On this page
UnderstandWhat it is, what people ask, how far this page goes
Natural inorganic gem materials · Rock / mineral aggregate · Natural; treatment common (require certificate to distinguish)
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade
Also known asChloromelanite (conditional name) · Fei Cui · jadeite jade
A polycrystalline aggregate composed mainly of Jadeite, which may contain omphacite and Kosmochlor; its GB/T basic name is Fei Cui. This page compares how the major standards and institutions name it, what must be disclosed when selling it, whether it can be worn every day, how it is treated and identified, and which source each conclusion comes from.
Price, rarity and origin are outside the scope of this wiki.
What this page can answer
This page covers
- How Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade forms and what gives its colourFormation setting, process and timescale, each finding graded and sourced
- How to identify Fei Cui / Jadeite JadeIdentification points from the research literature; how far lab testing can go
- Treatments and enhancements of Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade4 registered treatments: status, stability, how common they are and identification leads
- Caring for and wearing Fei Cui / Jadeite JadeCleaning, heat, chemicals and light, as the cited sources give them; durability indicators and wearing advice
- Hardness, density and refractive index of Fei Cui / Jadeite JadeEach value with its source and check date
- Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade in English, Chinese and Japanese; national standard namesNames in four languages, the GB/T standard name and the suggested listing name, names in national standards; and: Do GIA, FTC, CIBJO and Gem-A use the same wording for it?
- Name origin and history of Fei Cui / Jadeite JadeHow people have used it, with museum objects
- Listing and disclosing Fei Cui / Jadeite JadeThe listing name to use; what must be disclosed before sale; how lab reports word it
- Standard clauses that define Fei Cui / Jadeite JadeWhich clause defines it, each cross-checked
What we cannot conclude
- Whether one particular bead is natural, treated or synthetic — only a laboratory report can settle that.
- Geographic origin, unless an origin report accompanies the item.
- Price, rarity or investment value: this wiki covers naming and disclosure only.
Material research: formation, causes and history
What authoritative sources say about how this material forms, what causes its colour and optical effects, where its name comes from and how people have used it. Each statement carries an evidence grade and its sources; it describes the material in general, not any specific piece.
How it forms
Jade (fei cui) is not a single crystal: it is a fine-grained polycrystalline aggregate in which jadeite (NaAlSi2O6) predominates, and it counts as a metamorphic rock used as gem material. Jadeite-dominant jade forms where subduction takes place: relatively cold oceanic crust carried down into the upper mantle sets up a regime of high pressure and comparatively low temperature — conditions ideally suited to jadeite crystallisation, corresponding to blueschist- to eclogite-facies metamorphism. The jadeite occurs as veins or pods inside serpentinized peridotites, and such bodies may have crystallised at depths of roughly 80 km before being exhumed. Crucially, jadeite jade and nephrite (Hetian jade, a rock of tremolite-actinolite amphibole) are wholly different materials whose mechanisms, host rocks and settings cannot be substituted for one another.
Scope: Applies only to fei cui aggregates composed predominantly of jadeite; does not apply to nephrite/Hetian jade (pebble jade), which is an amphibole rock with a different mechanism.
Sources G&G Summer 2023 · GIA Jade Description
Where it forms
Subduction zones along convergent plate margins, where relatively cold oceanic crust descends into the upper mantle under high pressure and comparatively low temperature.
Sources G&G Summer 2023
Blueschist- to eclogite-facies metamorphic P-T conditions.
Sources G&G Summer 2023
Veins or pods hosted within bodies of serpentinized peridotite.
Sources G&G Summer 2023
How it forms, step by step
Plate convergence drives cold oceanic crust down a subduction zone into the upper mantle.
High pressure with relatively low temperature stabilises jadeite crystallisation in the blueschist- to eclogite-facies field.
Jadeite-bearing bodies form as veins or pods in serpentinized peridotite, with serpentinizing fluids likely also contributing.
The bodies are later exhumed and exposed at the surface as primary or secondary (placer) sources.
Link to appearance
Tiny interlocking jadeite crystals give jade exceptional toughness for carving, while unevenly distributed colour produces distinct visual textures.
Sources G&G Summer 2023 · GIA Jade Description
Timescale
Tied to regional metamorphism and orogenic events, commonly linked to East African (~750–450 Ma) and Himalayan (~60 Ma to present) uplift-exhumation histories.
