What are the colors of jade?
The Chinese identified “ritual colors” of jade and even spoke of colors “invisible to the eye.” In fact, jadeite appears in six basic colors, with many variations. These are green, lavender, red, yellow, white and black. Green, the most important and traditional color, varies through apple green to gray-green and finally black-green. There is a special magical item called Imperial jade. Although originally said to refer to those jades possessed by the emperor and royal family, Imperial jade today should indicate a stone whose color is a deep, translucent green, and is without visible flaws or color variations. Such stones are truly rare. Lavender jade can be quite dark – almost deep plum-purple, and in some cases can take on a blue cast. At its other extreme, lavender jade approaches the pink range – though never achieving it – and lightens to a pale lavender-white. Often, lavender jade exhibits a sugary texture. There are written reports of a blood-orange jade, but most red jade actua
