White jade is a beautiful and popular stone often used in jewelry and carvings, but how can you tell if the white jade you have is real or fake? It’s easier than you might think to spot the difference once you know what to look for.
One simple test is called the clicking test. Take your piece of white jade and tap it gently against another piece of genuine jade or a similar hard stone. If the sound that comes out is sharp and plastic-like, then it’s probably fake. But if you hear a deep, resonating sound—kind of like a soft bell tone—that’s a good sign your white jade is real.
Another way to check involves looking closely at the color and texture. Real white jade usually has subtle variations in color, sometimes with faint yellow undertones or slight translucency. Fake or treated jades often look too perfect—too uniform—and may lack natural structure when examined carefully under light.
Touching the stone can also give clues. Genuine white jade feels cool to the touch even on warm days because it has good thermal conductivity. Fake versions might feel warmer or plasticky because they’re made from glass or resin materials.
If you have access to UV light, shine it on your white jade piece in a dark room. Treated or fake jades sometimes glow with an unnatural neon blue hue due to added chemicals designed to mimic real luster, while authentic white jade won’t show this effect.
In short: tap it for that clear ringing sound; examine its color for natural subtlety; feel its coolness; and check under UV light if possible. These quick checks will help reveal whether your white jade is truly genuine—or just pretending to be so.