Sources G&G Summer 2023
Related base materials
- Jadeite: Principal constituent mineral of jadeite jade (NaAlSi2O6 pyroxene)
- Omphacite: Constituent mineral that jadeite jade from some localities may contain
- Kosmochlor: Constituent mineral that some jadeite jade may contain
Supporting findings
Jadeite-dominant jade forms in subduction zones under high pressure and relatively low temperature, i.e. blueschist- to eclogite-facies conditions.
Evidence grade AScope: Applies only to jadeite-dominant jade, not nephrite or omphacite-bearing material.
Nephrite (Hetian jade) forms by hydrothermal metamorphism/metasomatism, via silica-rich fluids into dolomite-rich rocks or calcium-rich fluids reacting with serpentinites, a mechanism entirely different from jadeite jade.
Evidence grade AScope: Describes nephrite formation and must not be applied to jadeite jade or to seed-jade genesis.
Jade occurs as veins or pods hosted in serpentinized peridotites, and jadeite bodies may have formed at about 80 km depth before exhumation.
Evidence grade AScope: The depth is a literature estimate and does not apply to all jade localities.
Recorded localities
Authoritative sources name a single or principal locality.
Asia
- Hpakant–Tawmaw area, Kachin State, MyanmarG&G (2000) calls northern Myanmar the sole commercial source of high-quality green, lavender and white jadeite (1990s review)
Sources Gems & Gemology Winter 2000 · Handbook of Mineralogy
- MyanmarMindat gives the type locality at country level only
Sources Mindat: Jadeite
- Itoigawa, Niigata, Japan
Sources Gems & Gemology Winter 2000
- Polar Urals, Russia
Sources Gems & Gemology Winter 2000
- Southern Kazakhstan
Sources Gems & Gemology Winter 2000
North America
- Motagua Valley, Guatemala
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy · Gems & Gemology Winter 2000
- California (New Idria, Cloverdale, etc.), United States
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
These are localities recorded by authoritative sources, not an origin finding for any individual piece. The CIBJO Gemstone Book (2022, §4.2.3) says a place of origin names where a gem was mined or harvested, is a matter of opinion, does not imply a level of quality, and that cutting, processing or exporting centres must not be used to imply origin. See how far testing can go on this page, the origin determination guide and the overview of recorded localities.
Human use and museum objects
Museum evidence places one of the earliest datable uses of jade (nephrite and jadeite) as beads/pendants in the Neolithic Hongshan nephrite of Northeast China, ca. 4700-2920 BCE (Cleveland 1953.628), recurring in Shang-Zhou (1952.474, 1966.739), Han (Met 11.190.175), Olmec (1989.314.1) and Maya (1978.412.57) traditions.
Evidence grade AScope: Applies to collection objects recorded as jade (both nephrite and jadeite); it does not imply that the record's name "feicui" uniquely denotes the ancient material.
Sources Cleveland Museum of Art 1953.628 · Cleveland Museum of Art 1952.474 · Cleveland Museum of Art 1966.739 +3
- Cleveland Museum of Art — Amulet in the Form of a Seated Figure with Bovine Head (1953.628)
- Cleveland Museum of Art — Bead (1952.474)
- Cleveland Museum of Art — Prismatic Bead with Ogre Mask (1966.739)
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Openwork Pendant (1989.314.1)
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Bead (11.190.175)
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Ornament (1978.412.57)
The Cleveland Museum of Art holds a nephrite amulet in the form of a seated figure with a bovine head from the Neolithic Hongshan culture of Northeast China, ca. 4700-2920 BCE (acc. 1953.628), among the earliest datable jades in the collection. The Shang-Zhou period yields jade beads and a prismatic bead with an ogre mask (acc. 1952.474, ca. 1200-900 BCE; acc. 1966.739, 1100-900 BCE, Western Zhou). The Met holds Chinese Han-dynasty jade beads (acc. 11.190.175, Han dynasty, 206 BCE-220 CE), an Olmec openwork jade pendant (acc. 1989.314.1, 10th-4th century BCE) and a Maya jade ornament (acc. 1978.412.57, 400-900 CE), showing jade traditions developed separately in East Asia and Mesoamerica. Note that while this record's name "feicui" denotes jadeite, the collection evidence covers both nephrite and jadeite, which belong to distinct jade traditions.
