Jade [Archive] - Kung Fu Magazine Forums

GeneChing

04-06-2016, 07:57 AM

Three posts deep on this here thread and now I'm wondering if any members here own any jade. I only have one decent piece, a ring my mother gave me. I used to have a magnificent pair of dragon & tiger chops with my Chinese names on them, but they were both stolen when my home was robbed back in 2008 (https://www.tigerclaw.com/blog/2009/08/kung-fu-fighting-bench-vs-pom-door/). I had a few tourist nephrite axes and daggers but I think they all broke over time, so I don't really count those. Anyone else?

Multiple world records for Chinese jades highlight Bonhams' new Asia focus (http://artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=86313#.VwUhn_krKUk)

http://artdaily.com/imagenes/2016/04/06/bonjade-2.jpg
A grey and black jade bixie sold for HK$24,760,000 (GBP2,242,750)

HONG KONG.- The Sze Yuan Tang Collection of Chinese Jades, formed by a distinguished Asian connoisseur/collector, comprised 73 outstanding lots of jade carvings dating from the Neolithic period (3000 BCE) until Imperial China’s Han, Song, Ming and Qing dynasties.

The exceptional collection, mostly pieces never before seen at auction, sold today (5 April, 2016) at the Bonhams Hong Kong Gallery for an unprecedented HK$178,276,250 (GBP16,141,386) including buyer’s premium) with very strong bidding from all over Chinese speaking Asia and active participation from American and European collectors and dealers. The atmosphere in the saleroom was electric with standing room only, and all telephone lines occupied throughout the sale.

Jade has always been regarded by Chinese scholars as ‘the stone of spirit’, and has a cultural resonance among traditional classical Chinese collectors without any equivalence in the West. Since the Neolithic period, it has a spiritual significance (early examples were often found associated with aristocratic burials) and only later did it become valuable fashion and social accessories. The collection was formed in Hong Kong, mostly from the mid-1980s onwards, and reflects this classical and religious significance. Scholarship has been greatly strengthened in recent decades by official excavations in China, and the sale was particularly popular because a number of the lots had been exhibited in the Hong Kong University Museum and Art Gallery in 2006 and were published and illustrated in the accompanying Exhibition Catalogue Art and Imitation in China.

As expected, some of the earliest and rarest figure carvings achieved astonishing prices. The most expensive example, an exceptionally rare figure of a male dancer (Lot 35) dating from the Eastern Han dynasty (circa 100 CSE) multiplied the pre-sale estimate many times to reach a world record price of HK$31,480,000 (GBP2,851,450).

Early jade animal models often include representations of mythical beasts familiar from Spirit Ways leading to traditional tomb sites, and of these beasts the four-legged winged lion-like bixie clearly played an important part in early religious ceremonies and rituals. Two jade examples of these mythical beasts vastly exceeded expectations, a grey and black jade bixie (Lot 33) selling to an Asian buyer for a spectacular price of HK$24,760,000 (GBP2,242,750), while another larger example but with the surface characteristically calcified by burial conditions (Lot 32) soared to an unprecedented HK$21,960,000 (GBP1,989,130).

From early Imperial China’s period was a remarkable carving of a pale green and brown jade elephant and male mahout (Lot 44). The elephant represents strength, wisdom and prudence and an amusing play on its Chinese name provides the auspicious ****phone ‘may there be good fortune’. It certainly achieved this for the vendor soaring past the estimate of HK$500,000 – 800,000 to sell for a record HK$19,160,000 (GBP1,735,500), underbid by a large number of buyers attracted by its symbolism and rarity.

Early jade carvings are often produced in fairly simple functional shapes for secular and religious usage. Highlights of such functional shapes included an exceptionally rare yellow-grey and black jade stem cup, Western Han dynasty (BC 206 – AD 9), estimated at HK$ 400,000-600,000 (Lot 38) which sold for a record HK$10,240,000 (GBP927,536). Such cups are associated with the wish for longevity and the search for immortality.

From the Qing dynasty (1644 – 1911), the collection boasted a number of fine examples, including a pale green and russet jade carving of a mythical beast, 17th/18th century (Lot 47) estimated at HK$200,000 – 300,000), which demonstrated the collector’s sharp eye for later decorative jade animals when it sold for HK$1,360,000 (GBP123,188).

A delightful group of two yellow jade quails retaining attractive areas of the original brown skin symbolised ‘double peace’ and the auspicious nature (Lot 52) again attracted bidders well beyond the estimate HK$300,000 – 400,000, finally selling to an Asian buyer for HK$2,200,000 (GBP199,275).

The collection featured an exquisite white jade pendant, 18th century, estimated at HK$ 600,000-800,000 (Lot 51), formerly in the collection of Stephen Junkunc III, sold in New York in 2008 for some HK$500,000. This time the quality of the carving and brilliant tone of the stone saw it reach HK$2,080,000 (GBP182,500).

Commenting on the unprecedented results of the sale, Xibo Wang, Head of Department, Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong said: ‘It was a privilege to offer a collection of this exceptional quality comprising such a group of rare early jade carvings and very rewarding to see the excitement it caused amongst jade connoisseurs.’

Asaph Hyman, International Head, Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Asia & Europe, commented: ‘The enthusiasm for this exceptional collection proven by the multiple world record prices realised, demonstrated the robustness and depth of the Chinese art market. We are delighted to have been chosen to offer this special collection and look forward to welcoming the public to our forthcoming Chinese art sales in London in May and in Hong Kong in June.’

Colin Sheaf, Chairman of Bonhams Asia, noted that: ‘Bonhams held its first auctions in Hong Kong in 2007 and our business model has evolved since then. We have tracked the way in which the global market in Chinese art is seen to have changed in the last two years. Responding to the changes, we believe that our policy to offer small, carefully chosen selections of fine Chinese art unknown to the market represents the most successful way to develop our market position for the next decade.’

GLW

04-06-2016, 09:53 AM

I have 2 or 3 pieces and my wife a few more. They are not imperial jade quality...but meh....

I have had a love for the stone since I found that it does indeed change as you wear it. I have one piece I wear 24/7 and have for ages. The top of the carving has the mounting so it can hang on a chain. The mounting prevents that part of the jade from touching me or absorbing my body oils and perspiration.

When I first got the piece, it was all of one basic hue - a green with streaks of lighter color or white...but the lighter colors were not obvious. Now, after years of wearing it, the part away from the mounting shows a lighter more attractive green and the white streaks are plainly evident. The stone has also become more translucent.

I had another piece years ago. I wore if for about 2 years. It was white and had a very nice green streak through the stone. It was also a bit smoky but almost clear after that time. I had a new mounting made for it and it was a gift I gave to my wife just before we got married. After she wore if for a couple of years - different body chemistry and all - the clarity and the green streak were less pronounced. It was becoming hers...but something about me made it get greener and more clear while something about her made it cloud up.

