Ying Yu Jade
July 2007 Blog
I spent the weekend selling raffle tickets for a non-profit fundraiser. We sold at an outdoor event an it was hot, hot, hot, mid 90 degrees. I kept moving my bangle around my wrist so that the part that hung down and was cooler than my body temperature would give me some coolness at least on my wrist. Jade does warm up to your body temperature, but the top of the bangle and the part that doesn't touch your body should stay cool (another test for genuine jade).That's why my Dr Charles Li says to wear your jade bangle on your left wrist, to keep the heart meridian cool in summer. I'm wearing the same one I wrote about last week, and many women commented on how pretty it is, and even looks cool. Good quality jade looks great all the time! And don't we all love to play with our jade. Until the end of the month, there's a $10 discount on jade bangles with #BB priced $165+, use coupon code BB10, and $25 discount on jadeite bangles item #starting with BB $250+, use coupon code BB25. July 29, 2007
We're two months into hurricane season, and no hurricanes, but August is when the tropics heat up and we really starting to worry about hurricanes. We had a basement when we lived in Ohio and I kept my jades there in the summer, during tornado season. But we don't have a basement here in Florida. During the 2004 hurricane season, when we had three in two months, I kept them in the car, and the car parked next to our home, thinking it was more sturdy than the home. But now I have too much to put in the car, so I'm fretting about it. I'm putting everything into small boxes that can slide through the tiny crawl space under the home. We had our first hurricane, Charlie, six weeks after we moved here, and watched as roofs got torn off by the high winds, and walls collapsed-it was a real mess. I have my personal jade and jewelry in a plastic file box with a handle, ready to go if we have to evacuate. I think everyone should keep their good jade and jewelry ready to evacuate if they live where there is seasonal disaster weather. Take photos of it and have receipts for it in case something happens to it.And of course, wear your best jade for luck and protection. July 27, 2007
This is a summer reminder, don't expose your jade to direct sunlight when you're outside. Don't let your jade get hot. The sun can bake and damage your jade. In fact, heat is one of the color enhancement treatments. If you're in the pool, keep your jade in the water, and if you're going to be sitting around the pool, you might want to NOT wear your jade. July 26, 2007
One of my girlfriends has been wearing an Chinese old river jade bangle for several weeks. She hit it on something and it got some big cracks in it but she really likes it and has been wearing it daily even while she works. Sometimes when you crack a bangle, it takes the stress off the roundedness, and it won't make it less durable. Instead, with the stress reduced, it can tolerate more abuse. This is true for untreated jadeite as well as Chinese jade, but may not be as true for jadeite that has been bleached because the bleaching makes the jade porous and fragile. So if you do crack your jade, you should be able to wear it without worrying it will break easily. Most of the bangles I keep for myself are ones that have been cracked during shipping, and they tolerate a lot of heavy wearing. Two weeks ago I was cleaning up a jadeite bangle to photograph for the web site and it flew out of my hands and across the floor and hit a cabinet, and broke. I have worse luck with "perfect" bangles than cracked ones! July 25, 2007
If you would like to see how much the appearance of jade improves as you wear it, click here. Sometimes customers don't think the bangle they receive is a pretty as the photo, and after you wear it for awhile, it really does look better. Read about why this happens. July 21, 2007
Here is a question I received:
I have a question about why jade changes color and if that is indicative
of quality. I have a white jade bangle that I got as a gift from friends.
The bangle has light lavender hues with some flowering (I think). Sometimes
it looks really lavender in certain types of light and sometimes is looks
almost all white. Does better quality jade have the same color intensity
regardless of light source? Thanks so much for your time. I have already
learned a lot about jade quality from your website and I really love the
bangle I recently purchased from you!
Response:Jade is translucent. When I take photos, I have to careful
with the light and background because the jade will pick up the light
and colors around it. Sometimes my photos have a red tinge because the
red wrappers or boxes are set in the back where you can't see them, but
I can. So a nice, translucent jade will pick up some of the color of what
you wear, and the type of lighting. But if your jade actually changes
color, or like an opal changes when you turn it, then it has probably
been bleached and color added to it, or it might not be genuine jade,
quartzite is often used as "jade". In fact, when I take photos,
that's how I usually discover when a jade piece has been color enhanced
or fake because it doesn't look right in the photo. I have my camera settings
for the qualities of jade, and I can immediately tell when something isn't
right.If you like your bangle, you should wear it with happiness and not
worry too much because it's a gift. But if you wear jade for health and
body qi energy, then you really do want to wear only natural jade. Hope
that helps. Thanks for asking.
July 19, 2007
Most YYJ customers are very happy with their purchases, but not everyone is. One of my recent customers wrote that she was unhappy with her Chinese jade bead bracelet because one of her friends told her the beads were plastic. I assured her it was genuine Chinese jade. The jade is hard and "clinks", it has inclusions, and to test it, you can light a match, blow the flame out, then touch it to the jade and if it's plastic, it will melt. People who are not familiar with jade often don't know what to expect, and Chinese jade is quite different from Burmese jadeite. You can read more about the differences on the Resource Pages. You will always get genuine jade from YYJ, and you will always get what you pay for, maybe even more than what you pay for. July 18, 2007
Here is an interesting comment
I received:
" I read your blog entry today with great interest. A couple years
ago I traveled to San Francisco (where I used to live) to visit friends.
