Virtucasa Jade Crafting Techniques: One-Page Capsule Guide
Everything you need to know before diving into the full 22-article series about Jade Crafting Techniques
The “Jade Crafting Techniques” series on Virtucasa is a deep-dive reference library that traces every step from raw stone to finished jewel. Below is a concise, article-by-article roadmap written for university-level readers who want rapid orientation without sacrificing technical rigor.
01 What Is Jade?(玉与玉石界定)
Draws on philology, archaeology and mineralogy to disentangle the Chinese term yu (a historically “beautiful stone with five virtues”) from the modern gemmological categories of jadeite, nephrite and ornamental rocks. Establishes the working lexicon used throughout the series.
Read now Defining Jade: A Cross-Cultural Exploration of Its Mineralogical and Cultural Identity
02 Defining a Jade Object (玉器的定义)
Spells out the three minimal requirements for an artefact to qualify as an authentic jade object: culturally accepted “beauty” of the stone, formal typology, and unmistakable rotary-tool workmanship.
Read now Defining Jade Artifacts: Where Nature Meets Human Craftsmanship
03 Raw Material Spectrum (玉石原料总览)
Catalogues 30+ historically used Chinese jade stones under modern gemmological headings—nephrite, jadeite, serpentine, quartzite, turquoise, etc.—and links each to its economic, artistic and ritual valuation.
Read now Jade Materials: From Ancient Quarries to Modern Gemology
04 Hetian Nephrite(和田玉)
Technical profile of the world’s most celebrated nephrite: tremolite-actinolite chemistry, 6–6.5 Mohs hardness, 2.95 g/cm³ density, color zoning from mutton-fat white to ink black, and provenance markers for river pebble vs mountain block.
Hetian Jade (Nephrite): The Imperial Gem of China
05 Dushan Jade(独山玉)
Introduces the polychrome zoisite rock from Henan—green “Nanyang jadeite”, purple “sky-blue”, and banded varieties—complete with micro-texture, hardness (6.5–7) and lapidary suitability for high-relief carving.
Read now Dushan Jade: China’s Forgotten Gemstone
06 iuyan Serpentine(岫岩玉)
Covers the serpentinite family (Liaoning type and regional siblings): Mg-rich lizardite-antigorite aggregates, 4–5 Mohs, waxy luster, and large-block suitability for monumental sculptures such as Han-dynasty jade burial suits.
Read now Serpentine Jade: A Comprehensive Introduction
07 Turquoise(绿松石)
Hydrated copper-aluminium phosphate, 5–6 Mohs, porosity grading (porcelain vs chalk), sky-blue to apple-green chromatics, and dehydration-stabilisation issues critical for modern lapidary conservation.
Read now Turquoise: A Comprehensive Guide
08 Jadeite (翡翠)
Monoclinic pyroxene, 6.5–7 Mohs, 3.33 g/cm³, colour spectrum from imperial green to lavender, and the industry-standard “seed-water-colour” (地子-水-色) triad for value appraisal.
Read now Jadeite: The King of Jade – A Complete Guide
09 Agate(玛瑙)
Micro-crystalline SiO₂ with concentric banding; hardness 6.5–7; classification by colour (red carnelian, blue lace, dendritic) and structure (water-level, fortification, eye); cutting strategies to exploit natural patterns.
Read now Agate: Nature’s Kaleidoscope – A Complete Guide
10 Malachite(孔雀石)
Copper-carbonate pseudomorph, 3.5–4 Mohs, vivid green concentric rings; discusses radial-fiber chatoyancy, acid sensitivity, and optimal orientation for cabochons vs intaglios.
Read now Malachite: The Captivating Green Gemstone – A Complete Guide
11 Lapis Lazuli (青金石)
Rock composed of lazurite, calcite and pyrite; 5–5.5 Mohs; evaluates the golden-pyrite “starry sky” effect and the impact of calcite veining on cutting yield; historical supply chain from Badakhshan to imperial Beijing.
Read now Lapis Lazuli: The Celestial Stone – A Comprehensive Guide
12 Quartzite Jade Group(石英岩类玉石)
Systematic breakdown of green aventurine (dongling), mica-rich miyu, and bluish guicui; hardness 7, fracture toughness considerations, and comparative lapidary behaviour against nephrite.
Read now Quartzite Jade: A Guide to Earth’s Crystalline Treasures
13 Lantian Jade(蓝田玉)
Revisits the literary “blue-field” jade as a serpentinised dolomitic marble; low hardness (3–4) but historic prestige; modern identification pitfalls when distinguishing it from Xiuyan or Hetian look-alikes.
Read now Lantian Jade: The Enigmatic Gem of Ancient China
14 Rock Crystal(水晶)
α-quartz single crystals, 7 Mohs, piezoelectric properties; colour zoning (amethyst, citrine, smoky) and inclusion landscapes (rutilated, tourmalinated, fluid); orientation rules for maximal brilliance and minimum cleavage loss.
Read now Rock Crystal: Nature’s Transparent Treasure – A Complete Guide
15 Tourmaline(电气石或碧玺)
Complex borosilicate, 7–7.5 Mohs, strong pleochroism; colour zoning (watermelon, Paraíba) and heat-treatment ethics; slicing angles to display dichroic flash in finished gems.
Read now Tourmaline: The Rainbow Gemstone – A Comprehensive Guide
16 Ruby & Sapphire(红蓝宝)
Corundum Al₂O₃, 9 Mohs, 4.0 g/cm³; chromium vs iron-titanium chromophores; inclusion mapping for origin (Burmese silk, Sri-Lankan rutile), and facet design to balance colour saturation and weight retention.
Read now Ruby & Sapphire: The Royal Gemstones – A Complete Guide
17 Peridot(橄榄石)
Forsterite-fayalite olivine, 6.5–7 Mohs, distinctive lily-pad inclusions; cutting pitfalls due to basal cleavage and sensitivity to rapid temperature change.
Read now Peridot: The Sun-Kissed Gem – A Comprehensive Guide
18 Topaz (黄玉或托帕石)
Aluminium fluorosilicate, 8 Mohs, perfect basal cleavage; colour centres and irradiation ethics; optimal pavilion angles to mask cleavage planes in faceted stones.
Read now Topaz: The Fire Gem – A Complete Guide
19 Jet(煤玉)
Fossilised lignite, 2.5–4 Mohs, resinous lustre; electrostatic properties exploited in Victorian mourning jewellery; carving techniques for intricate low-relief cameos.
Read now Jet : The Ancient Black Gem – A Comprehensive Guide
20 Amber (琥珀)
Polymerised Cretaceous resin, 2–2.5 Mohs; classification by botanical origin (Baltic vs Dominican), fluorescence under UV, and ultrasonic drilling protocols to preserve fragile inclusions.
Read now Amber: The Golden Window to Prehistory – A Complete Guide
21 Coral(珊瑚)
CaCO₃ skeletal aragonite, 3.5–4 Mohs; Mediterranean vs Pacific species, legal harvesting frameworks, and stabilisation treatments before carving.
Read now Coral: The Ocean’s Sacred Jewel – A Comprehensive Guide
22 Pearl(珍珠)
CaCO₃-aragonite with conchiolin layers; salt-water vs fresh-water, nacre thickness measurement, and matching strategies for graduated strands.
Read now Pearl: The Queen of Gems – A Comprehensive Guide
How to use this capsule？
Each numbered summary above corresponds to a full article in the series. Click the headline in the Virtucasa archive to access chemical tables, micrographs, CAD cutting diagrams and step-by-step workshop videos.
Read More
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- Care Academy (5)
- Investment Academy (18)
- Jade Crafting Techniques (28)
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