Identification guide · Silicate Minerals
How to Identify Jadeite
Jadeite is usually green, white, and lavender with a vitreous luster and is translucent. It has a Mohs hardness of 6.75. It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file. Its streak is white. It is most often confused with Nepheline, Prehnite, and Serpentine; the tests below separate them.
Jadeite identification checklist
| Color | Green, White, Lavender, Yellow, Black | Look at a clean, dry surface in daylight. Color zoning, banding or spots are as diagnostic as the hue. |
|---|---|---|
| Luster | Vitreous | Fresh surfaces shine like glass; a dull surface usually means weathering, so chip or wet a corner. |
| Transparency | Translucent | Hold a thin edge up to a bright light and note whether light passes through. |
| Mohs hardness | 6.75 | It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file. |
| Streak | White | Drag a corner across unglazed porcelain (the back of a bathroom tile) and check the powder color. |
| Cleavage | Good prismatic | |
| Fracture | Splintery to uneven | |
| Specific gravity | 3.3 | Heavier than it looks (specific gravity about 3.3). |
| Crystal system | Monoclinic |
Jadeite look-alikes and how to tell them apart
Both sit near Mohs 6.75, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Jadeite vs Nepheline →
Both sit near Mohs 6.75, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Jadeite vs Prehnite →
Jadeite is harder (Mohs 6.75) than Serpentine (Mohs 3.5), so Jadeite will scratch Serpentine and not the other way round. A steel knife blade (Mohs 5.5) scratches it; a copper coin does not. Jadeite vs Serpentine →
Both sit near Mohs 6.75, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead.
Is my Jadeite real?
- Hardness: real Jadeite sits at Mohs 6.75. Glass imitations are about 5.5, so genuine Jadeite scratches glass while a glass fake cannot.
- Bubbles: round gas bubbles under a 10x loupe mean glass or resin, never a natural stone.
- Color: dyed material concentrates color in cracks and pores; look for pigment collecting at the edges of fractures.
- Temperature: natural crystals feel cool and take longer to warm in your hand than plastic or resin.
Field tips
- Look for a tough, dense rock made of interlocking grains, often green but ranging to white and lavender.
- Jadeite is harder and denser than nephrite and can show a faintly granular surface texture.
- Confirm valuable green material with a gemologist, since jadeite is often imitated, dyed, or polymer impregnated.
Jadeite identification FAQ
How can you tell if a rock is Jadeite?
Check the color (green, white, lavender, and yellow), the vitreous luster, a Mohs hardness of 6.75 and a white streak. Photographing it with the StoneSnap app gives a match in seconds.
What is the hardness of Jadeite?
Jadeite has a Mohs hardness of 6.75. It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file.
What is the difference between Jadeite and Nepheline?
Jadeite (Mohs 6.75, vitreous luster) and Nepheline (Mohs 6, vitreous luster) look alike, but hardness, streak and heft usually separate them. See the full Jadeite vs Nepheline comparison for a side-by-side table.
How do I know if my Jadeite is real?
Real Jadeite matches the hardness listed above, shows no round gas bubbles under magnification, and does not concentrate dye in cracks. Glass and resin fakes fail at least one of those checks.
Is Jadeite worth anything?
Entry-level Jadeite specimens sell for around $20, typical collector pieces about $600, and premium examples $15000 or more depending on size, quality and locality.
What color is Jadeite?
Jadeite is most often green, white, lavender, and yellow. Color varies with impurities and locality, so confirm with hardness and luster rather than color alone.