Sources Cleveland Museum of Art 1953.628 · Cleveland Museum of Art 1952.474 · Cleveland Museum of Art 1966.739 +3
- Cleveland Museum of Art — Amulet in the Form of a Seated Figure with Bovine Head (1953.628)
- Cleveland Museum of Art — Bead (1952.474)
- Cleveland Museum of Art — Prismatic Bead with Ogre Mask (1966.739)
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Openwork Pendant (1989.314.1)
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Bead (11.190.175)
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Ornament (1978.412.57)
Scope: A museum object evidences only the existence and date of that artefact itself; it does not establish widespread ancient use of the material, nor does it attest the origin, naturalness, or treatment of any modern specimen. Cultural attributions follow the holding institution's records and are not extrapolated.
Objects cited
How it is identified
Fei cui (jadeite) and nephrite (Hetian jade) look alike across a wide range of true identities, and colour or polish cannot show whether a piece is natural or has been dyed, waxed or otherwise treated. Establishing the species and any treatment calls for instrumental appraisal in a laboratory, not the eye; the verdict should be issued by a qualified gem laboratory, and this entry is no substitute for such an appraisal.
Evidence grade AScope: Applies to jadeite and nephrite (Hetian jade); species and treatment calls require testing at a qualified gem laboratory, and this entry is not a self-testing basis.
Sources CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
Other research findings
Jade is a polycrystalline metamorphic rock aggregate, dominated by jadeite and exceptionally tough; green omphacite is also included under the generic term jade.
Evidence grade BScope: The scope of the term jade varies by region and institution, a nomenclature-boundary issue.
Sources GIA Jade Description
Deposit models such as Myanmar's cannot be generalised: jadeite settings and ages vary with each orogenic belt and host-rock association.
Evidence grade AScope: A locality-specific statement requiring case-by-case checking rather than blanket application.
Sources G&G Summer 2023 · GIA Jade Description
Laboratories in the LMHC use the trade terms A-jade and B-jade in report wording for jadeite jade: material with no indications of impregnation may be noted as 'known in the trade as A-jade', and material bleached and impregnated with colourless or near-colourless wax, resin or other agents as 'known in the trade as B-jade'.
Evidence grade AScope: Describes how the cited standard or laboratory body defines the name; trade usage and other bodies may differ, and whether a given stone qualifies can only be decided by laboratory testing.
Sources LMHC Information Sheet #11
China's national standard on gem identification sets identification features for treated feicui (jadeite). For bleached and filled material, magnification may show an orange-peel or channel-like surface texture; for dyed material, the colour is unevenly distributed and concentrated in fissures, grain boundaries or surface hollows.
Evidence grade AScope: Paraphrases the identification clauses of GB/T 16553—2017 (Gems — Testing); the standard's own wording does not use the trade terms A, B or C jade, and whether any piece is treated can only be established by laboratory testing.
Sources GB/T 16553—2017
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing
In the same LMHC report wording, jadeite jade bleached and impregnated with coloured resin or other coloured agents is described as dyed and impregnated, 'known in the trade as B+C-jade', and jadeite jade whose fissures or fractures are filled with coloured agents is described as dyed, 'known in the trade as C-jade'.
Evidence grade AScope: Describes how the cited standard or laboratory body defines the name; trade usage and other bodies may differ, and whether a given stone qualifies can only be decided by laboratory testing.
Sources LMHC Information Sheet #11
Limits of this research
- Research status: Formation, occurrence or other material-specific findings found in authoritative sources
- The definition of jade (jadeite-dominant vs omphacite/kosmochlor-bearing) differs between institutions and markets; the GIA generic usage is adopted here.
- This record covers jadeite-dominant jade only; seed/nephrite jade is a separate material.
- Primary formation is emphasised; placer reworking of secondary jade deposits is not detailed.
Methodology
- Origin determination and its limits
- Quality grading and value factors
- How gemmology became a technical discipline
Evidence grades
- A
- Standards bodies, government geological surveys, peer-reviewed research and museum records
- B
- Institutional educational material
- C
- Specialist databases or cautious readings
A statement is never graded above its strongest source.
This section is LumaLark's own factual restatement of public authoritative sources, credited item by item; it contains no verbatim excerpts, images or third-party logos.
DecideListing name, disclosure, care and treatments
- Suggested listing name
- Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade (state the mineral composition given on the report)
GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.2 “Feicui,Jadeite” · CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 §7.2.1.86 “Fei Cui”, §7.2.1.49 “Chloromelanite”
Construction or treatment status
Natural; treatment common (require certificate to distinguish)
Treatments recorded for this material: Dyed, Heated / Heat-treated, Filled / Fracture-filled, Bleached, Coated, Waxed, Impregnated
Related:Disclosure and cautions
This page cannot answer
Natural? · Origin · Price
A lab report settles these; this wiki covers naming and disclosure.
