"Jades that you care
for will care for you"....Wong
Tien Chung
Ancient jade artifacts are gemstone treasures from the long ago past that have
withstood both the test of time and humanity. Most of these
ancient gemstone treasures have been
buried beneath the earth for centuries, while others may
have been buried for millenniums.
The condition of
each ancient jade artifact varies upon the age, type of earth
the artifact was buried in, and the geological conditions that
the jade artifact was found in. Most ancient jades form a crust of calcification that is deposited in
layers upon the
gem's original surface during its burial. When
an ancient jade is dug from the earth it often has it's original colors hidden by layers of soil, minerals, and encrustations.
Almost
all jades artifacts dug from the earth, that are presented to the collector's market
place, have these layers of encrustations removed. The reason
for this is to reveal the gemstone's original colors, designs
and it's gem characteristic to a potential buyer.
If the ancient jade
artifacts' layers of encrustations were removed correctly then it will
possess a patination that endows the ancient gem with very special beauty.
Pan Wan Jades
are ancient jade artifacts that have been cared for by human hands for
generations. These cherished treasures are a very special category of
ancient jades that will often appear to have patination that emanate
great luster and life.
Rules for the Caring of
Ancient Jades.....
1.Never use
strong detergents, hard abrasives, steel wool, or abrasive washcloths on the
surface of ancient jades. If you want to clean ancient jades use a very soft
damp cloth and gently wipe its surface.
2.If
you want to test the gem for hardness use the fine point of a paper clip and
scratch a very small area where there is no design ( usually on the backside
underneath of the object). Use a 10x magnification to examine the area. If
it is jade it will not scratch (usually). Authentic ancient jades have areas
where the gem's surface can be soft, because minerals have leached from the
stone as it laid in the earth for centuries or millenniums.
3.Never drop an
ancient jade on a hard surface like concrete. Most ancient jades have
internal fracturing inside the gemstone due to burial in the earth for
centuries or millenniums. While in the earth the jade artifact has been
exposed to great pressure, temperature fluctuations and oxidation that may
have caused the gem to have micro factures.
4.Never expose the
ancient jade to direct sunlight for long periods of time because the color of the
patina will be altered by the UV rays of the sun.
5..Never
set your ancient jades on metal or metal stands as the metal does not
conform to the harmony of the Jade and drains it's Chi (cosmic energy).
Always use wood or natural materials.
6.Do not use oils to
try to bring colors out of the jade. Oils will at first seem to bring life
to the ancient jade, but over time may add to the deterioration of the
gemstone( if you have chemicals in the oil). The use of hands and touching
can endow jades with natural oils that are reasonable and often beneficial to the
gemstone. Try using a very soft horse hair brush to restore luster to the
ancient gemstone.
7.Never allow someone
who you feel is not worthy to hold your jades. It is believed that the good
luck your jade is emanating will be altered and it will lose it's worthiness
to you. Remember Jade brings luck to the worthy.
Terms to Know......
Patina
is
a layer of surface coloration over the gemstone that is created
by organic materials and non-organic earth mineral/elements. The
patina can be removed by scrapping the surface of an ancient
jade with steel or iron objects or by a chemical detergent.
REMOVING
PATINA SHOULD NEVER BE DONE
as it damages the beauty and the value of ancient jades.
Suffusions
are undersurface coloration that is created by organic materials
(red ochre iron oxide) and non-organic earth minerals/elements.
These suffusions actually are absorbed into the jade and become
a part of the chemical composition and color of the gemstone.
Calcification
is the actually weathering or leaching of minerals and chemicals
from the gemstone. Often iron (fe) is leached from jade leaving
a white coloration that is exposed on the surface and
undersurface. This is usually softer that the jade gemstone and
can be scratched with an iron or steel object.
Chicken Bone White
is a term used to describe an ancient Jade specimen
whose originally colors have been completely altered by the
forces of time and earth to possess an opaque Chalk White
Colored Patina.
A
lesson learned...
I
remember one of my first experiences with an ancient jade
artifact, when I first started my journey down
The Jade
Road.
The first Jade that I received from my teacher, Wong Tien
Chung, was such a
beautiful and exciting treasure. I took it back to my home and
not knowing any better, I tried to remove the patina from the
jade using a knife with soap and water. When I saw my teacher
the following day I showed him the jade and I questioned him
about the patina. His face changed from a smile to angry
disappointment and then he told me; "never, never damage ancient
jades by removing their patina or they will bring you
misfortune."
The
fact is that
Patination
(the gemstone's process of creating patina) takes centuries and
even millenniums to form on jade. Patina is an important part of
the beauty, mystery and wonder of ancient jades. Please do not
attempt to remove an ancient jade's Patina. If you ever want to
check jade for hardness with a scratch test, do it in a place
that can not be seen and is not noticeable. The apparent reason
to do so is because if it is an ancient gemstone
then it can be softer than jade causing it to scratch.
If you were to damage an important feature of the carving then you
will deface history and harm the value, beauty, and significance of
an
ancient gemstone wonder.
I hope
I was helpful. If you have any other questions please let me
know.-ian
(Fung Gen Qua)
Ancient Treasures available from our
Auctions
Make your
bid on Authentic one-of-a-kind Treasures from the ancient world
