | Acid treatment, resin filling, and dyeing together |
Treated jadeite is required to carry a “treated” notation on its certificate — natural stone is labeled simply “jadeite,” while treated material reads “jadeite (treated).”
Natural jadeite (Grade A) shows a bright, glassy luster. Its color has natural depth and gradation, reading as part of the crystal itself rather than layered on top. You’ll often see inclusions like cotton or “color roots” too — imperfections that are actually a strong sign of authenticity.
The clearest marker of dyed jadeite (Grade C): natural color comes from the mineral itself, while dyed color sits in the cracks. Jadeite’s fibrous, interlocking structure leaves tiny gaps and fractures between mineral grains — exactly the channels dye seeps into. If the stone was already acid-treated (Grade B), those fractures are etched wider. Dye then penetrates deeper and shows up more obviously — which is why B+C jadeite tends to look more artificial than dye alone.
Under magnification, dyed color shows up webbed along grain boundaries and fractures, sitting close to the surface and distributed unevenly. The dye lives in the gaps between mineral grains, not bonded into the crystal structure — so it’s inherently less stable than natural color. UV exposure, acids, or even sweat can break it down or draw it back out over time. Fading typically shows up within one to five years.
Natural jadeite typically has a specific gravity between 3.30 and 3.36 (theoretical value: 3.33). The non-destructive density test described below works for jadeite too.
[Shop the Blue Toned Jadeite Bracelet →]
Hetian Jade: Treatment and Dyeing
The same A/B/C treatment framework applies in principle to nephrite. In practice, though, this conversation centers almost entirely on jadeite, since its far higher market value creates a much stronger incentive for treatment. Nephrite’s relatively lower price point means less motivation for intensive processing, though that doesn’t mean it never happens.
There’s no internationally standardized grading scale for Hetian jade comparable to GIA’s diamond grading. Assessment relies mainly on Chinese national standards and expert judgment. The national standard GB/T 16552 classifies nephrite by color. NGTC — China’s National Gemstone Testing Center, which we introduced in our previous guide — is one of the primary labs issuing nephrite certificates.
Real treatments do occur in nephrite. One is bleaching combined with resin impregnation. It follows the same logic as jadeite’s B-grade treatment — improving apparent color and luster — and it’s detectable via infrared spectroscopy. The other is dyeing, most often used to imitate the prized natural amber-brown “skin” seen on river pebble material. In both cases, look for dye or filling concentrating visibly at fractures and surface irregularities.
Natural vs. Fake: The Core Logic
Whether you’re looking at jadeite or nephrite, the underlying logic for spotting natural versus dyed or imitation material is largely the same.
Texture and luster: natural jade feels smooth and slightly warm to the touch, with a soft inner glow. Even cotton-like inclusions or fractures follow a natural, irregular pattern. Imitations feel rougher, colder, or oddly slick. Glass versions often show visible bubbles, while plastic versions have a dull, lifeless shine with none of that inner warmth.
Structure and pattern: under a loupe or strong flashlight, natural jade shows an organic, irregular internal structure. Fakes show a chaotic structure with no natural pattern, or swirled lines typical of glass. Acid-treated material shows something different again — a visible network of etched cracks with resin filling.
Simple Physical Tests
Hardness test: see our previous guide for the general method — we won’t repeat it here.
Non-destructive density test: if you have a scale accurate to 0.1 grams, this method gives you an actual number instead of a guess:
- Weigh the stone in air first (say, 27.7 grams)
- Place a cup of distilled water on the scale and tare it to zero
- Suspend the stone with a very fine thread and lower it into the water — carefully, without touching the sides or bottom
- The new reading (say, 9.6 grams) is the mass of water the stone displaced
- Divide the first weight by this reading: 27.7 ÷ 9.6 ≈ 2.89
Natural nephrite typically falls between 2.85 and 3.05 g/cm³. If your result is well outside that range, that’s worth a closer look. This method won’t damage the stone, and it works even on mounted jewelry. It does require a reasonably precise scale, though — better suited to buyers who want to go deeper than a quick visual check.
[How to Tell If a Gemstone Is Real →] (for the general hardness test walkthrough)
A Quick Look at Origin: Xinjiang, Russian, Qinghai, and Korean Material
A piece of Hetian jade’s origin often shows up in its internal structure under a strong light. Trade terminology for this varies a bit by source, but the underlying pattern holds up consistently:
Xinjiang material (the top tier) shows a felted, interlocking fibrous structure under light — dense and tightly packed, almost like a compressed wool blanket. It has a noticeably “heavy” feel in hand. River-pebble (“seed”) material tends to show an even finer felt-like texture than mountain material.