I simply like the fact that as you wear it, your body chemistry makes the jade change....at least it has with all of the pieces I have owned.

GeneChing

05-19-2016, 04:12 PM

Nice overview piece. I do like jade. :cool:

http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/wwfeatures/wm/live/1600_640/images/live/p0/3t/v8/p03tv890.jpg
(Credit: Alamy)

Why this green stone can be worth more than gold
China’s appetite for jade has grown as the country has become wealthier. But while the top end seems glamorous, there’s a dirty underbelly to the industry.
By Tim McDonald
19 May 2016

During the Han dynasty, the wealthiest Chinese noblemen were sometimes buried in jade suits made from hundreds of small jade tiles linked together, sometimes with gold thread. It was a lavish display of status. But it also suggested that jade offered protection from physical decay.

Jade usually represents good health and long life for Chinese people
And for centuries since, there has been a deep connection between Chinese culture and the smooth green stone.
“Jade usually represents good health and long life for Chinese people,” according to Kent Wong, managing director of Hong Kong luxury jeweller Chow Tai Fook.

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As China’s middle class grows, so has the appetite for jade jewellery (Credit: Getty Images)

Jade suits are no longer in fashion, but China’s appetite for the stone has grown as the country has become wealthier. Credit Suisse says there are now 109 million middle class people in China collectively holding $7.3tn in financial assets and real estate. More than two million Chinese are millionaires.

Demand for jade is driven almost entirely by the Chinese market. At the top end, it can be worth more than gold
With figures like that it’s no wonder more Chinese are buying luxury products like jade, which has in recent years experienced double-digit growth, Wong said. Demand for jade is driven almost entirely by the Chinese market. At the top end, it can be worth more than gold.
In fact, it’s so valuable, that criminals half a world away are taking notice. A gang in the UK was recently sentenced to prison for plundering jade artefacts from museums and an auction house. The artefacts were estimated to be worth up to $79m on the Chinese auction market, although criminal blundering ensured they never got there.

Why is it so valuable?
Jade is in fact a catch-all title for two chemically different substances that are physically similar. Jadeite, which comes exclusively from Burma, is by most accounts the more prized of the two. But nephrite, which traditionally comes from western China, was in use long before jadeite became popular.

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Jade jewellery can be incredibly valuable. This jadeite bead necklace sold for more than $7m in Hong Kong in 2010 (Credit: Getty Images)
Older Chinese nephrite pieces sometimes command huge figures at auction. Bonhams auction house in Hong Kong recently sold a collection of historical jade items for $23m, dating from as early as the Neolithic period. It’s a big number, but it’s not investors who are buying.
“In my experience, nobody treats Chinese archaic jade as an investment vehicle. It’s a highly specialised, highly scholarly, very narrow sector of the collectors’ market,” said Colin Sheaf, the head of Asian art at Bonhams.
Investors typically seek out something with broader appeal. Often that means jadeite jewellery. Art deco pieces are particularly prized. Last October, Sotheby’s Hong Kong sold an art deco jadeite brooch by Cartier for $930,000.

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Jade is popular with Hollywood celebrities too – Jessica Chastain wore jade earrings to the premiere of Interstellar in 2014 (Credit: Getty Images)

The deputy chairman of Sotheby’s Asia, Quek Chin Yeow, thinks there’s money to be made at the top end of the market, but only if you know what you’re buying. “Like all investment possibilities, you have to select the right pieces,” he said.

What to look for
Picking a winner can be tricky, though, because every piece of jade is different, and figuring out what each one is worth is an art rather than a science. There are labs that can determine the chemical makeup of the stone, and whether it’s chemically treated or if it’s an outright fake. But there’s no “jade index” that gives a price per ounce like there is for gold.

Figuring out what each one is worth is an art rather than a science
Colour is often the first thing buyers look for. Jade is almost synonymous with green, and bright emerald shades of the colour are still the most prized. But jade comes in many hues, ranging from blue to lavender to “icy” white, which has increased significantly in price in recent years. Buyers also look for size, shape, transparency, texture and craftsmanship. A jade bangle, for instance, is often a good investment because it can only be made with high-quality material, according to Wong.
And as with anything, the higher the quality, the higher the value.

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Determining the quality of jade can be tricky (Credit: Getty Images)

With jade, auction sale records often provide the best indicator of price. The single most expensive jade item ever sold is the Hutton-Mdivani Necklace. It was owned by Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton. Made of 27 graduated bright emerald green jadeite beads with a clasp set with diamonds and rubies, the necklace sold for $27.4m at auction in 2014, more than six times the price it sold for at auction 20 years earlier.

The risks
But if the top end of the market seems glamorous, there’s a dirty underbelly to the industry, which by some estimates is worth $8bn.

There’s a dirty underbelly to the industry, which by some estimates is worth $8bn
Jadeite comes from Myanmar, and there are serious concerns over labour and human rights in the mining industry there. So much so that the US left in place sanctions on the jade industry even as it removed them from most other sectors of the country’s economy.
There’s no certification process to prove to consumers that their purchase has been sourced ethically. On the other hand, Quek points out that some of the most prized jade items are decades or even centuries old, and tracing the source would be virtually impossible.
And as with any investment, there’s always the possibility that market conditions will change. Although there are enthusiastic jade lovers the world over, it’s a market that depends very heavily on growth in China.

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Jade rings are displayed at a wholesale jade market in Mandalay, Myanmar (Credit: Getty Images)

But China’s economy isn’t growing as fast as it once did. It’s currently seeing its slowest growth in 25 years. Even so, if it hits the government target of 6.5-7% growth, that still equates to an enormous amount of wealth being added to the country’s economy every year.
There are other concerns too. Many luxury goods have taken a beating recently, in part because of the Chinese government’s crackdown on corruption, which has been blamed for all manner of things, from declining gambling revenues in Macau, to slowing fortunes for high end wine-makers, slow sales of Tibetan mastiffs and, indeed, jade.
Wong thinks there’s no government policy that could derail a love affair with jade that dates back to the Neolithic period. He believes that as China becomes wealthier, and its appetite for jade grows, the price is only likely to climb.

GeneChing

09-27-2016, 10:20 AM

Fifty shades of jade: Why Chinese buyers spend millions on this stone (http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/26/luxury/jade-supply-influencing-style/index.html)
By Georgia McCafferty, for CNN
Updated 2:21 AM ET, Tue September 27, 2016

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Jade is growing more popular in the West. Here actress Jessica Chastain attends the 2014 Hollywood premiere of "Interstellar" wearing a pair of finely carved jadeite earrings.

(CNN)To the untrained eye it's a simple piece of jewelry -- but don't let its modesty fool you.

This vivid, emerald green jadeite bangle is expected to sell for HK$50 million to HK$70 million ($6.5 to $9 million) when it goes under the hammer at a Sotheby's auction in Hong Kong in October.

