Jadeite jade’s color is the key important factor in evaluating its value. For decades, artist, sculptor, carver spend countless effort in study, planning, carve and re-carving their jade piece in order to bring out the best nature of their colour.
However, with the current technology and trade demand, all the colour of a jadeite jade may now be artificially altered or introduced by some new or ages old techniques, such like colour dyed, coating, painting, heating, colour waxing, or combination of multiple processes.
Recent Lab testing, found there are increasing numbers of natural jadeite jade bangles submitted and found having trace of residue purple / green colour/s powder on the surface of the finished piece.
Identifying the residual is easy by carefully checking every part of the article under microscope with overhead light, and brightfield illumination, the residual of the colour powder will reflect, or found concentrated in the porous holes or micro-cracks of the jadeite jade surface.
Some of the pieces are obvious and able to spot with naked eye under overhead lighting, but some finer grain pieces will need higher magnification to spot the colour powder scattered around the surface.
Since most of the colour residual are somehow covered with wax (Standard jadeite surface waxing for finishing), removing the residual colour powder will not be as easy as brushing or soaking under soapy water.
Detecting the colour residual is not difficult, but failing to check will result buying a higher priced jadeite jade with an artificial surface colour enhancement.
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