Russian material (commonly passed off as Xinjiang) shows a looser, more clumped or cloud-like structure, with less consistent translucency and a softer, less oily luster. Some high-white Russian material gets marketed as Xinjiang “seed” jade — worth watching for.
Qinghai material (noticeably watery) shows a more granular, sugar-like structure with higher translucency, often with visible “water lines.” It generally has less of that signature oily luster, though.
Korean material (entry-level, and the riskiest) has the loosest, most granular structure of the four. It typically sits around 5.5 on the Mohs scale, clearly softer than Xinjiang material. The finish is waxier too, rather than a true oily shine. It’s also the material most commonly passed off as something else.
Without experience telling these apart, we wouldn’t recommend guessing at origin by eye alone — it’s a skill that takes time to build. If origin significantly affects what you’re willing to pay, a professional opinion is worth the cost.
This is just a starting point on origin. We may put together a deeper origin guide down the road — worth checking back for.
RUYI’s Hetian Jade Guide: Green and White
RUYI’s Hetian jade bracelets come in two colors. A few things to look for with either:
Luster and structure: natural Hetian jade has a soft, oily luster rather than a sharp, glassy one, and shows that felted structure under light. Common imitations include quartzite and so-called “Afghan jade” — actually a carbonate mineral, not true jade at all. Both typically show a granular structure under light, rather than jade’s characteristic felted texture.
Green Hetian jade: color should look natural and layered, not a flat, uniformly saturated green. If the color looks unnaturally vivid with sharp edges, that’s worth a second look for dye.
White Hetian jade: the best material has a soft “mutton-fat” quality — not a stark, clinical white, but a warm, gentle tone. Material that looks unusually pale, dry, or lacking that inner glow may be quartzite or another substitute.
[Shop the Green Hetian Jade Bracelet →] [Shop the White Hetian Jade Bracelet →]
Common Traps to Watch For
| Trap | Reality |
|---|---|
| “Vivid color means it’s natural” | Dyed jade is often more vivid than natural stone |
| “Flawless jade is better jade” | Natural jade almost always has some inclusion or texture — suspiciously “clean” stone is the one to question |
| “It’s cheap, so it can’t be fake” | Treated jade can sell for a fraction of natural — sometimes tens of times less |
| “The certificate says jade, so it’s natural” | Check specifically for a “treated” notation, or explicit mention of dye or filling |
Why RUYI Jewelry
Authenticity. Craftsmanship. Intentional design. These are the three standards we hold every piece to before it reaches you.
We take the same approach here as in our previous guide: we’d rather tell you plainly what we can promise, and what we can’t yet.
What we can tell you: we work with a small number of long-term suppliers, not a rotating cast of unverified wholesalers. Our sourcing standard is explicit — natural, untreated material only. If something doesn’t match its description, our return policy has you covered.
What we can’t yet promise: we don’t currently issue a third-party certificate with every piece. If you want absolute material certainty, we’d point you back to the testing institutions covered in this guide and our previous one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dyed jade a real jade? In terms of mineral composition, the base material in dyed jade is often genuine — but the color has been artificially added, not formed naturally. That’s a different situation from an outright fake like glass, but it’s not the same as untreated natural jade either.
How do you know if jade is dyed? Look under magnification for color that runs in a web-like pattern along fractures, sitting near the surface rather than shifting naturally from the inside out.
What are the signs that jade has been dyed? Watch for color that’s unusually even and vivid, concentrated in cracks and near the surface, and lacking the natural depth and gradation genuine stone shows.
Will dyed jade fade? Yes. The dye sits between mineral grains rather than bonded into the crystal structure. Sun exposure or contact with acids can break it down over time, and noticeable fading typically shows up within one to five years.
Is dyed jade still real jade? The mineral itself may be genuine, but dyeing meaningfully affects both value and stability. Those are two separate questions worth weighing on their own.
Final Thoughts
The word “jade” covers two entirely different minerals — and a fair number of treatment and imitation tricks worth knowing about. A natural stone’s imperfections aren’t a flaw. They’re the clearest proof of what it actually is.