Post #328069 by Paipo on Fri, Aug 24, 2007 4:38 PM

Very sweet Lono - but this is her first piece?? :lol: I think Mrs P has about 8 of mine now! Great to see you back on the chizzles too! That reciprocating handpiece looks very efficient.

I can't add too much more about the stone - jadeite from memory is actually harder on the Mohs scale than nephrite (on average) but is more crystalline in nature and lacking the felted structure nephrite has, which means it isn't as tough or strong. Jadeite from Burma wasn't really carved in China until the 1800s, but nephrite goes back 3 or 4000 years! So they are know as "new jade" and "old jade" respectively. The Burmese jadeite has supplanted nephrite in popularity (in the Asian market at least) due to the intense chromium enhanced "Imperial" green, but for my money you can't beat the real thing. The patterns, colours, strength and tactile nature of nephrite really are unique, along with its cultural and historical significance.