Monday Eye Candies - My Jelly Jade Haul from the Past Year

Jelly Totoro (The hairy hand in this post belongs to my mineral dealer).  

A few years ago, I promised a reader to do a post about the non-Auntie way to wear jade. I waited a little, now here we are 10 years later...
ctually, there is a surprisingly simple way to wear jade in a modern and fun way- Don't buy the auntie type jade (one with dull colors, opaque texture and large/visible crystal structure or outdated setting)...That just means avoid search jadeite on western platforms like etsy (10% overpriced vintage, 80 fake and 10% real but auntie type). 

I buy several pieces of jade for fun each year and ask friends or relatives to bring them over. With the current pandemic my purchase since 2019 are stuck with my aunt...But I got some pretty pictures to share. 
This is a love at first sight - fruity color, good carvework that capture the essence but not a Carbon copy of the anime, tiny enough so it look dainty...

Totoro was officially screened for the first time in China last year, and there was a surge in Totoro related pieces from carvework studios in Guangdong (the younger artists are in their late 20s to early 30s). 
I had it set into umbrella bail (the goldsmith used existing mold so the umbrella is too big for my liking)...but at least it wasn't that bad. From Studio Ghibli's gift shop, a 18k gold Totoro necklace retails for more than $1000 usd...So I rather go with my own jade version. 
I also fell in love with the tiny round cab (you can see the texture is finer and with a flash of light near the edge, that's a quality associated with tighter crystal structure). I went back and forth with my dealer and the goldsmith, even sending them a picture of Mary Quant flower. I want to make it into a tiny flower for short necklace...

Since the goldsmith would not budge and decided to make it into something bigger and more noticeable...He ruined it. Anyway Mr. GoldSmith regarded it as his pride and joy. I dared not asking him to undo it and set it "my way".

Later on I tried to explain it to my jade dealer..."Do you think Fang BingBing is beautiful? But do you want to marry her?" That's how I felt.
I mean it's pretty but totally not what I ask for (This is my definition of a dated/Stylish 大妈 auntie style). I asked my aunt if she want it...

"You think it's too dated now you are trying to give it to me? Jerk."  
Another Jelly cab I got. My dealer ran a sale for China's 70th Anniversary last year. And the best way to celebrate it was with consumerism. And guess what, the mofo (goldsmith) screwed it up again. Grandma chic anybody?
After having purchased it for months (it was still with my dealer) I couldn't stand it and asked him to have the Goldsmith redo it...Just gotta pay him twice (human labor isn't too expensive in China).  
Here is a more vibrant warm green cab - It came out the way I wanted to so I won't spoil it for now. 
An icy owl! I loved the carvework...
Then all detail was lost after polishing...Face palm. I will try to ask my niece if she wants it...
Lastly, a pair of icy white hearts that I loved at first sight. Colorless (this ones has a bit of aqua undertone) is a great color to go for, as it goes with casual and dressier outfits. 
Chubby!
Since the pair is really tiny, I drew the design and ask them to wrap the hearts, put them on a chain, dangling off ear hooks...

And for once, I actually like the final result (My dealer is besties with that one goldsmith because he likes the turnaround time. For me it's gambling with my luck).

It came out pretty nice...In retrospect, a tiny rose cut diamond in the middle of chain might look cute (tiny diamonds are not really expensive in Chinese studios. The entire the retail markup on gold and diamond is crazy in the US).
Here is how I see each piece. The one in circle is only one I consider buying (Dealer sold it to someone else). Very tight texture, almost glassy jade, with a flash of light. As for the pink dotted, they can look good with the right kind of design. The rest are not worth buying...Either the color not true, shape too huge or it's too opaque for my liking. 

Of course you should go with whatever your heart desire...

Comments

  1. These are so cute!!! I'm not at all a jewelry person but I sure love jade. That said, I don't know jack about jade :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Doesn't take expertise to appreciate pretty things!

      Delete

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