Jade is a unique stone which has been revered by the Chinese for thousands of years, was valued more than gold to Montezuma, used as cooking stones by the natives of America and which was used for tools and weapons by many cultures around the world. This stone has an almost mystical beauty and today can be very valuable. A Jade ring is often not just a beautiful piece of art, but can be strikingly different, and a cultural artifact.
One area which has a large amount of this stone, and is often used for jade rings is Big Sur, California. Jade is a favorite of many locals here and one of the most amazing things about it is that jade can be found along the beaches.
Big Sur jade comes in many different forms and colors in this area. It is located in an ancient seabed about 200 feet above sea level along the bluffs overlooking the ocean. When these hillsides erode jade actually falls along the beach to either by picked up by a local jade hunter or claimed by the ocean where it might be polished by the tides forever more. Sometimes a rare, sea polished gem can be claimed by a lucky looker.
There are three unique types of jade which are found in Big Sur. These are vulcan jade, bubble jade and pacific blue jade.
Vulcan jade one of these stones which has been sitting in the ancient seabed for thousands of years. Since jade is a porous rock it actually takes on the elements from the surrounding soil. These bluffs contain a high amount of iron which is taken in by the jade and gives it a rusted look. These pieces of jade are highly prized and can come in the colors of orange, red and yellow. Sometimes, when the sea has polished one of these pieces, you can see through the vulcan layer on the outside of the piece to see the green or blue of the original color of the stone underneath.
Bubble jade is another rare find in this area. This type of jade is actually formed in nodes within serpentine (the stone which gives birth to jade under immense pressures and heat). This is commonly called bubble jade because of its bubble looks from the nodes of this material.
The other type of jade from this area which is rare and unique is Pacific Blue Jade. This jade can range in colors from dark and midnight blue to a bright and striking blue color. It is commonly compared to the different colors which the ocean of this area can appear. This type of jade is highly prized for its use in jade jewelry.
When you are choosing your ring, take time to find out where the stone is from. Whether you choose a black, blue, or green jade ring, you’ll enjoy it more knowing it’s special history.
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