Related:What this page can answer
Answer at a glance
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade is often subjected to dyeing. Under GB/T 16552-2017, dyeing counts as a treatment and must be stated in the name (§5.4.2.2 a). Do not assume it is unenhanced.
Evidence
- GB/T · Table A.2, row 翡翠 (Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade)
What this means for you
Before buying, check the recommended listing name "Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade (state the mineral composition given on the report)" and any disclosed treatments on this page, and ask the seller for a grading report if in doubt.
Known uncertainty
- This entry's exact material identity is not fully settled.
- See “Disclosure and cautions” above
- Disclosure rules for the treatments above can change as authorities update their standards; re-check before relying on this page.
- Last reviewed
- 2026-09-01
Trade-name ruling
- Laboratory identification required before the name is used.
- Industry-wide term that does not denote a single species.
- Suggested listing name
- Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade (state the mineral composition given on the report)
Care and wear
The item-by-item care advice that the GIA Care and Cleaning Guide gives for the whole class, and so for Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade, is set out in full under care on the Jadeite entry.
Care
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
Durability and wearing
Toughness
Exceptional
Sources GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide)
Daily wear
Jadeite ranks 6.5–7 on the Mohs scale and has exceptional toughness, very resistant to breaking and chipping, though it can be scratched; it is suitable for daily wear, the main risks being surface scratching and contact with acids.
Care
Ultrasonic and steam cleaners are safe for untreated jadeite; for stones that are dyed, bleached, impregnated, coated or heat-treated, warm soapy water is the safest choice. Heat from a jeweller's torch can harm jade, and jade can be affected by warm acids.
Sources GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide)
Scope: This field describes the material's general properties and does not constitute a durability or safety guarantee for any specific finished product; the durability of treated (filled, dyed, coated) or composite pieces must be assessed separately.
Treatments and identification leads
Registered treatmentsThe registered treatments for Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade are heat treatment, coating, filling and dyeing. Values not givenHeat treatment, coating and filling have the status treated, and dyeing has the status colour-treated; the cited sources give no value for stability or prevalence, shown as “—”, which does not mean “none”. Heat treatment is commonly used to turn pale brownish-yellow to colourless Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade brownish red or brownish yellow, and is difficult to detect. Coating shows an abnormal surface lustre under a loupe, with local peeling of the coating layer, a possibly abnormal refractive index, and characteristic peaks of the coating in infrared and Raman spectra. Filled areas differ in lustre from the host material and contain gas bubbles; infrared spectroscopy can detect the characteristic absorption bands of the filler, and luminescence imaging equipment can show how the filler is distributed. Dyeing shows uneven colour distribution under magnification, with colourant often gathered in fractures, gaps between grains or surface pits; the dye may fluoresce distinctively under long-wave and short-wave ultraviolet light, and material dyed green with chromium salts shows an absorption band at 650nm.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Treatment | Market frequency (CIBJO) | Stability (CIBJO) | GB/T 16552 category | JJA/AGL listing | Identification leads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| heatingStatus: treated | — | — | Optimization | — | See identification leads |
| coatingStatus: treated | — | — | Treatment | — | See identification leads |
| fillingStatus: treated | — | — | Graded — see §5.4.1, Table 1 | — | See identification leads |
| dyeingStatus: colour treated | — | — | Treatment | — | See identification leads |
| Bleaching and filling | — | — | Treatment | — | — |
| waxing | — | — | — | waxing | — |
| impregnation with a colourless agent | — | — | — | impregnation with a colourless agent | — |
| impregnation with a coloured agent | — | — | — | impregnation with a coloured agent | — |
| colouring (JJA category 7, includes dyeing) | — | — | — | colouring (JJA category 7, includes dyeing) | — |
Where each treatment acts (schematics): Heated / Heat-treated · Coated · Filled / Fracture-filled · Dyed
“—” means the cited source gives no value for that item, not “none”. Source: GB/T 16553—2017; GB/T 16552—2017 Table B.1; JJA/AGL 2025
Whether a treatment has to show in the name differs between the two rule sets (this site’s paraphrase):
- GB/T 16552—2017: a method classed as treatment has to be stated in the name itself — the method put before the name, or added in brackets after it; a method classed as optimization does not need to appear in the name, though one marked “Optimization (annotation required)” still has to be noted in the quality documents. Source: §5.4.2.1 a), b); §5.4.2.2 a)
- CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022: no longer splits treatments into ones that need specific disclosure and ones that need only general disclosure: every treatment is to be disclosed, and the seller tells the buyer which treatment was used and what special care it calls for. Source: §4.2.5 Note 2, §4.2.5.1, pp.14–15
What this table covers
What this page can give
- Registered treatments, their stability and how often they occur (see the table above)
- Identification leads for each treatment, for use when sending a stone for testing
How lab reports word it
Further LMHC wording for this material (identification line) is not itemised on this page; see LMHC information sheet #11 and the LMHC index on the laboratory testing page.