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This simple jadeite bangle is expected to fetch between HK$50 to $70 million ($6.5 to $9 million) when it goes under the hammer.

Jade is revered in China, with a cultural significance that dates back thousands of years and a value that was cemented by China's Qing dynasty emperors, who prized it for its purity.
But as China's rising wealth sees demand for jade jewelry grow, and supply out of Myanmar dwindles, prices for jade have risen exponentially, sparking a change in the styles preferred by Chinese buyers, and attracting a new group of Western admirers.
"With China opening up in the past decade, we have seen a new wave of collectors to the market. The auction market for jadeite has grown tremendously in the past 10 years," explains Chin Yeow Quek, the chairman of international jewelery at Sotheby's in Asia.

Fifty shades of jade

There's no denying the rising price of jade. Aside from million-dollar bangles, jade jewelry of the the right color and quality, from necklaces to earrings and pendants, has all been attracting serious money.
The most expensive piece of jade jewelry -- a necklace with a ruby and diamond clasp by Cartier that once belonged to the American heiress Barbara Hutton -- sold at a Sotheby's Hong Kong auction in April 2014 for $27.44 million, well above its $12.8 million estimate.
"It can be very crazy prices," says Chiang Shiu-Fung, an associate vice president and jewelry specialist with Christie's Asia, who quoted an old Chinese saying "gold has a value; jade is invaluable."
However, not all jade is equal, and being able to differentiate between types and qualities -- and being able to spot a fake -- is critical, if not always easy.
Jadeite, the purest, most translucent substance that comes in a multitude of colors, from deep greens to lavender, white, and black, is the hardest and most valuable form of the stone, and most often turned into jewelry.
Lesser quality nephrite, a softer, cloudier stone that comes in an even greater array of colors, is also classed as jade, but is more commonly used for carvings.
Low quality industrial jade, and products made from cheaper-quality stone can also be treated by adding color or polymer to enhance the visual appeal of the stone to make it look like the real thing.

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Every piece of jade is different and the most valuable form of the stone -- Jadeite -- lacks an international standard for grading, unlike diamonds and gemstones.

Although most experts can tell the difference between these products with a visual assessment, it's not always reliable, and without any established international standard for guidance, even specialist jade experts can only be 80 to 90 percent sure whether a stone is pure jadeite using that method, according to Chiang.
"If you really want to be 100 percent sure that a piece is jadeite or some other kind of material, you have to send it to the laboratory," he says.
Even if a product is found to be pure jade, any kind of adulteration or treatment significantly reduces the value of the stone, and Chiang says that only "totally untreated, natural jadeite" can be classified as an "A-grade" stone.
"In terms of the jewelry market, whatever gemstone it is, the natural one is the most desirable because it comes with natural beauty. Whatever humans can do artificially to improve the color, this kind of treatment lowers the value greatly."
Supply-driven style
When it comes to high-quality jadeite, growing demand among China's increasingly wealthy and middle classes have had a significant influence on rising prices.
Dwindling raw jade stocks in Myanmar, which supplies the vast majority of the world's jade and is the only source of high-quality stone, has also compounded the issue.
Auction houses in Asia, where the vast majority of jade is sold, say this has led to a change in the styles of jade being sought among collectors, with a growing emphasis on quality factors like color and translucency.
"While we saw consecutive records set in 2013 and 2014, Chinese collectors these days are becoming more selective and are after pieces that are truly special and rare," says Sotheby's Chin.
"Nowadays people are looking for simple items in terms of the style," adds Chiang. "People, especially jadeite collectors, are looking for the material, the quality of the stone."
On the retail end, the increased price and awareness of the stone has expanded the markets among Western buyers -- Nicole Kidman and Jessica Chastain among them -- and further segmented the market.

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Actress Jessica Chastain shows off her jade earrings at the 2014 premiere of "Interstellar" in Hollywood, California.

From a high-end retail perspective, personalization and uniqueness are the most important elements for customers according to Eddy Hui, the artistic director of Edward Chiu Jewellery Art in Hong Kong, who says that tastes differ between more traditional Asian customers and his growing Western clientele.
"Purchasing jadeite jewelry often comes with sentimental reason for general Chinese, and they pay attention to color and translucency. More Western clients are into fine workmanship, carving details, and they are crazy about originality," he says.
Choosing wisely
Whatever the preference or budget, jade's broad classification means it's important to choose a piece wisely, and Chiang says there are a few key things laypeople can look out for when purchasing.
Firstly, the texture of the stone should be fine, as this enhances the stone's natural translucency, which is itself is another critical factor -- the more light that can be seen through a stone, the more lustrous and valuable it is.

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160922145129-jade-9-exlarge-169.jpg
The color, tone and translucency of jade are all critical factors in its valuation.

The color of the stone also significantly influences jadeite's value, and whether it's green, lavender or white, the color should be as pure as possible, with a strong saturation and a bright tone.
"Let's use green as an example: you have to go for straight green, purely green. When the green is a little bit bluish, forget about it," explains Chiang.
Finally, bigger isn't necessarily best.
"If you have to choose between a large, commercial-quality stone and a small, better quality stone, go for the small one. We are buying a gemstone, we are not buying a brick. Large doesn't mean anything," says Chiang.
But technicalities aside, jewelry designer Hui says it's all a matter of choosing a reliable seller, and following your heart.
"Jade stones are like us: always unique," he says. "Love at first sight is actually the best way to connect to your own piece. Like seeing Mr. Right, you know it when you feel it."

There's a spectacular photo gallery if you follow the link.

GeneChing

10-17-2016, 09:45 AM

£140million = $170,643,900 USD :eek:

A gem of a find! Stunned miners unearth world's most valuable piece of jade worth £140MILLION (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3839515/Jade-worth-140MILLION-unearthed-miners-Kachin-State-Burma.html?ITO=applenews)

Workers were excavating gems at a remote mine in Kachin State, Burma
Stunned miners later unearthed the world's most valuable piece of jade
Remarkable stone weighs 175 tonnes and measures 9ft high and 18ft wide
Boulder will be sent to China where it'll be carved up into jewellery pieces

By ALEXANDER ROBERTSON FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 06:46 EST, 15 October 2016 | UPDATED: 06:46 EST, 15 October 2016

Stunned miners have unearthed the world's most valuable piece of jade - an 18ft monster worth £140million.
Workers were excavating rare gems at a remote mine in Kachin State, Burma, when they stumbled across the huge jadeite rock.
The remarkable stone weighs a staggering 175 tonnes, measures 9ft high, 18ft long and 18ft wide.
Pictures from the scene of the recovery show local politician U Tint Soe standing next to the giant gem as it towers above him.

