The Choo Yilin Jade Grading System™
Colour
Type A jadeite or nephrite comes in a variety of colours. The most valuable ones come in shades of green, with Imperial Green being the mostly costly. Other colours include lavender, yellow and ice jade. Unconstrained by traditional colours, our team at Choo Yilin sources for jade with the modern woman in mind. The typical colours you can expect to see for Jadeite are in shades of green, white, lavender and yellow.
Clarity
The presence of inclusions in jade affects the vividness of the main colour of the jade. It is traditionally believed that that the ideal jade should not contain any inclusions. However, inclusions are a part of the natural process in the formation of jade, and in certain cases can be considered beautiful.
Grade 1: Many inclusions, most of which are black.
Grade 2: Many inclusions, most of which are white, with some black inclusions.
Grade 3: Some inclusions, all are white or light coloured.
Grade 4: Few inclusions, all white or light coloured.
Grade 5: No visible inclusions to the naked eye.
Grade 2: Many inclusions, most of which are white, with some black inclusions.
Grade 3: Some inclusions, all are white or light coloured.
Grade 4: Few inclusions, all white or light coloured.
Grade 5: No visible inclusions to the naked eye.
Texture
This refers to the composition of the grains within the jade.
Grade 1: Coarse grain texture. Looks "dry". Grain structure visible to the naked eye.
Grade 2: Coarse-Medium grain texture. Lustre is affected by grain texture.
Grade 3: Medium grain texture. Acceptable lustre. Grain structure not visible to the naked eye, but lustre is imperfect.
Grade 4: Fine grain texture. Good lustre. Grain structure and shape not noticeably inconsistent.
Grade 5: Fine grain texture. Excellent lustre. Grain structure and shape consistent across entire piece.
Grade 2: Coarse-Medium grain texture. Lustre is affected by grain texture.
Grade 3: Medium grain texture. Acceptable lustre. Grain structure not visible to the naked eye, but lustre is imperfect.
Grade 4: Fine grain texture. Good lustre. Grain structure and shape not noticeably inconsistent.
Grade 5: Fine grain texture. Excellent lustre. Grain structure and shape consistent across entire piece.
Evenness
Grade 1: Uneven colour distribution in non-standard colour variations.
Grade 2: Uneven colour distribution in not more than 2 tones of colour.
Grade 3: 70% evenness of colour
Grade 4: 80% evenness of colour with standard colour distributions e.g. moss-in-snow, yunan, apple jade. etc.
Grade 5: Almost entirely even in colour to the naked eye.
Grade 2: Uneven colour distribution in not more than 2 tones of colour.
Grade 3: 70% evenness of colour
Grade 4: 80% evenness of colour with standard colour distributions e.g. moss-in-snow, yunan, apple jade. etc.
Grade 5: Almost entirely even in colour to the naked eye.
Transparency/Translucency
Translucency is one of the most important factors in grading jade. Jade with perfect translucency and even distribution of the translucent property is the rarest, and making it the most valuable aspect of the jade.
Grade 1: Totally opaque. No light shining through the jade.
Grade 2: Mostly opaque.
Grade 3: Translucent in up to 50% of the piece. Alternatively, too translucent and glass-like.
Grade 4: Mostly translucent, but not evenly translucent.
Grade 5: Perfectly even translucency. Semi-transparent in natural light with a vividness of colour coming through the piece.
Grade 2: Mostly opaque.
Grade 3: Translucent in up to 50% of the piece. Alternatively, too translucent and glass-like.
Grade 4: Mostly translucent, but not evenly translucent.
Grade 5: Perfectly even translucency. Semi-transparent in natural light with a vividness of colour coming through the piece.