YYJ is offering a special collection of "off-white" jadeite bangles for the holiday season, our "Comfort and Joy" collection. They are specially price very low, also. The holidays are often bitter sweet. We enjoy celebrating with our family and friends, but we miss those who are no longer with us. Grief is related to the lung meridian, and this "Comfort and Joy" collection has healing qi energy for the lung meridian. The selection will vary daily, so check back to see what's been added on the Daily Special Page. November 28

There have been some glitches on the web site for some customers when ordering. Having a small business web site, I don't get all the great features in a shopping cart system as some of the big businesses. But I had trouble ordering online with two BIG companies the past few days, and still don't have my order completed. I could call in my order, but I like to have an online receipt of what I ordered so if I get the wrong thing, I don't have to pay for shipping and/or restocking if I send it back because I have "proof" the error wasn't my fault. So although small business web sites might not have all the bells and whistles, being a small business I can respond to your email about ordering problems, and we can work out something. There's a self service order form to manually complete your order, then we can finish the credit card processing here. We value our customers and your orders and do our very best to make ordering easy for you. But sometimes there are glitches. November 27

A reader asked me to blog with more information about the the "modern" burmese jadeite, specifically the bangle bracelets. Jade carvers know that to be competitive their jade has to be marketable internationally, and that means "good green color". Most jadeite is not "good green color". It's whitish, with big dark blackish veins and lots of dark pattern spots in the stone. And the deep mine fine-grained (excellent quality) has lots of lines in it. "Quality" means different things to different people. Mainland Chinese and Asian people cherish this kind of jade, but Chinese and Asian people living in the western world, and most western people regard "good green" and "perfect" jade. So to make this kind of jade, some jade carvers bleach out the stone, removing all the dark veins and spots and lines so it's translucent, then add color, usually resin. The bleaching makes the stone weak, and while it still tests by refraction as jadeite, it hardly resembles good jadeite in quality, and energetically. Then resin is added, sometimes reproducing patterns, veins but still keeping translucence. Resin makes the "chime" sound more "thunky" because of the nature of resin. Sometimes in jade markets you see jade sellers "chiming" their bangles with a gemstone rod (and you have to look these over carefully because "chiming" can crack and chip jade, so you have to know what you are doing.) The main reason I would travel inland China near the Burma border was to go to the traditional jade carvers who don't color treat jade, and sell to mainland Asian people. They rarely see "foreigners" and are highly suspicious, and don't want to sell because they know that's not what "foreigners" want to buy, and don't want to hear stupid comments about "is this jade real, natural" because they are very offended and disgusted that a jade buyer wouldn't know about jade. So I take one of my Chinese women associates with me. When we saw the jadeite bangles with the big dark areas and spots we were stunned and thought they were beautiful. These younger Chinese women often don't want to wear jade because that's what "old ladies" wear, but this kind of jade is so unique, we labeled it "modern jade". Ironic, because this is the kind of jade that is really "old", the way it was intended prior to color treatments for the commercial market. I didn't purchase many of them, because I didn't think customers would like them, and understand that this is actually expensive, best quality and valuable jadeite. I was correct, because it's the kind of jade I get the most returns on, because of "flaws" and "spots". But jade-bangle-loving women who really "know" jade and wear jade for the qi energy fall in love with it, and it's the only kind they want to buy. The "modern" jade bangles with the darker areas, sometimes referred to as "Chinese writing" or "calligraphy" in YYJ descriptions is lower prices than the solid, non-translucent bangles with "dragon tracks" or "butterfly" in the descriptions, that often cost $10,000+ in China. It's probably difficult for shoppers to tell by the photos why the prices are so much higher on some because they look like the lower priced ones, but when you get it "in person", feel it, see how it becomes brighter and prettier as it mingles with your body qi as you wear it, that's when you fall in love with it. And the lines, clarification lines, and even some rough spots caused by the minerals that give it the unique color and pattern are not flaws: they are part of the natural nature of this kind of jade. Very Dao (harmony in nature, and basis of feng shui, Chinese medicine, martial arts). So that's a brief summary. The photos below show a darker "modern" jadeite bangle at lower prices, and then a more expensive one, and you can click the photo to visit the web page with the description. And you regular customers know how we love to sneak in some real deals, like put a jade bangle that should sell for several thousand dollars at a under $1000 price. That's for you who "know" jade, and know from the photos how to spot that this one is for you! November 24