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Remarkable pictures show local politician U Tint Soe standing next to the giant gem as it towers above him
The rock - which will appear its distinctive green once cleaned - is second only in size to the a carved statue at the Jade Buddha Palace in China which weighs 260 tonnes.
Miner Sao Min, 44, said: 'We thought we had won the lottery. But this belongs to the country. It is in honour of our leaders.'
U Tint Soe said: 'The jade is as big as two small houses that are 9ft square.
'I assume that it is a present for the fate for our citizens, the government and our party as it was discovered in the time of our government. It's a very good sign for us.'

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/10/15/12/39674CB700000578-3839515-image-a-71_1476530253224.jpg
Workers were excavating rare gems at a remote mine in Kachin State, Burma, when they stumbled across the huge jadeite rock

Burma - or Myanmar - is the world's largest producer of jadeite - and the 50 billion dollar a year industry represents half of the country's GDP.
The wholesale price of Jadite - most valuable form of the gem - from mines is around £820 per kg - but prices can reach is much as £1,150.

FACTFILE: HISTORY OF JADE
Jade is a durable stone that has been fashioned into items ranging from arrowheads to necklaces for centuries.
Due to its toughness, it was used to manufacture weapons such as axe blades as far back as 5,000 years ago.
Its durability also made it a prime candidate for its use in building primitive tools, such as knifes and other cutting instruments.
China is considered the go-to country for the jade market, and has been a leading producer in the cutting and distributing of the stone for much of the century.
Today it is often used as a gemstone for items of jewellery, though it is not considered more valuable than other materials such as sapphires and emeralds outside of China.
It gives the rock found on Thursday an estimated value of $174.6m - the highest for any single piece of raw Jade.
And the price per kg could be up to twenty times higher once it has been polished and shaped - giving it an astronomical potential price tag in the billions.
The boulder will be sent to China where it will be carved up into expensive jewellery and sculptures.
Chinese jade expert Frank Xiao, a dealer in Shenzhen, southern China on the border with Hong Kong, said: 'This is a beautiful find. There are many negotiations but it's likely to be coming to China.
'It will make many beautiful necklaces and bracelets in the future. And plenty of statues for homes in China.'
An 18 tonne nephrite jade boulder was found in Canada in 2013 with a value of around £1.6million.
The price of jade has rocketed since then and Jadeite - the form most common in Burma - is worth significantly more.

GeneChing

11-08-2016, 10:54 AM

Wow. Jade floors? I know where I want to stay (http://www.wandahotels.com/en/) next time I go to China....if only. :rolleyes:

Is this China’s most luxurious hotel? The new £415m seven-star venue that has jade floors, a 7,750-square-foot ballroom and four nightclubs (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3913380/Is-China-s-luxurious-hotel-new-415m-seven-star-venue-jade-floors-7-750-square-foot-ballroom-four-nightclubs.html?ITO=applenews)

The Wanda Reign on the Bund hotel in Shanghai, China, took more than three years to build
The 20-storey building combines art deco style and early 20th-century Chinese design
The venue is full of marble columns, chandeliers, contemporary art and expensive antiques

By CAROLINE MCGUIRE FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 03:01 EST, 8 November 2016 | UPDATED: 03:03 EST, 8 November 2016

China has opened its first seven-star hotel, with opulence to rival the finest establishments in London, New York and Dubai.
The Wanda Reign on the Bund in Shanghai took three years to build and cost more than £415million ($515million) to complete, thanks to the elaborate details inside.
The building was designed by the British company Foster + Partners and combines art deco with early 20th century Chinese design, such as magnolias and traditional Suzhou embroidery.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/11/07/17/3A267C0C00000578-3913380-China_has_opened_it_first_seven_star_hotel_the_Wan da_Reign_on_th-a-18_1478539468589.jpg
China has opened its first seven-star hotel, the Wanda Reign on the Bund in Shanghai, which is situated along the Huangpu River

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In the lobby, guests walk across jade inlaid floors and among marble columns and mosaic walls

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The elaborate design is continued throughout the interior, with huge windows looking out over the city's skyline in the hotel's four restaurants

In the lobby, guests walk across jade inlaid floors, among marble columns and mosaic walls, with modern art by contemporary Chinese artists and antique furniture taking pride of place.
The elaborate design is continued throughout the interior, with huge chandeliers and stained-glass windows in the four dining rooms, which feature a Marc restaurant by Michelin-starred French chef, Marc Meneau, a cafe, a Chinese restaurant, a Japanese eaterie and a lobby lounge.
For events, there is also a 7,750-square-foot ballroom with 180-degree views of the Pudong skyline and the Huangpu River and a 26-foot-tall ceiling.
The hotel also houses what is possibly the most glamorous karaoke room - Universe KTV. Each of the four private club rooms comes with its own dance floor, disco lasers and top-of-the-line audio-visual equipment.

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A ****tail bar terrarce allows guests to enjoy a drink with views over the city's Huangpu River

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The hotel also houses what is possibly the most glamorous karaoke room - Universe KTV

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/11/07/17/3A267CAB00000578-3913380-The_288_square_metre_Chairman_Suite_on_the_20th_fl oor_has_its_ow-a-23_1478539468596.jpg
The 3,100-square-foot Chairman Suite on the 20th floor has its own living room with 180-degree views

Its nightlife zone Club Reign also has its own wine and cigar bar and an outdoor ****tail bar.
To work off the hangover the following day, guests can book themselves into one of the three private suites in the Shui Spa.
Each spa suite has its own sauna and steam rooms, large cold and hot plunge pools, treatment rooms and entertainment rooms.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/11/07/17/3A267DA200000578-3913380-Modern_art_by_contemporary_Chinese_artists_and_ant ique_furniture-a-24_1478539468597.jpg
Modern art by contemporary Chinese artists and antique furniture takes pride of place on the walls

The 193 guest bedrooms, which start at £345 ($430), have also been equipped with state-of-the-art technology, with massage chairs and digital mini peep holes in the doors.
But the best room by far is the 3,100-square-foot Chairman Suite on the 20th floor.
The suite has a living room, dining area with adjoining pantry, stylish bar, separate study room, and a master bathroom with a sauna and a large massage bathtub.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/11/07/17/3A267E5700000578-3913380-Guests_can_book_themselves_into_one_of_the_three_p rivate_suites_-a-25_1478539468600.jpg
Guests can book themselves into one of the three private suites in the Shui Spa. Each spa suite has its own sauna and steam rooms, large cold and hot plunge pools, treatment rooms and entertainment rooms

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/11/07/17/3A267E4200000578-3913380-The_Chairman_Suite_has_its_own_living_room_dining_ area_with_adjo-a-26_1478539468601.jpg
The Chairman Suite has its own living room, dining area with adjoining pantry, stylish bar and separate study room

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/11/07/17/3A267EC100000578-3913380-The_193_guest_bedrooms_have_been_equipped_with_sta te_of_the_art_-a-27_1478539468603.jpg
The 193 guest bedrooms have been equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including massage chairs and digital mini peep holes in the doors

boxerbilly

11-09-2016, 12:07 AM

Those rooms are so nice.

