Calm Spirit / Ying Yu Jade China Trip 2005

Visit to a Jade Factory

The "jade factory" stop is inevitable if you are touring China with a government tour guide. These "jade factories" are part of the sight seeing, and are for tourists only, as they are not real factories. You will see some demonstrations of jade carving and someone will give you information about jade, but then you will enter a large store for shopping. If you are interested in jade, then this is a fun stop for you. You will see more jade than you ever imagined, and think you have gone to "jade heaven". The prices will be high, and bargaining is not encouraged, and the tour guide gets a percentage of the amount you buy. So everyone makes out, and you can buy a unique piece of jade.

If you have read the information about jade on my Ying Yu Jade web site, I frequently discuss certificates of authenticity for jade. This is the first time that I have seen so many "certificates" for jade. When you look at a piece of jade, the seller shuffles through a handful of cards and pulls one out that shows a photo similar to what you are looking at, and declares that the piece you are looking at has a certificate. China is famous for pirating, and it's not a surprise that the certificates are truly worthless fakes.

I am always searching for the "perfect jade bracelet", and I wear a very small size so I really can only find these small sizes in Asia. There is an internet seller in Thailand who has beautiful jade bangle bracelets at a variety of prices, and offers certificates for most of them. I found a beauty with a certificate, close to $1000 but I thought it was safe to buy because it had a certificate from the Hong Kong jade traders association that authenticated it to be "A" quality, natural and untreated. As soon as I got the bangle, I was sure it wasn't natural because of the odd color tinge, and absolutely no "flowering" which you should see in a $1000 bangle. I asked to see if there was an error, that it might possibly be bleached with acid, but was assured that it wouldn't get a certificate unless it were "A". I have had this bracelet only a few months and it has already lost its green color and faded considerably. So I can still get fooled, too.

Jade needs to be tested. My supplier has been buying rough jade and jadeite and getting it government tested before he takes it to the carver for bangle carving. Then he sends me the certified information, so I can give it some more testing, then use the information to make certificates. Ying Yu Jade certificates also include an accurate photo, and the dimensions and weight of your jade piece. If I don't have all the testing information, then I a certificate isn't available. I know how it feels to receive a piece of jade that isn't what you paid for.

There will be more discussion about jade, because there is more jade to look at and buy!

Next: Sunday morning in Beijing, and the train trip to Fenghuang (Phoenix) Cheng City and Mountain