One of the most interesting aspects of this jade business is the photos people send me of jade things that are amazingly different. This week I received photos of a jadeite table a man in Java found during an excavation. How I would like to serve our Thanksgiving dinner on that! I hope he sends an update after he gets it verified that it is indeed jadeite, and what he plans to do with it. Best wishes for a happy Thanksgiving to all our American jade friends. It's a tradition to have "Black Friday" the day after Thanksgiving to start the holiday shopping season. Be sure to check the Daily Special Friday morning for our "flexible" Black Friday coupons. November 20

Jade buying and selling in China often ends with a tea ceremony. A cup of tea is refreshing after a day of taking trains, busses, and walking to the "good jade carver's house", admiring all the jades, choosing what we want, and bargaining for a good price satisfying to all. But a gung fu tea ceremony is Dao, being in harmony with nature. Dao is the philosophy of feng shui. And the ceremony is honoring our relationship to nature, our bodies, and the qi energy that unites us. So have a cup of tea with your jade. It's a tradition. If you read this blog, and purchase jade $100+ today through Wednesday, write "tea" in the comments box on the order form and you will get a traditional Chinese tea in a sweet tin with your order.
November 18

Customers sometimes see two jade bangles that look similar but have very different price ranges. And because of the translucency of jade, photos don't always show all the tiny detail. The description "fine grain, high chime" means that the finer the grain, the better the quality because of how the jade looks and wears. And the finer the grain, the higher the "chime". You can gently clink jades together to hear chime, but I use a flick of my fingernail, as I have learned how to listen to the chime this way. And if you jadeite chimes instead of thunks, it means no color added. Chinese jade has different density, so it doesn't chime like jadeite, but still has its own kind of chime. Just because you bangle chimes doesn't mean it's genuine jadeite, so the chime test is quality of jadeite, not proof of it being jadeite, or something else. Whew! Always lots to learn. You can see a photo of the man who taught me most about jadeite on the YYJ Facebook page. He is the vice president of the Southern Jade association and has been part of a family of jade carvers and jade shop owners for generations. So I would say he knows what he's talking about. And I have passed all the testing from him. He is also a master at gungfu tea ceremony, and taught me that, too. You will have to fantasize about the relationship of jade and tea now! November 15

I often spend a lot of time with customers when they are choosing their jade bangle, pendant or special jade piece. I answer many questions, give links to the resource pages, videos, which includes even more information. Then sometimes they ask "is your jade real? is it natural" That question makes me crazy because why would a jade seller spend as much time as we do answering questions, providing more information on our web sites than actual products, and have more than 900 jade products listed on the web site if it wasn't "real" and "natural". It's not legal to falsely advertise, for one thing. And a jade seller can't have a successful business for 12 years selling "fakes". So I am guessing these people really don't know jade, because just by looking at the photos on YYJ you can see it's real and natural. And I am also guessing people have made purchases on ebay or not reputable sellers, wondered if what they bought was "real", and don't want to get burned again. I understand this, but it sure does make me crazy with that question! November 14

There must be several workshops for women to strengthen the pelvic floor by doing kegel exercise throughout the USA because I have been filling orders for jade ben wa balls and jade eggs for several days. I often received glowing testimonials from women who have experienced positive results after using then a couple of weeks. And sometimes I get an email from a woman who is so frustrated because the jade egg or ben wa ball set she purchased simply won't stay in, and keeps falling out. For the woman with this problem she is probably a woman who needs to use them right now! If the jade falls out, start by doing the kegel exercise laying down. Insert the egg or balls and do a set of kegel exercise (10 times), then rest a few minutes, then do two more sets. Then remove, clean and use again in a day or two. After 2-3 weeks the woman is often surprised that they can stand up and the jade stays in. They are starting to see results. When I started menopause, it was awful, and I just happened to be on a trip in China, went to a Chinese doctor, and was given a set of jade eggs with instructions for using them. They made such a positive difference for me, that I decided I had to get some made so I could share with other women. And we get orders for these every day from women all over the world, and from men who buy them for their special woman. I've been including a note in the order about using them now, not sticking them in a drawer for "later", because kegel exercise with pure, natural jade is one of the best things a woman can do for herself. And the "yin" set is the Daily Special. Most women need the yin energy because the reason they have urinary incontinence is too much yang. But if dryness is a problem, the yang darker jade qi energy is helpful. Our most popular purchase is a set of jade ben wa balls, and a set of jade eggs, mixing the yin and yang dark and light jade colors. They are pleasurable to use, and the variety makes using them more motivating. November 13

