Is Jade and greenstone the same thing?
Yes, they are all Nephrite Jade. New Zealand calls it greenstone from when it was named by Captain Cook and the Maori word for Greenstone is Pounamu.
Where does the Jade stone come from?
Many different areas of the world including New Zealand, Canada, Russia, Australia
Where does your NZ Greenstone come from?
It is found mainly in the Alpine Region of the South Island.
Is it real jade?
All Jade is real and we only sell genuine Nephrite jade in our stores.
Is this Chinese Jade?
No Chinese jade is known as Jadeite. It has a different mineral composition to Nephrite Jade which affects its texture and colour creating a more pale or mottled green colour and sometimes can have a milky look to it. At JadeCentre, we only sell Nephrite Jade.
Is the quality different for different coloured jade?
Yes, like a diamond there are different qualities of Jade which is determined by several factors not just colour. A lower grade Jade is too fragile to carve as it will have more cracks in it and break more easily. The carved detail and time taken for the Carver to make the piece also determines the quality and value of Jade.
What is the difference between light Jade and dark jade?
The difference lies in the iron content (more in the dark) and where the Jade is actually cut from within the stone.
Is the darker Jade harder than the lighter jade?
No, colour doesn’t determine the hardness of Jade it is determined by the composition.
Why is the Australian Jade Black?
The black colour comes from the iron and/or graphite content in the rock.
How can you tell the difference between NZ & Overseas Jade?
New Zealand Jade has a bigger variety of colour including brown, yellow, and green. Overseas Jade tends to be more solid in colour.
How can you tell the difference between NZ & Overseas Jade?
New Zealand Jade has a bigger variety of colour including brown, yellow, and green. Overseas Jade tends to be more solid in colour.
How is the Jade/Greenstone formed?
Jade is formed through the enormous and constant pressure that occurs deep in the earths crust from volcanoes and movement of the land creating a sediment of calcium and magnesium which we know as Jade.
How strong is Jade?
Jade is one of the toughest natural materials available and has a grade of 6.5 on the MOH’s scale. However the strength of Jade is determined by how thick the piece of Jade is cut or carved. The thicker the piece the stronger it will be the thinner and more detailed the piece will make it more fragile.
Can we name who has carved the pieces?
No, each piece gets hand carved by up to 3-4 Craftsmen doing different stages of the carving, for example the cutting, the designing, the polishing, etc.
Can we get a piece custom-made?
Yes we can make custom pieces, email us direct at accounts@oceaniajade.co.nz
Who designs the Pendants and carvings?
We have highly qualified designers both in New Zealand, for our traditional Maori products and overseas for our more unique pieces.
Why do you get some of your Jade from British Columbia?
Because in New Zealand we have a restriction on the amount of Jade we can purchase so we have to source from other parts of the world as well.
Do the Pendants come blessed?
No we don’t have them blessed prior to being in the shop as our jewellery is handled by customers everyday. Jade pieces should only be blessed when purchased so there is a spiritual link between giver and receiver.
Can you buy the jade for yourself and still have luck?
Yes, however the Maori people believe you have more luck if you are given a piece of Jade as a gift. Each tribe has a different view on this but if you feel it is bad to buy it for yourself you can overcome this by getting someone else to place the carving over your neck for the first time. It is however very bad luck to steal a piece of Jade.
Can we courier?
Yes we can courier to anywhere in the world.