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Green, also white, lavender, black

Jade crystals

Jade is two distinct minerals — nephrite (calcium magnesium silicate) and jadeite (sodium aluminum silicate), green, also white, lavender, black, rated 6–7 on the Mohs scale. Traditionally, it is linked to steadiness, good fortune and long-term thinking — attributed, not demonstrated.

Mohs hardness
6–7 scratches window glass
Crystal system
Monoclinic
Main sources today
Myanmar also China, New Zealand

Stones described in similar terms: aventurine, kyanite, spinel, ruby and turquoise.

Listed under: March birthstone.

Linked in crystal practice with the heart chakra.

Further along the same lines: labradorite, onyx and tourmaline.

Jade Crystals: Meaning, Hardness and Origins

Is Jade a birthstone?

Yes. Jade is the alternative birthstone for March.

Properties

Composition Two distinct minerals — nephrite (calcium magnesium silicate) and jadeite (sodium aluminum silicate)
Hardness (Mohs) 6–7
Crystal system Monoclinic
Color Green, also white, lavender, black
Mined in Myanmar, China, New Zealand, Guatemala, Russia

Worth knowing

Jade is not the hardest stone but among the toughest — its interlocking fibers resist breaking, which is why it was carved into axes before ornaments.

History

Worked in China for over 6000 years; Confucius compared its qualities to virtue.

Buying

Buying Jade: fakes, value and treatments

What it is confused with

"Jade" covers two minerals, jadeite and nephrite. Serpentine, green aventurine and dyed quartzite sold as "Malaysia jade" are common imitations.

What decides the price

Translucent "imperial" green jadeite is the most valuable. Burmese jadeite is graded A (untreated), B (bleached and polymer-filled) or C (dyed), and only A holds its value.

Where it is used

Carvings, bangles and pendants, especially in Chinese and Maori traditions.

A less familiar fact

The French mineralogist Alexis Damour showed in 1863 that jadeite and nephrite are different minerals.

Practical

Caring for Jade

How to clean it

Warm soapy water and a soft cloth.

How to tell it is real

Grading matters more than authenticity: Type A is untreated, Type B bleached and polymer-filled, Type C dyed. Only Type A holds value. Serpentine and dyed quartz are also sold as jade.

How to store stones so they do not scratch each other →

How hard is Jade?

Jade is softer than quartz but exceptionally tough: nephrite and jadeite are both mats of interlocking crystals, which is why Neolithic toolmakers could shape jade into axes that resisted breaking. Only Tanzanite shares its place on our scale. Among the stones in this reference, the next softer is Moonstone (6–6.5) and the next harder Bloodstone (6.5–7).

Jade on the Mohs hardness scale
Jade on the Mohs hardness scaleMohs scale from talc (1) to diamond (10), with the 43 stones of our reference as dots and Jade (6–7) marked as a bar.Jade: Mohs 6–7Jade 6–7Garnet: Mohs 6.5–7.5Amethyst: Mohs 7Citrine: Mohs 7Rose Quartz: Mohs 7Clear Quartz: Mohs 7Smoky Quartz: Mohs 7Aquamarine: Mohs 7.5–8Emerald: Mohs 7.5–8Bloodstone: Mohs 6.5–7Peridot: Mohs 6.5–7Sardonyx: Mohs 6.5–7Zircon: Mohs 6–7.5Carnelian: Mohs 6.5–7Onyx: Mohs 6.5–7Agate: Mohs 6.5–7Tiger's Eye: Mohs 6.5–7Aventurine: Mohs 6.5–7Diamond: Mohs 10Pearl: Mohs 2.5–4.5Alexandrite: Mohs 8.5Moonstone: Mohs 6–6.5Labradorite: Mohs 6–6.5Pyrite: Mohs 6–6.5Ruby: Mohs 9Sapphire: Mohs 9Spinel: Mohs 8Topaz: Mohs 8Opal: Mohs 5.5–6.5Rhodonite: Mohs 5.5–6.5Tourmaline: Mohs 7–7.5Turquoise: Mohs 5–6Lapis Lazuli: Mohs 5–6Hematite: Mohs 5–6Tanzanite: Mohs 6–7Jade: Mohs 6–7Obsidian: Mohs 5–5.5Malachite: Mohs 3.5–4Amber: Mohs 2–2.5Selenite: Mohs 2Fluorite: Mohs 4Sodalite: Mohs 5.5–6Kyanite: Mohs 4.5–7Lepidolite: Mohs 2.5–31Talc2Gypsum3Calcite4Fluorite5Apatite6Orthoclase7Quartz8Topaz9Corundum10Diamondfingernail 2.5window glass 5.5household dust (quartz) 7Source: Mohs scale minerals · ranges from our 43-stone referenceastrohot.com
Jade on the Mohs hardness scaleMohs scale from talc (1) to diamond (10), with the 43 stones of our reference as dots and Jade (6–7) marked as a bar.Jade: Mohs 6–7Jade 6–71Talc2Gypsum3Calcite4Fluorite5Apatite6Orthoclase7Quartz8Topaz9Corundum10Diamondfingernail 2.5glass 5.5dust 7Source: Mohs scale minerals · ranges from our 43-stone referenceastrohot.com

Jade, at 6–7, is harder than 17 of the other 42 stones here and softer than 24.

Traditional associations

Jade is traditionally linked to steadiness, good fortune and long-term thinking. Chakra in crystal practice: Heart. Element: Earth.

What is measured here and what is tradition →

Questions about Jade

What is Jade made of?

Two distinct minerals — nephrite (calcium magnesium silicate) and jadeite (sodium aluminum silicate), crystallizing in the monoclinic system.

Which month is Jade the birthstone for?

Only as an alternative stone, for March.

Where does Jade come from?

Myanmar, China, New Zealand, Guatemala, Russia.

Can Jade be worn every day?

Yes. It rates 6–7 on the Mohs scale, and the main thing to watch is scratches from harder stones; breaking is rare.

← All gemstones

Cite this page

AstroHot. “Jade Crystals: Meaning, Hardness and Origins.” Accessed October 28, 2026. https://astrohot.com/crystals/gemstones/jade/

For Wikipedia {{cite web |title=Jade Crystals: Meaning, Hardness and Origins |url=https://astrohot.com/crystals/gemstones/jade/ |website=AstroHot |access-date=2026-10-28}}