Last month I changed the jade bangle I had been wearing daily for years. It's pale green and white with some "seafoam" green and imperial green veins. When I was going through my jewelry drawer, I was strongly attracted to a more "yang" light green with "dragon green" almost black big veins in it, that I had purchased in China in 2005. I love it, but it always felt to "yang", or strong, for me. I've been wearing it now for a few weeks and it's amazing how much more energy I have during the day. My body needed more "yang" and that's why I was attracted to it. Maybe I will need the yin bangle again when the weather gets hot. Did you ever notice that as you get older you change your hair, maybe even hair color, and make up and color of clothes you wear because the change made you look and feel better? That's the way it is with jade. Your body qi energy needs change and if you wear "jade as medicine", then you change your jade, also. I truly believe we are attracted to the jade color that is compatible with our body qi needs, to help balance our body, mind and spirit. So how's that for an excuse to buy new jade! November 11

We are working on making a video about jade pendants. Jade pendants are miniature carvings you can wear. The jade carver can make simple carvings that use templates to make many of the same kind, or spend days, weeks studying the jade piece to decide how to use the color, texture and qi energy of the jade stone to make unique, one of a kind jade carvings based on the principles of Daoism, the basis of feng shui. When I go shopping in China personally, I like to go directly to the jade carvers to purchase one of a kind pendants. Some of the jade carvers are very traditional, very in tune with jade, and really do spend hours, days, weeks carrying around a piece of jade to "get a feel" for the energy of the stone to decide how it will be carved. They use the color of the jade, the texture, to decide the nature of the carving. They may find a surprise in the stone as they start the carving process, and then re-think their design. These kind of carvings are very cherished and quite valuable. The commercial quality of some jade pendants is based on the quality of the jade and these are usually carved by machine using templates. They are often made from residue of jade bangle carvings. YYJ sells some of this kind also, because we want to have a variety of price ranges for every budget. But we do make sure all the jade that is used, whether it's Chinese jade or Burmese jadeite, is natural and genuine. November 7

When I started selling jade, I enjoyed buying and selling so much that the listed prices were very low so they would sell, be on someone's wrist rather than my inventory, and I could go to China and buy more! I made the decision to have price range for every budget, and always have some jade bangle bracelets that are very low price. If you look at some of the Bargain Bangles on JadeBangleBracelets, you may see the very similar for higher prices in the "Elegant" category. Customers often question this. They wonder if the lower prices mean there are chips, cracks, damage or much lower quality. They may be slightly less wide, or less substantial inside to outside, but they are the same good quality of jade. When I'm shopping for jade, I always bargain because there are never prices on the jades. Most times, the seller "had the last word" by letting me have the price I bargain for if I also buy a few that are slightly more slender, or less green veins. Which I agree, because then I can have the "bargain bangles" section and keep the variety of price ranges. I buy and sell jade I personally would wear, so they are all "good". November 5

When I started YYJ business, my dream was to own a jadeite mine and have some trusted carvers working for YYJ. That way we would all be assured our jadeite was natural color, good quality, and we would have the sizes we need in bangles, and variety of pendants. We explored the idea, but then the Lantos law and jadeite embargo happened, and we gave up the dream. Last month the USA lifted more sanctions on Burma, and it appears that it's legal to ship jadeite, whether it's from Burma, or coming from China (because it originated in Burma). This weekend I received an offer to buy a jadeite mine in Burma, and some carvers who wanted to work with us. They found Ying Yu Jade web site, were impressed that we actually were quite knowledgeable about jade, sold grade A and no fakes, and were eager to be part of Ying Yu Jade because of mutual respect. Oh, how I wish that happened a few years ago! Blog readers know that we plan to gradually sell our inventory and end the business. It's unfortunate I don't have a family member or friend who is passionate about jade to take the business because having our own jade mine would make YYJ a very productive and personalized business. November 4

Yesterday, YYJ "Trick or Treat" for fundraiser donations to American Red Cross for Sandy storm victims, and we will continue one more day, with profits from the Daily Specials donated to ARC. Make a difference when your purchase a special jade for yourself, or a gift.

The Calm Spirit / Ying Yu Jade complete November newsletter is available online now, click here. This month features Chinese medicine wellness information for November 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. November 1

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