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — how lab reports word it (treatment wording): bleached and impregnated with colourless wax or resin: impregnation is stated, with “B-jade” optional.
LMHC Information Sheet #11
Wording on the report: known in the trade as ‘B-jade’
- Case
- bleached and impregnated with colourless agents
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- LMHC Information Sheet #11, Version 5, May 2025 (LMHC): p.2, “Report wording”, colourless impregnation (Information Sheet #11) (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — how lab reports word it (treatment wording): bleached and impregnated with coloured agents: dyed and impregnated, with “B+C-jade” optional.
LMHC Information Sheet #11
Wording on the report: known in the trade as ‘B+C-jade’
- Case
- bleached and impregnated with coloured agents
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- LMHC Information Sheet #11, Version 5, May 2025 (LMHC): p.2, “Report wording”, coloured impregnation (Information Sheet #11) (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — how lab reports word it (treatment wording): coloured agents only in fissures: reported as dyed, with “C-jade” optional.
LMHC Information Sheet #11
Wording on the report: known in the trade as ‘C-jade’
- Case
- fissures filled with coloured agents
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- LMHC Information Sheet #11, Version 5, May 2025 (LMHC): p.3, “Report wording”, coloured agents in fissures (Information Sheet #11) (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — how lab reports word it (treatment wording): With no impregnation found, reports may add the trade label “A-jade” in brackets.
LMHC Information Sheet #11
Wording on the report: known in the trade as ‘A-jade’
- Case
- no impregnation found
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- LMHC Information Sheet #11, Version 5, May 2025 (LMHC): p.2, “Report wording”, no impregnation (Information Sheet #11) (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
VerifyNames, standards, technical facts, clauses and sources
Names
Besides Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade, the name register records "Chloromelanite", "Fei Cui" and "jadeite jade", for which no restriction on use as a name is recorded (CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 §7.2.1.49 “Chloromelanite”; JJA/AGL Gemstone Nomenclature 2025 p.13); one further name in a non-Latin script is listed in the name register below (1 with no restriction recorded on use as a name).
Standard and listing namesThe Chinese formal name for Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade is given in GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.2, and the suggested listing name is Fei Cui (with the mineral composition as stated on the certificate). Trade and mineralogical namesThe common market name is jadeite jade, and Fei Cui is also a trade name and synonym. Names in four languagesThe four-language names are the Simplified Chinese name, the Traditional Chinese name, the English name Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade and the Japanese name. GSJ (Japan) has its own Japanese formal name. Institution usageGIA uses Jadeite Jade / Fei Cui, FTC uses Jadeite, CIBJO uses Fei Cui, and Gem-A uses Jadeite Jade / Fei Cui. The FTC qualification on its heading name is that an unqualified gem name may not describe a different species; the CIBJO qualification on its heading name is jadeite jade, noting that jade alone is not sufficient. National standard namesGermany (RAL) writes Jadeit, the EU writes Jadeite, and France (DGCCRF) writes Jadéite / Fei Cui, noting that jade alone is insufficient. Chloromelanite applies only conditionally. Candidate search termsIt is recorded in the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 and the JJA/AGL gem names handbook 2025 and serves only as a candidate search term, as does its Japanese equivalent.
Name register
Every name recorded for this entry, with how it is classified, whether it may be matched to this entry automatically, whether it may be used as a product name, and the clause it rests on.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Name | Type | Matching | Use as a name | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| no restriction recorded (4) | ||||
| ChloromelaniteEnglish | narrower name (variety or subtype) | search candidate only | no restriction recorded | CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 §7.2.1.49 “Chloromelanite”; JJA/AGL Gemstone Nomenclature 2025 p.13 |
| Fei CuiEnglish | transliteration | matched automatically | no restriction recorded | editorial ruling (no clause cited) |
| jadeite jadeEnglish | market name | matched automatically | no restriction recorded | editorial ruling (no clause cited) |
| クロロメラナイトJapanese | transliteration | search candidate only | no restriction recorded | JJA/AGL Gemstone Nomenclature 2025 p.13 |
How each authority words this name: see Names › Authority wording.
