Jade is a beautiful and valuable stone, but not all jade you see is the same. Some jade is natural and untreated, while other pieces have been treated to improve their appearance. Knowing how to tell the difference between treated and untreated jade can help you make better choices when buying or evaluating jade jewelry.
**Look at the Surface Texture**
Untreated jade has a natural texture that feels smooth but slightly uneven, almost like soapstone. Treated jade often looks overly smooth and uniform because treatments like acid-bleaching break down its natural crystal structure. This makes treated pieces feel too slick or glassy compared to real jade.
**Check the Color Quality**
Natural jade usually shows subtle variations in color with some cloudy or fibrous patterns inside when held up to light. Treated jade tends to have an unnaturally even color that looks flat or dull. Sometimes it may appear too bright or artificial because dyes are used.
**Feel the Temperature**
Real, untreated jade feels cool and dense when you hold it in your hand; it takes time for your body heat to warm it up due to its solid structure. Treated or fake jades—like glass or resin imitations—warm up quickly and don’t stay cool as long.
**Perform a Scratch Test Carefully**
Genuine hard jadeite can scratch glass without damage, while softer nephrite might be more delicate. If you gently try scratching an inconspicuous spot with something blunt (like scissors), real untreated jade should resist scratching without leaving marks easily. However, this test risks damaging valuable stones so use caution.
**Smell Test for Chemicals**
Treated jades sometimes carry chemical residues from bleaching processes that give off unpleasant odors if sniffed closely—a sign of artificial treatment rather than pure stone.
By paying attention to these clues—the surface feel, color depth under light, temperature retention, scratch resistance, and any chemical smell—you can better distinguish between treated and untreated jade without needing expensive equipment. Real untreated jade will show natural imperfections yet remain cool and firm with rich internal textures; treated ones often look too perfect but lack life beneath their surface.
Knowing these simple tests helps protect your investment in genuine beautiful green treasures instead of settling for chemically altered copies that lose value over time.