Green jade is the name given to two closely related gemstones, nephrite and jadeite, both prized for their toughness and their deep green colour. Across China, New Zealand and Mesoamerica it has been the stone of luck, prosperity, harmony and long life for thousands of years, and it remains the classic stone of good fortune.
Key takeaways
- Jade covers two minerals: nephrite, a calcium magnesium silicate, and jadeite, a sodium aluminium silicate.
- Nephrite sits at 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale and jadeite at 6.5 to 7, but both are exceptionally tough and resist breaking.
- Traditionally kept for prosperity, harmony, protection and steady good fortune.
- Linked to the heart chakra, which is why it is worn for both wealth and peace of mind.
- Clean with warm soapy water and a soft cloth. Keep it away from harsh chemicals, strong heat and ultrasonic cleaners.
What is green jade?
Jade is not one mineral but two. Nephrite is a calcium magnesium silicate from the amphibole family, and jadeite is a sodium aluminium silicate from the pyroxene family. Both were called jade long before anyone could tell them apart chemically, and both are properly and traditionally called jade today.
What unites them is structure. Both are made of densely interlocked fibrous or granular crystals, and that interlocking is what gives jade its remarkable toughness. Toughness is not the same as hardness: jade resists breaking and chipping far better than many stones that would scratch it, which is precisely why it has been carved into blades, rings and figures for millennia.
Green is the colour most people picture, and it runs from pale celadon and soft apple through rich spinach to the deep translucent green that has been treasured above almost every other gemstone in China. Jade also occurs in white, lavender, yellow, orange and black.
What does green jade mean?
Green jade means good fortune, and it has meant that for longer than almost any other stone. In China, where it is called yu, jade has been the imperial gem for more than five thousand years, valued above gold and carved into the objects that marked authority, virtue and ceremony. Confucius wrote of jade as the image of virtue itself.
The associations are consistent across very different cultures. Maori pounamu, the greenstone of New Zealand, carries mana and is passed down through families as a treasured heirloom. In Mesoamerica jade was the stone of life, fertility and the breath of the gods, buried with rulers and set into masks.
What comes down to us from all of that is a stone of steady, cumulative good fortune. Jade is not the crystal of sudden windfalls. It is the one traditionally kept for prosperity that builds, for harmony in a household, and for the quiet confidence that comes of being well settled.
Green jade properties at a glance
Jade's practical properties explain a great deal about how it has been used. The table sets out the gemological details alongside the traditional associations it carries in crystal practice.
| Property | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minerals | Nephrite and jadeite |
| Colour | Pale celadon through apple and spinach to deep translucent green |
| Hardness | Nephrite 6 to 6.5, jadeite 6.5 to 7 |
| Toughness | Exceptional, among the toughest of all gemstones |
| Chakra | Heart |
| Element | Earth and wood |
| Traditionally kept for | Prosperity, harmony, protection, long life |
What green jade is traditionally kept for
Prosperity comes first. Jade is the stone kept in shops and homes for wealth that accumulates rather than arrives, and a jade bracelet or pendant is the traditional gift for someone starting a business or moving into a new home. The idea it carries is patient increase.
Harmony comes second and matters just as much. Jade is linked to the heart chakra, and in tradition it is kept for smoothing relationships, easing family friction and holding a household steady. Many people find it a calming stone to wear precisely because that steadiness is what it is associated with.
Protection is the third strand, and it is a gentle sort. Jade is not the fierce shielding stone that black tourmaline is. Its traditional protection is closer to good luck, the sense of being looked after, which is why jade pendants have so often been given to travellers and children in the cultures that treasure it.
It pairs beautifully with other stones. With rose quartz it becomes the heart-centred combination for love and self-kindness, covered in our note on green jade and rose quartz. With amethyst it turns towards calm, and our guide to green jade and amethyst covers that pairing.
How to wear and use green jade
The bangle is the classic form, worn on the left wrist in Chinese tradition and rarely taken off. Beaded bracelets, pendants, rings and small carved figures are all common, and a jade pendant worn against the chest sits naturally with the heart chakra association.
At home, jade is traditionally placed where money moves or where people gather. A carving near a till or a desk is the prosperity placement. A piece in a living room or on a family table is the harmony placement. In feng shui the southeast corner is the usual spot for a wealth intention.
For a working intention, pair it with citrine. Citrine is the merchant's stone and jade is the stone of steady increase, and the two together are the traditional prosperity pairing. Our note on citrine and jade sets out how the two are used side by side.
Caring for green jade
Jade is forgiving. Its toughness means a bangle or bead will take everyday knocks that would chip a harder but more brittle stone, and it is one of the few gemstones genuinely suited to being worn continuously. Warm soapy water and a soft cloth are all it usually needs.
A few things to keep away from it. Harsh household chemicals, bleach and strong solvents can dull the polish. Sudden strong heat is best avoided, and ultrasonic and steam cleaners are not recommended for jade. Store it separately from harder stones such as quartz and topaz, which can scratch the surface.
Jade takes on a warmth and a soft sheen with years of wear, and in tradition that patina is considered part of the stone becoming yours. For cleansing in the spiritual sense, moonlight, sound and incense smoke all suit it well. Our step-by-step on how to cleanse and charge crystals covers each method.
Green jade is worn and kept as part of a long-standing spiritual and cultural tradition. It is not a medical device or treatment, and it does not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition. Nothing here is financial advice or a promise of any outcome, and nothing here replaces guidance from a doctor or other qualified professional. Small beads and carved pieces are a choking risk for babies and young children.
Sources
- Gemological Institute of America, Jade: nephrite, jadeite and history
- Geology.com, Jade: mineralogy, toughness and colour
Written by Chetena Sharma. Reviewed by the Solacely editorial team.
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About the author
Written by Chetna Sharma, crystal healing practitioner and co-founder of Solacely. Chetna has worked with healing crystals for over a decade and curates Solacely's protective stone collection.