I went shopping in Chinatown, and there were many street sellers set up
with tables full of jade items. I stopped at one woman's table as she
had cheap bangles ($10 each or 2 for $18) in small sizes. She immediately
picked out a bright green bangle, grabbed my left hand, and slid the bracelet
onto my wrist. It ended up right next to my favorite Burmese white/lavender/green
bangle which I just happened to be wearing. The next thing I knew, she
had removed the bangle she initially put on me and brought out a small
selection of other bangles she had hidden under her table! These were
much higher quality (better translucence, more "flowering",
higher polish) and I ended up purchasing two pieces with very little haggling.
So, wearing something "real" and of good quality, as you do
in China, can work here as well. "
Wearing good quality jade gives you "good face" when you are
shopping for more! Thanks so much for your comments. July 17, 2007
Several emails received from non-Asian people who wrote that they often feel very uncomfortable talking to the jade seller when they go jade shopping in Chinatowns. Even I wrote last month about how uncomfortable I felt shopping in a jade store in Las Vegas Chinatown, unbelievable! I have purchased hundreds of jade bangles in China, but was so stressed here in the USA that I couldn't get out of the store fast enough! I thought about this issue, and this is why I think that happens. Ying Yu Jade customers learn a lot about jade from their emails to me asking questions, and reading some of the information on the YYJ web site. If you have purchased one or more jade bangles from YYJ, you learn about quality and other information from your experience. My customers ask a lot of questions, which I always answer! So when you go jade shopping in Chinatown, it's possible you know more than the Chinese seller! You know what questions to ask about jade stone quality, about color treatments, and know what to look for regarding quality. As I wrote last week, being Vietnamese does not make one a jade expert. And being Chinese does not make one a jade expert, either, even if you are a Chinese jade seller in Chinatown. This is kind of amusing, when I go jade shopping in China, my Chinese friends just assume they know more about jade than I do, just because they live in China and are Chinese. So when you ask intelligent and informed questions, it puts them on the spot if they don't really know, and then you might get either patronized or ignored. It's not necessarily rudeness, it's cultural to ignore and avoid what it isn't known or if they don't want to tell you something you might not want to hear. So keep informed, ask questions, and maybe you will get a good deal on a jade bangle and have an interesting story to tell about buying it. July 16, 2007.
I changed my jade bangle today, you can see what I am wearing now by clicking here. There's also some information about jade and some terminology. Unbleached white jadeite bangles are difficult to photograph, but this one has soft "chalk blue" lavender, green hues in it, so it's quite accurate.
Here is a response from one
of the women I wrote about July 12:
" Dear Kathleen, I read your blog today 07/12/2007,and I just want
to say very good points,I'm so glad I contacted you that day, and you
can believe I wear my jade with great pride,not only do I feel good when
I wear it,but it has given me a lot of luck in fortune,in March of '07
I won a $15,000 jackpot,and a couple of days after I emailed you about
what happened at the nail salon I won another $4,000 jackpot.So the next
time someone say my jade is fake I won't be so quiet like the last time.Now
I'm trying to decide what type of jade I want to buy next. Have
a blessed day."
Jade is believed to bring good luck to the one who wears it. Some of the
carved jade bangles are considered
very lucky, especially the ones with Pixiu and coins. July 13, 2007
I received an email from a
distraught customer/friend who has purchased YYJ over the years. She wore
her jade bangle when she had her nails done at a Vietnamese nail salon,
and was upset because the man who did her nails told her that her jade
was fake. Last week I received an email from another customer/friend who
wore her jade pendant to a Vietnamese nail salon, and they told her that
her jade was also fake, and then they all looked at it and laughed at
her. I get these kinds of emails every couple of weeks. I am often told
that one of the Vietnamese people in the salon claimed they had a brother
in Vietnam who could purchase the "real thing" for her at a
great price. They wanted my comments: 1)Being Vietnamese does not make
one a jade expert. 2) If you really want to get a piece of fake jade,
buy one from the brother in Vietnam. 3)Why would you pay to have a service
from an establishment that made fun of you and criticized what you wore.
Vietnam is located next to Myanmar (Burma) and most of the Burmese jadeite
goes to China for carving. I have noticed Vietnamese people often favor
the very dark "peppery" jade, some of it which is often not
jade at all, but color enhanced quartzite. Some of it is maw-sit-sit which
is more rare than jadeite and the prices higher than jadeite (I know,
you can buy maw-sit-sit for $9.99 on ebay!!) Therefore they often regard
"regular" genuine jadeite as "fake". So...if the Vietnamese
nail people were such great jade experts, would they be working in the
nail salon? You can always wear your Ying Yu Jade proudly, it's always
genuine. I'd love to hear from Vietnamese readers about this topic!