GeneChing

01-13-2017, 01:07 PM

This just popped up on Gwyneth Paltrow's popular Women's site GOOP.

http://goop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Yoni-eggs-illustration_christine_mcadams.jpg

Better Sex: Jade Eggs for Your Yoni (http://goop.com/better-sex-jade-eggs-for-your-yoni/)
From Kegels and the Elvie to vaginal steaming and even laser treatments, we’re not shy here at goop about our interest in keeping our sexual/reproductive systems in optimal health. So when beauty guru/healer/inspiration/friend Shiva Rose started talking about jade eggs, we wanted to hear more.

http://goop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/jade-eggs.jpg
SHIVA ROSE
ROSE QUARTZ & JADE EGGS
goop, $55-66

The strictly guarded secret of Chinese royalty in antiquity—queens and concubines used them to stay in shape for emperors—jade eggs harness the power of energy work, crystal healing, and a Kegel-like physical practice. Fans say regular use increases chi, orgasms, vaginal muscle tone, hormonal balance, and feminine energy in general. Shiva Rose has been practicing with them for about seven years, and raves about the results; we tried them, too, and were so convinced we put them into the goop shop.

Jade eggs’ power to cleanse and clear make them ideal for detox; here, Shiva Rose answers all our questions and shares her jade egg tips for improving your sex life, your cycle, and your overall well-being.

A Q&A with Shiva Rose
Q

How did you learn first about jade eggs?

A

I learned about the jade egg through the yoga community that I was in, and I sort of went down the rabbit hole of researching the practice—there was not as much information about it then as there is now. But it made intuitive sense to me: The word for our womb, yoni, translates as “sacred place”, and it is a sacred place—it’s where many women access their intuition, their power, and their wisdom. It’s this inner sanctum that we can access when it’s not in use creating life. Sadly most people use it as a psychic trash bin, storing old or negative energy. I see it as a place to celebrate ourselves as sexual, powerful beings, or as mothers, not a place to carry negative or un-dealt-with emotions. I’ve always been into crystals, so learning about jade eggs (which are gems) has been a natural progression for me—this particular jade, nephrite jade, has incredible clearing, cleansing powers. It’s a dark, deep green and very heavy—it’s a great stone for taking away negativity.

Q

What are the benefits?

A

Jade eggs can help cultivate sexual energy, increase orgasm, balance the cycle, stimulate key reflexology around vaginal walls, tighten and tone, prevent uterine prolapse, increase control of the whole perineum and bladder, develop and clear chi pathways in the body, intensify feminine energy, and invigorate our life force. To name a few!

The jade creates kidney strength—it’s known as jing in Chinese energy, and it’s all about sexual potency, and even beauty—if your hormones are balanced, your skin will look better. It’s a holistic combination of things, where one benefit builds to another. Jade also takes away negativity and cleanses—it’s a very heavy material, very powerful.

Q

What about the tradition, history, and story of it resonated with you?

A

My imagination goes a little nuts, imagining these concubines in ancient Chinese temples, secretly running the country through the jade eggs! It’s funny, that the eggs started as a way to please the emperors and they turned out to be so empowering for any woman who used them—kept them feeling and looking youthful, connected them to their inner power. They didn’t have things like bioidentical hormones in those days—this was an incredible, secret practice that benefited everybody. I was curious about how the royal families kept it secret for so many eons. I also love the Taoist practice that involves taking in the energy from the egg, imagining energy filtering up through the yoni, up through the spine, out through the top of your head, and a practice of trying to keep that energy above your belly button, like a star of energy for yourself.

Contemporary rituals are great, too: I went to a beautiful women’s forest gathering in Northern California—we did a jade egg ceremony out under the redwoods—it was amazing.

Q

What were your expectations when you tried it? Did you have hopes for it, skepticism, or just an open mind?

A

I found myself frustrated in the beginning when I didn’t feel things happen right away—it takes around a month of daily use to really start perceiving the results. Now, of course, I miss it if I don’t do it; I’ve become much more sensitive.

I got divorced 8 years ago, then had a break-up after that, so the idea of clearing my energy made a lot of sense to me. I loved the idea that since we use our brain, why not use this area of our body, one that’s about giving life, where we hold so much of our intuition and wisdom?

I didn’t expect it to help with my hormones to the extent that it did: I became much more regular, much more balanced.

Q

Is there an age or type of woman that benefits most?

A

Once sexually active, women of any age respond to the egg—who doesn’t want their muscles more toned, their libido and lubrication increased, and their hormones balanced? People definitely use them differently—for instance, some women sleep with the egg in, but some women feel too much energy from the egg for that long a stretch. Either way, for any age, the key is regular, daily practice.

Q

What results have you seen? How quickly did they come? Have other results unfolded over time?

A

After about a month, I really saw a difference in my cycle. I’d had hormone imbalances, and the jade egg made my whole cycle much, much more regular.

One friend said her lover really noticed a (positive) change, and you definitely do discover a lot of positives in that vein! Really, you get better connected to the power within you: We are so powerful as women, and we forget that, and this is a gateway to really get in touch with it. We have this whole space we can access to shift our energy and transform ourselves.

And, this is a weird one, but I sometimes feel people are more attracted to you when you’re carrying a jade egg—my 20-year-old daughter was joking about it one day, we were walking down the street and she was like, “Mom, are you wearing a jade egg?!”

Q

How is it different from say, a regular Kegel practice?

A

There are similarities; one of the things I learned through this practice, though, is that a lot of women (including me, originally) are doing kegels wrong: It turns out you can overdo it and the Kegels can end up working in reverse! So the idea with the jade egg and Kegels is you need a rest period. You tighten your muscles, of course, but the key is, you then have to relax, fully. In the West, we often have that more-is-more attitude, and we end up not taking the breath we need between the Kegels.

You learn in this practice that the yoni is divided into three floors, the entrance, the middle zone, and the cervix. As you work with the egg, you start to perceive and understand the different zones. You use your finger, and you’ll be able to feel the different floors and the impact the egg practice has on them.

Q

How do we start?

A

When you first get your egg, boil it for a few minutes to make sure it’s clean. It’s your sacred space, so it’s like making sure your feet are clean when you enter a temple. For me, it’s not just about physical cleansing—you can put it out under the light of a full moon to cleanse or recharge it like a crystal, or you could burn sage—the egg does absorb energy, so really clearing it when you first get it is a great thing to do.

Before I insert an egg, I’ll do a ritual: I place it on a beautiful piece of fabric, light a candle, maybe even burn some sage. For my ritual, I imagine pure light flowing between me and the egg.

Then I think it’s important to set an intention, as you would in meditation, before putting the egg in. It’s first and foremost about clearing energy and cleansing, so your intention could be about releasing past relationships, or medical issues, childbirth—anything.

