January 24 Through February 4—TUCSON, ARIZONA: Annual show
Welcome to the GemologyOnline.com Forum
A non-profit Forum for the exchange of gemological ideas
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 4:51 pm

All times are UTC - 4 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: burmese black jade
PostPosted: Mon Jan 10, 2022 2:46 pm 
Offline
New to the Forum or The Quiet Type

Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2022 6:25 am
Posts: 2
I don't think this is black jade but the shop insists it is even when I expressed my doubts about it. Can anyone help.
The reason I think it's fake is not only how it looks but it also seems soft, it scratched easily with a metal ruler.
The shop has good feedback but I really think this is fake.


Attachments:
black jade.jpg
black jade.jpg [ 2.12 MiB | Viewed 1942 times ]
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: burmese black jade
PostPosted: Thu Jan 13, 2022 3:44 pm 
Offline
Gold Member
User avatar

Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2016 7:58 pm
Posts: 1424
Location: San Marcos, CA
It does not look like jade to me, to granular. But a picture is not a good way to identify a material.
Try some of the simple tests available here on the board via the links in the left column menus.
Also using the term fake is somewhat accusatory (not that I am saying that is what your saying) without a proper gemological evaluation in hand, the shop I am assuming is the place you acquired it? And they may not have known its true identification.
It may be a form of onyx. Just a guess.

_________________
The Gem Garden
San Marcos, CA


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: burmese black jade
PostPosted: Thu Jan 13, 2022 3:57 pm 
Offline
Valued Contributor

Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2010 12:04 am
Posts: 257
Location: Idaho
Looks a lot like the grey marble I see a lot for counter work and headstones. Might search for signs of fossil relics which sometimes survive metamorphosis... The seller might not want to take a return if you tested it with acid...

_________________
Lapidarist by Passion
Goldsmith by Necessity

Facetron x2
Polymetrics OMF
GemCad/GemRay/Gem Cut Studio
Matrix 9/Rhino 5, 6, 7
REVO A (still hanging on...)
B9 Creator Core 5 Series XL
Indutherm MC-15


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: burmese black jade
PostPosted: Thu Jan 13, 2022 7:43 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm
Posts: 21602
Location: San Francisco
Black jade is usually black nephrite, and your specimen is definitely not nephrite.
I would ask the shop owner what he based the identification on.
Jadeite's hardness on Mohs scale is 6.5 to 7. Harder than a metal ruler.

Again, I would put the burden of proof on the seller.

I do not think it looks like black jadeite.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: burmese black jade
PostPosted: Fri Jan 14, 2022 11:14 am 
Offline
New to the Forum or The Quiet Type

Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2022 6:25 am
Posts: 2
Thank you for your replies.
abeck you are right it seems it is in-fact marble. I did a density test but the suspicion was confirmed when I found a couple of suppliers in China who export Marble.
Unfortunately people are selling it as Black Jade, Burma Jade or Jasper, a couple of sellers are selling it honestly but it is marble.
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image


It's clear it isn't Jade and I understand what glhays is saying (they may not have known its true identification) but if a gemstone expert is selling gemstones as something they are not, it is on them to check and clarify what it is with their mine/supplier before they sell it, it's not the buyers responsibility. Selling marble, which is incredibly common for an extortionate price and claiming it is Jade is not genuine, it's an imitation, counterfeit..fake basically fraud. If I sell you apples but say they are dragon fruit just so I get a better price, I'll get away with it unless of course you know it's not dragon fruit, rubbish example but that's happening in the gem world all the time.

I've come across too many gem sellers claiming to be experts selling fake or heat treated/dyed gemstones claiming they are natural or something else. It's a completely unregulated industry and so many people are getting ripped off.

It's incredibly disheartening as someone who has a passion for collecting gemstones to come across these charlatans again and again. I'd love to have some black Jade in my collection but I literally could be sold anything. Thank you for helping to clarify what my gem shop has actually sent me, I can confidently send it back as marble and ask to be refunded. Thank you


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: burmese black jade
PostPosted: Mon Jan 17, 2022 8:35 pm 
Offline
Gold Member
User avatar

Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2016 7:58 pm
Posts: 1424
Location: San Marcos, CA
Do not get me wrong I do not condone the behavior. Yes you are right its on them and it is a common found issue in the gem industry. Not sure where your seller is but reporting them can help others. Serpentine is also passed off as jade.

My wife and I have a collection of ocean worn black nephrite jade off the central coast here in California, as well as Montana. No jadiete in black.

Glad to hear there is a resolution.

_________________
The Gem Garden
San Marcos, CA


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 4 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 5 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
Gemology Style ported to phpBB3 by Christian Bullock