July 12, 2007
If you can't decide which "two" bangles to get at the weekly special discount, how about getting three and a 20% discount using the Bangle of the Month option. You can get them all at once, or one when you order and then the next two on the 5th of the following months. The discount on all three is applied when you get your third jade bangle. Of course, if you choose the "get them now" option, you get the 20% discount now. A great way to get great jade bangles, and save. July 11, 2007
This is Jade Bangle Week, 10% discount on two or more regular priced jade bangles. Click here for details. I have a good inventory of jade bangles, including Chinese jade, smooth and carved Burmese jadeite. I can't justify going to China to buy more when I have a large inventory and I really do hope I have a good reason for going later this year. If you signed up to receive the YYJ newsletter, watch for a sweeter deal on the purchase of two or more bangles. This will be a great opportunity to buy something new for yourself, or start your holiday shopping early! July 10, 2007
Brother and family are very
easy and fun houseguests. We went to Epcot Center one day, but spent the
other days here using the resort facilities. My 10 year old nephew has
turned into an eating machine, so we went out for groceries almost every
day. He found a solid jade ring in my work room and was happy I let him
keep it. He bought a pirate sword at Epcot, and I showed him my Tai Chi
sword, and a few movements, and he took a lot of photos of the Tai Chi
sword to show his friends. My SIL already has a jade bangle, and the pearl
and magnet chakra necklace/bracelet caught her eye so I gave her one.
It's fun digging through all the jade things. I received an email from
an e-friend who read the previous blog, and decided to wear her jade bangle
to her family holiday gathering, this is part of what she wrote: "My
husband and I were at his cousin's bbq today, with around 14 friends/relatives,(mostly
in the 50's 60's age range). Shortly before leaving for this bbq, I read
your blog, "wear jade!" so I made sure I was wearing mine. I
have to tell you that it was exciting to see nearly all the ladies wore
their jade bangles. The bangles were all so so beautiful and very different;
some from old generations and some from recent China trips. There were
jade bangles in green, lavender, green with blue/grey hues, and an interesting
one with the three colors in white, green + honey. One lady said she's
inherited and collected over a dozen beautiful bangles, that she averages
one different bangle per month!!! After we came home and I realized that
I should've taken a photo with all the bangle hands together, and that
would've been a "bangle moment" for the ladies!!! "
She also snapped up the Weekend
Special summer white jadeite bangle with soft hues of lavender and green
to help balance body qi for cooling. I'm going to get mine out because
it's been really hot. I have one more on the Daily
Special now. July 9, 2007
My brother and family from Ohio are visiting us until Sunday, so will spending time with them. Blog will resume July 9. Coupon for $10 off your order of $150+, use coupon code JULY10 on order form, expires Sunday. Have a happy Independence Day holiday. Wear jade! July 3, 2007
Today I had to go to Walmart, and I really dislike to go to Walmart because it's a terrible Walmart, but sometimes I just need Walmart things. There was a shooting in that Walmart parking lot last week, and Tom couldn't go with me, so I wore my worst outfit and shoes I could walk fast in and simple earrings. But I really could not go without my jade bangle, and jade is a "protector" so of course I wore it. I felt so "plain" with a worn out shirt, old capris and flip flops, so I slipped on one of the bamboo bangles and then I felt "good enough" to go out. It really dressed up my too-casual outfit enough without making me look like a "target". And the bamboo bangle gave me something to "play with" in the endless check-out line. Anyway, they're very "summery" and make a nice sound next to the jade bangle without having to worry about it damaging the jade. I still have a few left, and two make a nice accessory for a jade bangle. July 3, 2007
Sue B sent me another email about burying her strong yang jade bangles in soil and watering them, and that after a week or so, they appear "softer". Some of us are more sensitive to qi, and we get caught up in playing with our jade, making it feel better for us. It reminded me that my supplier had offered to make some of the jade bangles "antique". He said that the process is to bury them in earth and water them occasionally, and leave them buried for several months. He sent me a Chinese jade bangle that was made into an "antique", complete with a little dirt on it, and it did look older. I also bought an "old dynasty jade bangle" on ebay, which was carved, and it was quite dirty when I got it. I spent quite a bit of time scrubbing the dirt out of the carving. But it was a contemporary carved jade bangle. Interesting. I noticed that a large percentage of the jade bangles on ebay are "estate". The sellers must have picked up on the word "estate" and saw a larger price attached to it, and now use it in their descriptions. More about estate jade tomorrow. June 2, 2007
The Calm
Spirit / Ying Yu Jade July newsletter is available online now, click here.
This month featuresChinese medicine wellness information for July regarding
balance of body, mind and spirit. There is information about what kind
of jade to wear this month if you wear jade for your health, and more.
You can also take a look at the jade
bangle bracelet I'm wearing now, and reasons why.
July 1, 2007
contact:calmspirit@calmspirit.net
