Hey sisters! I'm your old friend, who has been in the jade industry for over ten years. Today, I want to talk about another fascinating but often misunderstood jade – Bi Yu! 💚

Many people think of jadeite first when it comes to jade, but in fact, Bi Yu's charm is no less. Its deep and rich green color is simply the ceiling of healing! 🌿 However, there are many varieties of Bi Yu, and the quality varies. If you don't know the ropes, it's easy to be misled by some 'tricks'. Today, I'm going to teach you hand in hand how to identify good Bi Yu at a glance and avoid unnecessary pitfalls!

🌟 What exactly is Bi Yu? What's the difference between it and jadeite?

First, we need to understand the 'identity' of Bi Yu. Bi Yu, as the name suggests, is green jade. It belongs to a type of nephrite, mainly composed of tremolite-actinolite series minerals, with a hardness of 6-6.5. And what we often call jadeite is jadeite, mainly composed of sodium aluminum pyroxene, with a hardness of 6.5-7. Although both are called 'jade', they are completely different minerals!

Key differences summarized:
* Different compositions: Bi Yu is tremolite, jadeite is sodium aluminum pyroxene.
* Different hardness: Bi Yu (nephrite) is slightly less hard than jadeite (jadeite).
* Different luster: Bi Yu mostly has an oily or waxy luster, while jadeite mostly has a vitreous luster.
* Different structures: Bi Yu mostly has a fibrous interwoven structure, while jadeite mostly has a granular, fibrous interwoven structure.

🔍 A Big Reveal of Common Bi Yu Varieties!

Bi Yu has many origins, and Bi Yu from different origins has very different characteristics. Based on my personal experience, the common high-quality Bi Yu on the market mainly includes the following types:

  • Xinjiang Manasi Bi Yu: This is an old Bi Yu producing area in our country with a long history. Manasi Bi Yu is characterized by a spinach green color with black spots (chromite), which is its natural feature and an important basis for identification. The texture is delicate, and the oiliness is good, but black spots are its 'hard injury', the fewer the better. I once received a Manasi Bi Yu bracelet, the color was so rich it was almost black, full of oiliness. Although there were a few small black spots, the overall appearance was excellent, and that heavy feeling was incomparable to other Bi Yu.


  • Russian Bi Yu (Russian Bi Yu): The 'main force' in the market in recent years! Russian Bi Yu has a very rich color, from light green to dark green, and even bright apple green. Its characteristics are delicate jade quality, compact structure, sufficient oiliness, and usually no or very few black spots. High-quality Russian Bi Yu has a uniform color and a warm luster, making it an excellent choice for making bracelets and bead strings. I personally like the 'spinach green' level of Russian Bi Yu, which has high color saturation and makes hands look particularly fair!


  • Canadian Bi Yu: Large output, relatively affordable price. Canadian Bi Yu's color is mostly dark green, sometimes with some yellowish-green tones. Its characteristics are large size, relatively coarse jade quality, general oiliness, and slightly inferior luster compared to Russian Bi Yu. However, there are also some high-quality Canadian Bi Yu with pure color and delicate texture, which are worth collecting.


  • Qinghai Bi Yu: Small output, mostly gray-green or dark green, with relatively transparent jade quality. Qinghai Bi Yu is characterized by good water content, but insufficient oiliness, sometimes appearing relatively 'dry'.


💡 Expert Teaches You How to Choose Good Bi Yu!

After all this talk, how can you pick a satisfactory piece of good Bi Yu? Remember these 'formulas' I summarized:

* Look at the color: Bi Yu values green. The richer, more uniform, and purer the green, the better. Spinach green is the top color, and apple green is also very popular. Avoid Bi Yu with gray, dull, or yellow colors.
* Look at the jade quality: The more delicate the jade quality, the better. Observe with the naked eye, the texture should be uniform, without obvious granular or flocculent matter. Good Bi Yu will have a warm 'waxy feel' when touched.
* Look at the oiliness: The 'soul' of Bi Yu! Bi Yu with good oiliness has a strong luster and will become more oily after playing. Look at it against the light, good Bi Yu will have a soft luster emanating from the inside out, rather than a dry glassy luster.
* Look at the black spots: Black spots are natural associated minerals of Bi Yu, especially Manasi Bi Yu. The fewer the black spots, the better, preferably invisible to the naked eye or evenly distributed without affecting the aesthetics. Russian Bi Yu usually has very few or no black spots, which is one of the reasons for its popularity.
* Look at cracks and impurities: No matter what kind of jade, cracks and impurities are a big taboo! Cracks will affect the firmness and value of the jade, and impurities will affect the aesthetics. Be sure to check carefully when purchasing.

💖 My Personal Small Suggestions:

For novice sisters, I recommend starting with Russian Bi Yu. It has many color choices, delicate jade quality, few black spots, and relatively stable overall quality, making it easier to find a favorite treasure. Of course, if the budget is sufficient, a piece of excellent Manasi old material is also very worth collecting.

Finally, I remind everyone that when buying Bi Yu, you must choose a reputable merchant and preferably have a professional appraisal certificate. After all, the jade market is deep, learn more, see more, and ask more, so you can avoid pitfalls!

Hope today's sharing can help everyone better understand Bi Yu and fall in love with Bi Yu! If you have any other questions about Bi Yu, please leave a message in the comment section, and I will try my best to answer them! 👇

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