Jade is an ornamental stone. The term jade is applied to two different rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals; Nephrite jade and jadeitite. Nephrite and jadeitite were used by people from the prehistoric for similar purposes. Both are about the same hardness as quartz, and they are exceptionally tough. They are beautifully colored and can be delicately shaped.

Nephrite can be found in a creamy white form (known in China as "mutton fat" jade) as well as in a variety of green colors, whereas jadeitite shows more color variations, including dazzling blue, lavender-mauve, pink, and emerald-green colors. Of the two, jadeitite is rarer, documented in fewer than 12 places worldwide. Translucent emerald-green jadeitite is the most prized variety, both now and historically.

Only in the very finest jade is the color evenly distributed. Both nephrite and jadeitite often have veins, blemishes and streaks running through them, though these may not always be regarded as flaws. On the contrary, some of these patterns are considered particularly valuable.

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