- GSJ (Japan) formal name
- ヒスイ／翡翠
- Chinese formal name
- 翡翠 (GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.2)
- Mineralogical name
- Polycrystalline aggregate chiefly of jadeite and potentially omphacite and/or kosmochlor
- Trade names and synonyms
- Fei Cui (transliteration) · jadeite jade (market name) · Chloromelanite (narrower name (variety or subtype); conditional name)
Four-language names
- 简体中文
- 翡翠
- 繁體中文
- 翡翠
- English
- Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade
- 日本語
- 翡翠（フェイツイ）／ジェダイト・ジェード（鑑別書の鉱物組成に従う）
National and regional formal names
- Germany (RAL)
- Jadeit
- European Union
- Jadeite
- France (DGCCRF)
- Jadéite / Fei Cui; "jade" seul est insuffisant selon DGCCRF
Qualifiers stripped from the headline name
See also: Misleading and prohibited trade names · Supplementary name index
Classification
- Origin
- Natural materials
- Material domain
- Natural inorganic gem materials
- Browsing family
- Jade materials
- Identity tier
- Rock / mineral aggregate
- Mineral chemical class
- Silicates
- Construction or treatment status
- Natural; treatment common (require certificate to distinguish)
Treatments listed by standards
GB/T Table B.1The “Jadeite jade” row of GB/T 16552—2017 Annex B, Table B.1 lists for Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade: heating, which improves or changes colour, classed as optimization; filling, which improves or changes durability and appearance, with the category set out in the grade notes; bleaching and filling, which changes appearance, classed as treatment; dyeing, which improves or changes colour, classed as treatment; and coating, which improves or changes lustre, colour and other aspects of appearance, classed as treatment. What Table B.1 notes and how each grade is defined are explained on the Gem treatments page. JJA/AGL designationsIn the Japanese JJA/AGL 2025 designations, Jadeite has the species name jadeite, in white, green, yellow, brown, red, orange, purple, grey and black, and the recorded items include no treatment, no indication of waxing (see waxing), waxing (waxing), impregnation with colourless and coloured agents (impregnation), and colouring (dyeing; the original notes that this includes dyeing). A note gives Chloromelanite as an alternative name for black material, a name in the black jadeite (mo cui) group. How to read the JJA/AGL table is explained on the Gem treatments page.
GB/T 16552-2017, Annex B, Table B.1
Table B.1, row “Feicui, Jadeite” (p.16):
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| Method | Effect | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Heating | Improves or changes colour | Optimization |
| Filling | Improves or changes durability and appearance | Graded — see §5.4.1, Table 1 |
| Bleaching and filling | Changes appearance | Treatment |
| Dyeing | Improves or changes colour | Treatment |
| Coating | Improves or changes lustre, colour and other aspects of appearance | Treatment |
What Table B.1 is, and how the “see 5.4.1” grades are defined: see the GB/T 16552: optimization vs treatment page.
JJA/AGL (Japan) table of principal gem names, 2025
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| Gem name | Species | Colour | Listed in the table | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jadeite | Jadeite | white, green, yellow, brown, red, orange, violet, grey, black | an untreated tier is listed; no indication of waxing (see Waxed); waxing (Waxed); impregnation with a colourless agent (Impregnated); impregnation with a coloured agent (Impregnated); colouring (JJA category 7, includes dyeing) (Dyed) | black material is also called chloromelanite |
JJA/AGL definitions and nomenclature (2025 revision), table of principal gem names, p.13
How to read the JJA/AGL table: see the Gem treatments page.
What it is and how it's identified
Registered material facts
Each row carries its own source and check date and can be cited on its own; “—” means the cited source gives no value, not “none”.
Definition
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — composition (chemistry): Jadeite is NaAlSi2O6; Cr, Fe, Ca, Mg, Mn, V and Ti can be present.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.1 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — composition (phase): jadeite
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Structure
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — structure (overall): crystalline aggregate, typically fibrous or granular, in places columnar.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.1 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Durability
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — Mohs hardness: 6.5–7
GB/T 16553—2017
Reference points on this site: Talc 1–3, Fluorite 4, Apatite 5–5.5, Orthoclase 6–6.5, Topaz 8, Diamond 10 (Source: GB/T 16553—2017); Gypsum 1.5–2, Calcite 3, Quartz 7 (Source: Handbook of Mineralogy); Corundum 9 (Source: GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide))
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- General note
- hardness only, not durability
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.1 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — cleavage: The jadeite mineral cleaves perfectly in two directions; on an aggregate this shows up as tiny flashes from the cleavage surfaces, known as the “glistening effect”.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.1 (locator checked 2026-09-22)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Physical properties
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — density: 3.25–3.45 g/cm³
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- Qualification
The clause we cite gives 3.34, with a stated tolerance of +0.11 / -0.09. The range shown here is worked out from that.