Specific instructions come with each egg, explaining exactly how to insert it: Use your finger, and don’t get discouraged—remember, it’s a practice. If you stand up and the egg falls out, don’t worry—it’s totally normal. It’s recommended that you start with a medium-size egg, which is heavier. I can only use the medium lying down; I can sleep with it, or I just do the practice lying down. The smaller size is for standing up, but most experts say it’s important to start with the harder one, which is the medium.

Always wrap the egg in silk, keep it clean, and store it on an altar—it should take a sacred place in your life.

Q

Can the egg get stuck or lost?

continued next post

GeneChing

01-13-2017, 01:07 PM

A

This is the most common question I get—no, it can’t get lost, but these ones have a hole drilled in them, which you can then thread with unwaxed floss, to make it easier to take out, and to generally ease any anxiety about it—which, I’ll tell you, a lot of people have!

Q

Are there people who shouldn’t use jade eggs?

A

If you’re on your cycle, don’t use it. If you’re pregnant or use an IUD, it’s super-important to check with your doctor before you use one. Some people say it can be useful in preparing for childbirth, but again, definitely consult a doctor in that situation.

Q

There are specifications about where the egg needs to be from, how it’s been treated—can you explain a bit about that?

A

The most important thing, just like when you’re buying a crystal, is to be careful where you get it from. Nephrite is a specific type of jade—it’s the most powerful, the most clearing, the traditional one used by women in ancient China, and the best to start with. It comes from Canada or sometimes Australia, and it’s a darker jade, deep green, almost black. The egg will get lighter in color, with use; if you feel like it’s been drained of energy, recharge it in the full moon just the way you would a crystal.

Nephrite jade is associated with cleansing, health, abundance, beauty, longevity, and healing for the heart. Really insist on nephrite jade—there are a lot of imposters and weird stuff on the internet that isn’t even actually jade.

The other egg people will use is rose quartz, which is more gentle, and brings in more love energy. But the jade is the most powerfully cleansing; go with the jade first, always. Then when you’re more practiced, you can use rose quartz to bring in love and heal wounds, in a gentler way.

https://d2adyl8yz1ff2n.cloudfront.net/spree/images/attachments/000/012/505/xlarge/jade-egg.jpg?1484212151

Shiva Rose
JADE EGG (https://shop.goop.com/shop/products/jade-egg)
$66.00
Yoni eggs, once the strictly guarded secret of Chinese concubines and royalty in antiquity, harness the power of energy work, crystal healing, and a Kegel-like physical practice. Jade eggs’ power to cleanse and clear make them ideal for detox, too. “This particular jade, nephrite jade, has incredible clearing, cleansing powers,” says Shiva Rose; “It’s a dark, deep green and heavy—it’s a great stone for taking away negativity—and it’s definitely the one to start with.” (Read the whole story—plus a Q&A with Shiva Rose herself—here.) Fans say regular use increases chi, orgasms, vaginal muscle tone, hormonal balance, and feminine energy in general. Shiva Rose has been practicing with them for about seven years, and raves about the results; we tried them, too, and were so convinced we put them into the goop shop.

Please be sure to follow the instructions included with your egg.
Jade
Width: 1.2"; Height: 1.7"

https://d2adyl8yz1ff2n.cloudfront.net/spree/images/attachments/000/012/525/xlarge/jade-egg-rose.jpg?1484212927

Shiva Rose
ROSE QUARTZ EGG (https://shop.goop.com/shop/products/rose-quartz-egg)
$55.00
Yoni eggs, once the strictly guarded secret of Chinese concubines and royalty in antiquity, harness the power of energy work, crystal healing, and a Kegel-like physical practice. This rose quartz egg, like an energy-clearing magic crystal, is ideal for people who’ve seen results with the Jade Egg and want to take their practice a step further. Rose quartz “brings in love energy,” says Shiva Rose; “you can use rose quartz to bring in love and heal wounds, in a gentler way.” (Read the whole story—plus a Q&A with Shiva Rose herself—here.) Fans say regular use increases chi, orgasms, vaginal muscle tone, hormonal balance, and feminine energy in general. Shiva Rose has been practicing with them for about seven years, and raves about the results; we tried them, too, and were so convinced we put them into the goop shop.

Please be sure to follow the instructions included with your egg.
Rose quartz
Width: 1.2"; Height: 1.7"

More on Gwyneth here: Gwyneth & Moon Juice Sex Dust (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69410-Gwyneth-amp-Moon-Juice-Sex-Dust)

GeneChing

01-24-2017, 11:02 AM

Hold the phone...Canada gets a jade temple and we get a converted auto shop? (RE: The Temple and the Auto Shop By Gene Ching (with Joan Chien and Chi Chien) JAN+FEB 2009 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=797))

Electra Stone (TSX-V: ELT) Electra Selected to Supply BC Jade for Shaolin Temple Construction (http://finance.yahoo.com/news/electra-stone-tsx-v-elt-193300973.html)

Accesswire Accesswire January 23, 2017

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2017 / Electra Stone Ltd. (ELT.V) (44E1.F) ("Electra" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an arrangement with the Shaolin Zenwu Cultural Centre ("Shaolin"), whereby Electra has been selected as a primary supplier of BC nephrite jade for the construction of a new Shaolin temple in the lower mainland. Construction of the Shaolin temple is expected to begin in the second half of 2017.

"Electra is honored to be chosen as a premier supplier of BC Jade to the Shaolin group. The Shaolin brand is one of the most recognizable in the world and we are very excited to be working with them as we showcase the beauty and versatility of BC Jade to the world," commented John Costigan, President & CEO of Electra.

Under the terms of this arrangement, Electra will supply all jade within the quality, quantity, and dimensions requested at competitive market prices to the Shaolin. A 3000 kg block of BC nephrite jade has been donated by Vancouver Jade Mining Inc. as a show of good fortune and friendship to the Shaolin. For more information on the Shaolin Zenwu Cultural Centre, please visit www.shaolintemple.ca.

About Electra Stone

Electra Stone Ltd. is building a vertically integrated public Nephrite Jade mining, manufacturing, and marketing company. Electra is focused on the development of Architectural and Dimensional jade products, along with international market growth and trade of Nephrite Jade from British Columbia into Asian markets, with a specific focus on China.

For further information and sales enquires on Electra Stone Ltd., please visit www.electrastone.com.

Or contact: Tyler Lowes at tyler@electrastone.com or call 604-620-8589.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

"John Costigan"

President and Director.

Forward-Looking Statement

This document contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information is provided as of the date hereof and is based on current expectations, including, but not limited to timing of mineral resource estimates, future exploration or project development programs, and the impact on the Company of these events. We assume no responsibility to update, or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law. For a detailed list of risks and uncertainties as it relates to Electra Stone Ltd., please refer to the Company's 2015 financial statements filed with SEDAR.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

SOURCE: Electra Stone Ltd.

