Hello, fellow jade enthusiasts! I'm your old friend, Lao Wang, who has been navigating the jadeite world for over a decade. Today, let's talk about Biyu jade, which is just as beloved as jadeite! 💚

Many friends might think Biyu jade isn't as 'high-end' as jadeite, but in fact, the knowledge behind Biyu jade is just as extensive! The market is flooded with various 'seductive fakes,' making it easy to fall into traps. Today, I'm going to share all my accumulated experience in Biyu jade identification without reservation, guaranteeing that after reading this, you too can become a Biyu jade expert! ✨

Core Secrets of Biyu Jade Identification: Three Key Points, Indispensable!

1. Observe the Color: The 'Green' of Biyu Jade is Not Simple!

The color of Biyu jade is its soul. High-quality Biyu jade should have colors like spinach green, apple green, or vibrant green, with an overall even, rich, and bright hue. However, there's a misconception that the greener, the better. This isn't always true. The green of Biyu jade emphasizes 'liveliness' and 'correctness.'

* Spinach Green: This is the most classic color for Biyu jade, rich and deep like fresh spinach leaves, with a dark green tint and a strong oily luster. This color often comes with a 'cat's eye effect,' where a bright line can be seen when rotated under light, which is very captivating. I once saw a 2 kg Russian Biyu jade carving that was a typical spinach green, with some black spots, but excellent overall oiliness and luster, eventually selling for a six-figure price.
* Apple Green: This green is brighter than spinach green, resembling the color of a green apple, fresh and vibrant. It is often found in Hetian Biyu and Canadian Biyu. Its characteristic is bright color, but sometimes it may appear 'lacking in water,' not as oily as spinach green.
* Vibrant Green: This green is relatively rare in Biyu jade, with a bright color, even approaching the imperial green of high-grade jadeite, but its texture and luster still retain the characteristics of Biyu jade. Such material is usually expensive.

Pitfall Avoidance Tip: Be wary of Biyu jade with overly uniform colors, without any variations in shade, as it could be dyed! Under a magnifying glass, dyed Biyu jade's color will concentrate along cracks or intergranular spaces, appearing unnatural. Additionally, some inferior serpentine jade and aventurine will impersonate Biyu jade; their colors are often dull and lack an oily luster.

2. Observe the Structure: Fineness is King!

The structure of Biyu jade refers to its texture. High-quality Biyu jade should have a fine, compact structure, with no obvious颗粒感 (graininess) visible to the naked eye or under a magnifying glass, commonly known as 'fine flesh.'

* Oily Luster: Biyu jade is called 'jade' because of its warm and moist feel. Good Biyu jade should feel warm and smooth to the touch, not cold and dry. This oily luster is a manifestation of its tight internal structure and fine, uniform mineral grains.
* Black Spots: The common 'black spots' in Biyu jade are actually impurities like chromite. For Russian Biyu jade, black spots are one of its geographical characteristics; a moderate amount of black spots does not affect its value and can even prove its natural origin. However, if the black spots are too numerous, too large, or unevenly distributed, it will affect its aesthetics and value. My personal experience is that if the black spots can perfectly blend with the spinach green, forming a unique charm, that is also a kind of beauty.

Pitfall Avoidance Tip: Biyu jade with a rough structure and strong graininess is often low-grade. Some merchants use 'waxing' or 'resin impregnation' to conceal structural defects in Biyu jade, making it appear more oily. When identifying, you can gently scratch with your fingernail or wipe with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol; if wax comes off or it becomes sticky, be careful!

3. Observe the Luster: Warm and Oily, Not Glistening!

The luster of Biyu jade should be oily or waxy, warm and restrained, not the dazzling brightness of glass luster.

* Feel: Pick up a piece of Biyu jade and weigh it in your hand; it will feel heavier than an ordinary stone of the same size due to its higher density. At the same time, good Biyu jade will have a 'glutinous' feel, making it very comfortable to play with.
* Translucency: Biyu jade's translucency is usually micro-translucent to opaque. Under strong light, the internal structure of high-quality Biyu jade will show a hazy, fibrous interweaving pattern, rather than a crystalline one.

Pitfall Avoidance Tip: Be wary of Biyu jade with overly bright, even 'glistening' luster, as it may have been treated with acid washing, resin injection, etc. These treatments can destroy the natural structure of Biyu jade, causing it to lose its original warm feel, and long-term wear may also be harmful to the body.

My Personal Experience Sharing:

I once encountered a Biyu jade bracelet at an exhibition, touted as 'top-grade spinach green.' The color was indeed rich, but something felt off. Upon closer inspection, I found that its color distribution was too uniform, and under strong light, there were faint bubble-like structures inside. When I looked through a magnifying glass, sure enough, it had been dyed and resin-injected! I immediately warned my friends around me, preventing them from being scammed. So, the key to identification is to look more, touch more, and compare more!

Conclusion:

Identifying Biyu jade is not an overnight task; it requires observing more real objects and learning more. Remember the 'three key points' I shared today: observe the color, observe the structure, and observe the luster, combined with your own feel and experience, I believe you too can develop a keen eye! 👀

I hope this note helps everyone! If you have any other questions about Biyu jade, feel free to leave a comment below, and I'll do my best to answer them! 👇

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