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.1 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Optical
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — optic character: anisotropic aggregate
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.1 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — refractive index: 1.656–1.71
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- Qualification
The clause we cite gives 1.666–1.690, with a stated tolerance of +0.020 / -0.010. The range shown here is worked out from that.
- General note
- the clause has finer ranges
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.1 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — birefringence: not measurable on an aggregate
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.1 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — pleochroism: not measurable on an aggregate
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.1 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — fluorescence (overall): none to weak, white, green, yellow
GB/T 16553—2017
UV fluorescencewhitegreenyellownone–weakDots are illustrative colours built from the colour names, not measured values
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.1 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — spectrum (UV-visible): 437 nm absorption peak; chromium-coloured green fei cui: 630 nm absorption peak; 660 nm absorption peak; 690 nm absorption peak.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.1 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — spectrum (infrared): Si-O and similar groups in pyroxene (monoclinic pyroxene) vibrate to give the diagnostic mid-IR bands. Bleached and impregnated jadeite adds another set of diagnostic bands: 2 872 cm⁻¹, 2 930 cm⁻¹, 2 965 cm⁻¹, roughly 3 035 cm⁻¹ and 3 055 cm⁻¹, and roughly 4 062 cm⁻¹ in the near IR.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.1 (locator checked 2026-09-22)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — optical effect (chatoyancy): seen; seldom encountered
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.1 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — magnification: glints of light in star-like points, needles or flakes (the glistening effect), crystalloblastic texture of granular or columnar crystals, structure grading from interwoven-fibrous to granular-fibrous, mineral inclusions.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.1 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — body colour: green in a range of tones, white, yellow, brown, reddish orange, black, grey, purple, pale purple-red, blue and other colours.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- Qualification
The colours GB/T 16553—2017 lists for Synthetic Jadeite overlap with this entry: green (synthetic jadeite is mostly green to yellow-green).
- General note
- colour alone is not identity
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.1 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
- CIBJO definitions
- chatoyancy
Quality factors
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — quality factor (lustre): vitreous to greasy
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.1 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
This material (RI / SG midpoints): 1.683 / 3.35; Closest values: 1Dioptase 1.681 / 3.3, 2Peridot 1.672 / 3.38, 3Hydrogrossular 1.7 / 3.35, 4Tanzanite 1.696 / 3.28, 5Artificial Strontium Aluminate Borate 1.665 / 3.39
Show the full chart (330 registered materials)
Outside the full chart's range, drawn as triangles at the edge (RI / SG midpoints): Hematite 3.045/5.12, Synthetic Rutile 2.76/4.26, Rutile 2.753/4.23, Synthetic Moissanite 2.67/3.22
Testing and market
Heat treatment of Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade is hard to detect; light brownish yellow to colourless material is often heated to brownish red or brownish yellow. Coated Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade shows abnormal lustre and local peeling of the coating under a loupe, may give anomalous refractive index readings, and shows characteristic peaks of the coating in infrared and Raman spectra. In filled material, magnification shows filled areas with a lustre different from the host and gas bubbles in the filling, the infrared spectrum detects the characteristic absorption bands of the filler, and luminescence imaging equipment such as UV fluorescence viewers can show where the filler lies. In dyed material, magnification shows uneven colour, with dye often gathered in fractures, grain boundaries or surface pits; dyes may fluoresce distinctively under long-wave and short-wave UV; the UV-visible spectrum is anomalous, and material dyed green with chromium salts has an absorption band at 650nm. All these treatment leads come from GB/T 16553—2017, which can only be used as a reference for Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade and does not govern it directly. The CIBJO laboratory protocol requires checks focused on other minerals or rocks resembling jadeite, omphacite, dyeing, resin, impregnation, wax and plastic coating, for green, white, black and purple material only.
The tests the CIBJO laboratory protocol requires for this material, and what each method means, are in the protocol table on the laboratory testing page: §6.1.44.