Shaolin Zenwu Cultural Centre (http://www.shaolintemplecanada.com/)

GeneChing

02-06-2017, 09:20 AM

There's a vid if you follow the link.

Global Issues
Feb 4, 2017 12:00 AM ET
The Devastating Human Cost Of Jade (http://www.seeker.com/the-devastating-human-cost-of-jade-2238054485.html)
In China, jade has long-been prized for its durability and beauty, but what are the hidden dark realities surrounding the milky green gem?
BY TRACE DOMINGUEZ

Known as the "Emperor's stone" in China, jade is not only prized for its beauty and durability, but is also seen as a reflection of health and strength, purity and virtue. For over 9000 years, the milky green gem has been deeply ingrained in Chinese art and culture. To the Chinese, jade is worth more than its monetary value. One popular saying goes, "Gold is valuable, but jade is priceless."

Nowadays, a single green amulet can fetch tens of thousands of dollars or more. Jade remains a cherished gemstone in China, and the country's demand for it is booming. While jade mines in China have long-been depleted, the country has sought the treasured stone in other places, turning primarily to Myanmar. While jade represents luxury, luck and well-being for the Chinese, for the impoverished jade miners in Myanmar, the ornamental stone possesses a much darker underbelly.

Jade exports account for half of Myanmar's GDP, but the mining system is corrupt and freelance miners suffer due to lack of safety measures, few profits and exposure to drugs and hardship. Seeker Stories partners with Minzayar Oo, a photojournalist who has been documenting the issue for three years, to understand more of the dark realities surrounding jade, showing that sometimes luxury comes with hidden costs - costs paid for by others.

GeneChing

04-14-2017, 02:41 PM

Cambridge Fitzwilliam stolen jade 'lost for generations', expert says (http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-39126667)
14 April 2017

https://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/660/cpsprodpb/0066/production/_88520100_jade_pa.jpg
A gang got away with 18 Chinese artefacts, which could be "lost for generations", an expert has said

Efforts to trace £57m-worth of Chinese artefacts stolen from a Cambridge University museum five years ago have proved fruitless, police said.
Thieves broke into the Fitzwilliam Museum on 13 April 2012 and escaped with 18 mainly jade items but since then there has been no trace of them.
Despite the passage of time, the museum remains hopeful of their return.
But an art expert believes the objects have been sold into China and could take generations to resurface.
A number of people were jailed for their roles in the Fitzwilliam robbery and other raids on museums and an auction house across the UK.
While items including a rhino head and Chinese artefacts were retrieved and returned, none of those from the Cambridge museum was ever found.

https://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/9BFE/production/_88443993_88443992.jpg
Glass display cases were smashed as the thieves stole artefacts from the Cambridge museum

"Artwork is either recovered very quickly, or the thieves realise what they've got is radioactive, and it goes underground for a generation or more," Christopher Marinello, founder of Art Recovery International, said.
With the Fitzwilliam artefacts registered on a number of art databases including Interpol and Artive, any dealer exercising due diligence would realise the items are stolen "and that's how they might be located", he said.
Because the theft was so widely publicised, Mr Marinello believes the Fitzwilliam jade has "gone underground", most likely traded among criminals, perhaps for drugs or weapons.

https://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/2390/production/_88440190_jade_comp1.jpg
The items were stolen in April 2012

While Cambridgeshire Police have confirmed the case is still open, the force is not looking for anyone else in connection with the theft.
The Fitzwilliam remains hopeful its jade will be found and returned, a spokeswoman said.
However, lawyer Mr Marinello, who specialises in recovering stolen artwork for museums, churches, insurance companies and private clients, thinks the museum could be waiting some time.
"I believe the Fitzwilliam jade has made its way to the top market for it in the world - and that's China," he said.
"I think they're in Chinese collections and until someone perhaps dies and the next generation decides to sell, I don't think we'll see them for quite a while."

A sad story that we may not live to learn the ending.

GeneChing

07-05-2017, 07:47 AM

Tourist faints after breaking expensive bracelet (http://en.people.cn/n3/2017/0628/c90000-9234362.html)
(Shanghai Daily) 14:52, June 28, 2017

http://en.people.cn/NMediaFile/2017/0628/FOREIGN201706281452000532206602650.jpg

A woman fainted in a jewelry shop after accidentally breaking a 300,000 yuan (US$44,117) bracelet.
The female tourist from Jiangxi, was trying on an expensive bracelet at a jade shop in Ruili, Yunnan Province, on Tuesday. When the salesperson made the woman aware that the item was priced at 300,000 yuan, she quickly took it off. Unfortunately, her hand slipped and the bracelet fell on to the ceramic tile floor, breaking it into two pieces.

http://en.people.cn/NMediaFile/2017/0628/FOREIGN201706281453000063345679838.jpg

The shopper panicked, despite being comforted by the store’s staff, and eventually fainted.
Several customers in the shop rushed to her aid. One of them brought the woman back to consciousness, after several moments, by nipping her philtrum, which is the vertical groove in the middle area of the upper lip.
Emergency medical staff arrived at the scene to check her health and found she had no serious physical injuries.
There has been no agreement made to compensation for damage to the bracelet.

"nipping her philtrum" <- pinching would've been a better verb than nipping.

GeneChing

08-29-2017, 10:31 AM

5B Myamar Kyat = $3,684,574.610 USD

K5 billion Jade Cave to open in December (https://www.mmtimes.com/news/k5-billion-jade-cave-open-december.html)
PHYO WAI KYAWHLAING KYAW SOE 29 AUG 2017

The construction of a K5-billion Jade Cave is almost completed and will open to the public next December, according to construction supervision team leader U Khin Maung Gyi.
The Jade Cave, in which everything is made of jade, is located in the compound of Werawsana jade pagoda in Sin Ywa Myin Mhu village, Amarapura township, Mandalay Region. It is 223 feet long, 13 feet wide and 15 feet high. The construction work started in December 2016.

“The jade pagoda board of trustees’ chair U Soe Naing donated 300 tonnes of jade, cement and iron for the construction of the Jade Cave. Including the handicraft inside the cave, the total cost exceeds K5 billion. With extra work, it may have cost between K7 and K10 billion,” said U Khin Maung Gyi, who is also in charge of finances, on August 26.

The decorations include two jade dragons at the entrance of the cave, one at the exit, 10 Jatakas, jade flower inscriptions, bracelets, kitchenware in fruit shapes, a display of a jade-miner’s life, 20 teak pillars which weigh a tonne each, and much more, all carved out of jade.

“Jade merchants can study which type of jade is produced in which area. Moreover, we plan to exhibit paintings that describe Myanmar’s handicraft pottery, gold embroidery and loom industry in Amarapura. Rubies, which have been collected by the chair for 10 years, will also be exhibited. One distinct item on display is the relic of Mogoke Sayadaw, donated by a devotee,” said U Khin Maung Gyi.

