What is the difference between chalcedony and jade?

In our daily life, we often see some products made of jade, the most common of which are some decorations. Some decorations are very expensive and have high collection value. However, what everyone needs to know is that jade has many classifications, and different types of jade are very different. In addition, people often confuse chalcedony and jade. In fact, there are many differences between the two.

What is the difference between chalcedony and jade? Which one is more expensive?

Chalcedony comes in a variety of colors, and some have strange patterns and designs that are amazing. In ancient times, it was exclusive to princes, nobles, merchants and wealthy people, but now it has entered the homes of ordinary people and become one of the popular jade varieties. Is chalcedony expensive?

The acquisition of natural chalcedony is extremely difficult and the output is extremely limited. The mining of the highest quality Indonesian chalcedony mines is also restricted. The scarcity of output determines the value of chalcedony.

The value of natural chalcedony can follow the footsteps of Huanglong Jade, whose price has skyrocketed. At present, the price of natural chalcedony carvings carefully designed and carved by masters ranges from thousands to tens of thousands. The specific price depends on the product. It is divided according to its carving craftsmanship and its different colors, grades, sizes and rarity. It cannot be treated equally.

At present, a large number of cheap "artificial jades" are flooding the market, disturbing people's vision and making the rare natural chalcedony more precious. The rise of natural chalcedony is just around the corner. After all, money can’t buy the right thing, and it is certainly not an exaggeration to sell a rare and precious blue-green chalcedony bracelet for the price of a BMW.

Chalcedony has always been considered the essence of jade, condensed from jade liquid. Its grains are tiny, and its main mineral component is cryptocrystalline quartz. Its shapes and sizes vary, and its luster is mostly glassy or waxy, translucent or slightly transparent. Its colors are also very rich, including dark green, apple green, blue, etc., among which green is the most beautiful. But some people often cannot tell the difference between chalcedony and jade. Let me explain to you here, what is the difference between chalcedony and jade?

First, we need to clarify the definitions of the two. In mineralogy, the strict definition of jade only includes a few varieties of jade, such as jadeite, Hetian jade, etc., but chalcedony is not among them. However, the concept of "jade" is much broader, and chalcedony is one of the jades.

Secondly, the composition of chalcedony and jade is different, which is an important reason for the difference between the two. The main components of jade are Ca2(Mg, Fe)5Si8O22(OH)2); while the main component of chalcedony is silicon dioxide (SiO2), which is an aggregate of cryptocrystalline quartz. It seems that they are not the same kind of substances.

Among jades, the jades that are easily confused with chalcedony are aventurine, jadeite, jasper, etc. So be especially careful when purchasing. They can be distinguished by texture, color, etc. Chalcedony has a fine texture and a cryptocrystalline structure, with tiny grains that cannot be seen with the naked eye. The most obvious feature of aventurine is that its grains are very large and its texture is relatively coarse and rough compared to chalcedony.

Green jadeite, turquoise, etc. are also easily confused with chalcedony, and they can also be identified through careful observation. Green jadeite is fibrous, but chalcedony is not; turquoise has low transparency and hardness and has a porcelain luster.

However, because there are many types of jade, it is impossible to compare them with chalcedony based on their commonalities, so the editor below has selected several types of jade that are similar to chalcedony for comparison.