White jade is a beautiful and valued gemstone, but because of its popularity, many imitations and treated stones are sold as genuine white jade. Knowing how to spot real white jade from fake or treated versions can save you money and ensure you get the authentic stone.
**Look at the Color Carefully**
Genuine white jade usually has a soft, milky appearance with subtle undertones that can be slightly yellowish or creamy. It’s rarely pure bright white all over. If the stone looks too perfect or unnaturally bright white without any variation, it might be dyed or treated to enhance its color.
**Feel the Texture and Weight**
Real white jade feels smooth but not glassy; it has a certain waxy texture when you touch it. It should also feel heavier than plastic or glass imitations of similar size because genuine jade is quite dense.
**Tap Test for Sound**
If you gently tap two pieces of real jade together, they produce a clear, ringing sound somewhat like a small bell or triangle chime. Fake jades often give off duller sounds due to being made from resin or other materials.
**Check Under Black Light**
Shining a black light on your stone can reveal treatments. Treated jades often glow neon blue or green under ultraviolet light because of polymer coatings used in fake stones. Real natural white jade does not show this kind of bright fluorescence.
**Look for Natural Patterns Inside the Stone**
Under close inspection with good lighting, genuine white jade shows tiny fibrous structures inside—like fine threads running through it—because it’s made up of interlocking mineral crystals. Fake stones tend to look flat inside without these natural patterns.
By combining these simple tests—color observation, touch and weight feeling, tapping sound check, black light examination, and looking for internal structure—you can confidently tell if your white jade is genuine rather than an imitation or treated version designed to look like real jade.