How far testing can go
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade that has undergone heating can be identified by the following features: commonly used to turn light brown-yellow to colourless jadeite into brown-red and brown-yellow. Hard to detect.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- treated
- Does this standard apply
- can be followed as a reference only
- Treatment
- heating
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.1 (heating) (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade that has undergone coating can be identified by the following features: Under magnification the surface luster is abnormal and the film can be seen peeling off in places; refractive index readings may be abnormal; infrared and Raman spectra show characteristic peaks of the film.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- treated
- Does this standard apply
- can be followed as a reference only
- Treatment
- coating
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.1 (coating) (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade that has undergone filling can be identified by the following features: Under magnification the surface luster of the filled part differs from the host jade and gas bubbles show in the filled area; infrared spectra show characteristic absorption bands of the filler; luminescence imaging (UV fluorescence viewer and similar) shows how the filler is distributed.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- treated
- Does this standard apply
- can be followed as a reference only
- Treatment
- filling
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.1 (filling) (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade that has undergone dyeing can be identified by the following features: Under magnification the colour is unevenly distributed and mostly concentrated in fissures, between grains or in surface hollows; long- and short-wave UV may bring out an unusual fluorescence in the dye; the UV-visible spectrum is abnormal (material dyed green with a chromium salt shows a 650 nm absorption band).
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- colour treated
- Does this standard apply
- can be followed as a reference only
- Treatment
- dyeing
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.1 (dyeing) (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade — what the CIBJO laboratory protocol says to watch for: other jadeite-like minerals or rocks, omphacite, dye, resin, impregnation, wax, plastic coating.
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
- Treatment state
- any treatment state
- Applies only to
- green, white, black and lavender jadeite
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
Clause-level definitions
Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade has clause-level definitions in the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024: for the entry Fei Cui, the mineral species is Jadeite, and the trade name Fei Cui is a term specific to the Chinese market, with the CIBJO wording quoted in full under Clause-level definitions on this page; for the entry Chloromelanite, the mineral species is jadeite and the mineral/gemstone variety is chloromelanite, with the CIBJO wording quoted in full under Clause-level definitions on this page. For both Fei Cui and Chloromelanite the cross-check result is defined directly by CIBJO, and the same English name was not found directly in the GB/T annex of this edition.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Term | Clause | Definition | Cross-check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chloromelanite | 7.2.1.49 | Opaque to partly translucent, very dark green to black variety of jadeite | Defined directly by CIBJO; no identically named English entry was found in this edition of the GB/T annex. |
| Fei Cui | 7.2.1.86 | 'Fei Cui' is an Asian trade name, which may be spelled and pronounced differently, depending on the particular Asian country. ‘Fei Cui' is understood to be jadeite jade throughout Asia as is mentioned in GBT 16553-2017, a Chinese national standard document. However, industry members and consumers should be aware that in some Asian market places the term ‘Fei Cui’ is used more loosely and it is therefore vital that if the name 'Fei Cui' is used in sales it shall be clearly stated which mineral(s) are/is being referred to | Defined directly by CIBJO; no identically named English entry was found in this edition of the GB/T annex. |
Evidence and sources
Authority basis and clause sources
Sources
- CIBJO – The World Jewellery Confederation. Gemmological Laboratories Book (Blue Book), Gemmological Commission 2024-1.
- CIBJO – The World Jewellery Confederation. The Gemstone Book (Blue Book), 2022.
- SAMR / SAC (China). GB/T 16552—2017 Gems — Nomenclature.
- GIA – Gemological Institute of America (United States). Gem Encyclopedia: Jade Description.
Further reading
Related entries and topic cluster
Parent entry and related pages on this site. Rows marked “Planned” are suggested new content and have no link yet.
Related-entry tree for Jadeite on this site: 2 entries listed by this site's parent-entry links; synthetic, treated and similar entries carry their recorded state after the name; this page (Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade) is marked.
- Jadeite
Sub-entries (1)
- Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Page | Content | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing family | Jade materials | Live |
| Treatments recorded for this material | Dyed, Heated / Heat-treated, Filled / Fracture-filled, Bleached, Coated, Waxed, Impregnated | Live |
| Related articles | To be added (placeholder) | Planned |
Who maintains this page
The material facts in the Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade entry are maintained by the LumaLark wiki and matched one by one to the standard clauses or institutional sources they cite: every fact carries its source (with a clause or page locator) and a check date, so it can be traced back to the original; clause-level definitions also carry a cross-check result. The entry exists so that buyers and sellers can check naming, disclosure and material facts item by item.