JADEITE - Canadian Institute of Gemmology

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ranging in size from 7 to 65 carats (7 x 5 mm to 43 x 32 mm) and another 10,641 carats of green
stones ranging from 9 x 7 mm to 23 x 20 mm. The company also offer "translucent bright green"
21 inch stands of 8.5 to 9 mm jadeite beads for US$19.99 and US$24.99 per strand. On 31 May
2001 the company's web-site also included 146 pieces of Mawsitsit jadeite cabochons. At the top
end is a 49.25 carat 35 x 23.5 mm piece for US$172.99 (about US$3.50 per carat). There are
several smaller pieces around 9.5 carats (averaging around 18 x 13 mm) selling for US$28.99
(about US$3.00 per carat).
The production of jadeite jewelry in Guatemala is relatively small. The primary producer is
Jades, S.A. It produces necklaces and other types of jewelry as well as replicas of ancient Maya
artifacts. In contrast to Burmese jadeite, Ward (1996: 43) notes that "Guatemala green, white, and
black jadeite jewelry seldom surpasses $1,000-2,000." The color chart provided in the Jade, S.A.,
Catalog 2000 includes prices for 22 mm cabochons. At the top is the intense and translucent Maya
Imperial (grade A6) cabochon at US$1,000 per stone. The price for an A5 Maya Imperial cabochon
is US$760 per stone, and for an A4 cabochon US$500 per stone. A non-translucent dark green
cabochon is priced at US$20 per stone. The highest quality "intense apple green" jadeite is listed at
US$360 per stone, while lesser quality "pale apple green" is listed at US$180 per stone. A "bright
blue" stone is listed at US$300 per stone, while the lesser grade Olmec blue-green stones range
from US$60 to US$50 per stone. Top grade "translucent intense lilac" cabochons list for US$340
per stone, while the lower grade "very pale lilac with white mottling" lists for US$140 per stone.
Black with "glactic gold" lists for $226 per stone and low grade gray, charcoal, and black for
US$50 per stone.
Within Burma there are official buying channels for rough jadeite that are controlled by the
military regime, but most rough jadeite is smuggled out of the country to Thailand and China.
Hughes (1997) notes that "smuggling routes from Burma's gem mines to the outside world are
varied and constantly changing... With the opening up of China's economy, much jade now
proceeds directly from the mines in Kachin State, to Kunming, capital of China’s Yunnan
province." The Burmese government holds a biannual Gems, Jade, and Pearls Emporium in
Yangon. Ward (1996: 44) reports that about 500 lots of jadeite are offered for auction at this event
and these are mainly sold to Chinese bidders. Only a small amount of jadeite is cut and sold within
Burma. Hong Kong is the center of the jadeite market. Of lesser importance are other parts of
China, Thailand, Singapore, and a handful of Western cities (usually with a significant overseas
Chinese population).
Hughes (1997) briefly describes the jadeite markets in Mae Sot and Mae Sai, located on the
Thai side of the Thai-Burmese border, following visits in 1996 and 1997. In general, he
characterizes these markets as having an abundance of low quality gem material along with
synthetics and imitations. The gem market in Mae Sot he describes as being "crowded with