Introduction to Jadeite

Jadeite is one of the world’s most distinctive natural stones: rare, durable, rich in colours and deeply connected to human history. For thousands of years, jade has been carved, worn, traded, collected and treasured, valued not only for its beauty but for the meaning attached to it.

At Brock & Stone, our work begins with jadeite: a rare form of jade with its own natural colour, pattern and geological character. This introduction explains what jadeite is, how it differs from nephrite, why jade has held such importance across cultures, and how ancient jade trade routes helped shape its value.

Jadeite vs Nephrite

The word jade is often used as if it refers to one single stone. In reality, jade most commonly refers to two different gem materials: jadeite and nephrite.

Both are genuine jade, but they are mineralogically very different. Nephrite is known for its toughness, soft texture and long ancient history, especially in early Chinese jade culture. Jadeite is generally rarer and is especially prized for its vivid colour range, translucency and fine jewellery appeal.

At Brock & Stone we specialise in jadeite jade from Kazakhstan, an incredible source characterised by a wide variety of colours and patterns.

For a deeper explanation, read our full guide: Jadeite vs Nephrite: Understanding the Two Types of Jade.

A Brief History of Jade

Jade has been treasured for thousands of years. Long before it became a gemstone of jewellery and ornament, jade was valued for its strength. Early cultures shaped it into tools, weapons, ritual objects and symbols of status.

In China, jade became one of the most important materials in art, ceremony and spiritual belief. It was associated with virtue, purity, protection, longevity and the connection between heaven and earth. Ancient jade objects included pendants, discs, ceremonial blades, burial pieces and intricately carved ornaments. In Han dynasty tombs, elite figures were buried in jade burial suits, reflecting the belief that jade could help preserve the body and protect the spirit in the afterlife.

For much of early Chinese history, the jade being used was mainly nephrite. Later, vivid jadeite from regions such as Myanmar became highly prized, especially during the Qing dynasty, when bright green jadeite became associated with imperial taste, luxury and status. Jade remained deeply spiritual as well as decorative: a material connected to protection, moral virtue, ancestral reverence and the hope of continuity beyond death.

This history is part of what makes jade so unusual. It is not simply a decorative stone. It carries thousands of years of cultural meaning, craftsmanship and trade.

The Jade Road

Long before modern jewellery markets, jade moved around the world through trade.

Often known as the Jade Road, these routes connected remote sources of stone with the cultures that valued, carved and collected it. Jade travelled from mountains, rivers and desert regions into workshops, temples and homes.

In ancient China, important jade sources included western regions such as Khotan, where prized nephrite was collected from riverbeds and traded eastward. Across Asia, jade also moved through maritime and overland networks, becoming one of the earliest natural materials to be traded and valued across cultures.

The Jade Road is not just a route on a map. It is the story of how a rare stone became a cultural object: mined in difficult landscapes, transported across long distances, shaped by skilled hands and passed down through generations.

Brock & Stone Jadeite

Brock & Stone was created around a rare source of jadeite with its own visual identity. Our stone is defined by its natural variation in colour, translucency and pattern, giving each piece its own character.

To understand the colour and pattern families found in our material, visit our Jadeite Colour Guide.

To learn more about our source and story, visit our About page.