People wishing to visit the Jade Cave will be able to stay at the guest houses that were constructed next to the pagoda thanks to donation money.

David Jamieson

08-30-2017, 06:14 AM

my parents acquired some sculpture from my grandparents. 4 pieces in particular are jade, both white and green. The craftsmanship is remarkable. NO idea on value. They are 19th and early 20th century pieces though. The biggest being a Kwan Yin sculpture about 10 inches high.

Anyway, they are lovely. :)

GeneChing

09-27-2017, 09:48 AM

There's a vid if you follow the link.

The Rohingya situation is dire.

Is Myanmar's jade business driving ethnic tensions? (http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/countingthecost/2017/09/myanmar-jade-business-driving-ethnic-tensions-170918123952524.html)
How Myanmar's jade trade, land grabs and vested economic interests contribute to what the UN calls "ethnic cleansing".
19 Sep 2017 07:46 GMT Business & Economy, Myanmar, Rohingya, China

Over the past few weeks, nearly 400,000 people escaping violence in Myanmar's eastern state of Rakhine have streamed into Bangladesh, creating a humanitarian crisis. The UN Security Council has condemned the violence against the Rohingya people, calling it "ethnic cleansing".

A report by Global Witness suggested that natural resource exploitation, especially the country's billion-dollar jade business, may also be playing a part in the country's religious and ethnic tensions.

Myanmar has some of the largest and best quality jade reserves in the world.

According to a report by Global Witness, the country's jade industry was worth $31bn in 2014, which is as big as half of Myanmar's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2014. But none of that money is reaching ordinary people.

Instead - the report said - the sector is secretly controlled by networks of military elites.

While there are about 100 big mining companies operating in Myanmar, they are controlled by only 10 or 15 owners, according to the report. Among those cited as the major beneficiaries of the lucrative trade are former and current government and military officials.

"Myanmar's jade licensing system is wide open to corruption and cronyism. The main concessions are in government-controlled areas of Hpakant Township, Kachin State, and blocks are awarded through a centrally-controlled process which multiple industry sources say favours companies connected to powerful figures and high-ranking officials. In the words of one jade businessman, 'if there is a big hat involved [in a bid], they will surely get it'," the report stated.

Most stones are smuggled across the border to neighbouring China. According to Chinese government import data, gemstone imports from Myanmar were worth $12.3bn in 2014, while other unofficial estimates were much lower.

As one of Myanmar's most precious resources, "jade is inextricably linked to the conflict in Kachin State. Watching licensed companies controlled by their worst enemies gobble up their natural inheritance is a source of simmering resentment amongst the Kachin people. As some put it, 'the tree is in our garden, but we are not allowed to eat the fruit'," the report stated.

Paul Donowitz, a team leader at Global Witness, spoke to Al Jazeera's Hazem Sika about "probably the biggest natural resource heist in modern history" and the relationship between jade and conflict.

Al Jazeera: Is there a connection between the jade industry and what's happening now with the Rohingya community?

Paul Donowitz: You have to take a step back and understand the context. The military in Myanmar has an outsized role in politics, the economy and the social life of the country by virtue of the Constitution which guarantees it 25 percent and a veto-proof standing to change the Constitution. Also, the military controls key sectors of the economy and by virtue of this special status, the military really remains outside of civilian control. The civilian government can't hold the military accountable for any actions or abuses it commits against ethnic people, including the self-identified Rohingya.

Al Jazeera: Myanmar is a resource-rich nation - oil and gas being among them. There are pipelines being built right now to connect Myanmar to China. These projects claim to benefit the whole country with employment, transit fees, oil and gas revenues, but are they doing that?

Donowitz: There's an offshore gas field that's been built and oil and gas pipelines to transport Myanmar's gas and foreign oil to China. Instead of providing jobs ... and spurring the economy, what we've seen is they've created resentment among local people who feel they're not deriving benefits from these projects.

There's issues around land grabs, displacement, and in fact, we're seeing now another mega-development project and economic zone up in Rakhine State that's fuelling additional resentment. So, these megaprojects - which in theory could provide benefits to local people - are having the opposite impact and are really only furthering distrust to the central government and the military and further marginalising local people - which is not helping the situation in Rakhine at present.

GeneChing

10-11-2017, 11:58 AM

Mining is such a hazardous vocation.

Jade miner, 18, shot dead in Hpakant (https://coconuts.co/yangon/news/jade-miner-18-shot-dead-in-hpakant/)
By DVB Oct. 11, 2017

https://coconuts.co/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/miners-960x540.jpg
A crowd of miners gathers at the 111 mining firm’s site entrance, where they are confronted by police officers on October 8, 2017. PHOTO: Zaw Min Thet

A freelance jade miner died of a gunshot wound in Seik Mu village tract in Hpakant, Kachin State, on the morning of October 8, following a confrontation between miners and police.

Sunday’s fatal incident occurred after a crowd of freelance miners – who eke out their livelihoods by scavenging for scraps of jade at open-face pits – gathered at the site entrance to protest the temporary closure of the mine by its contractors, the 111 mining firm.

“The company relented on Sunday morning and opened the gates, allowing the miners to surge inside,” said Shwe Thein, the chairperson of the NLD chapter in Seik Mu village tract. “Some are saying that the special police unit guarding the site on behalf of the mining company began firing warning shots into the air as the crowd was too big to control.

“A young man was shot in the leg. The bullet plowed straight through his thigh. He died on the way to Myitkyina hospital.”

The deceased was named as 18-year-old Zin Lin Oo from Minkin Township in Sagaing Region.

According to Officer Tun Aung of Seik Mu police station, the local police force has investigated the incident and passed the case on to Hpakant police station, which is responsible for proceeding with any legal action.

Zin Lin Oo is the latest casualty in a series of violent episodes and controversies at the jade-rich mines in the Sagaing and Kachin regions. In May, four miners were shot dead and seven seriously wounded when security forces opened fire on freelance miners who had been barred from scavenging for jade scraps at a site in Khamti Township, Sagaing Region.

Observers say the jade mining business in the region is uncontrolled and largely lawless. However, it attracts thousands of migrants hoping to get lucky scavenging for jadeite. The mines have also spawned a sub-culture of drug addiction, gambling, prostitution, and other underground activities.

GeneChing

12-22-2017, 01:01 PM

There are more pix. I only c&ped a few...

Werawsana Jade Pagoda (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/werawsana-jade-pagoda)
The tower claims to be the world's only pagoda made entirely from Myanmar's lucrative gemstone.

https://assets.atlasobscura.com/media/W1siZiIsInVwbG9hZHMvcGxhY2VfaW1hZ2VzL3RreGxqcGY4dm U5ZDY1MGNiNjNkM2YwYzEwNDJmX0lNR18wMDcxLkpQRyJdLFsi cCIsInRodW1iIiwiOTgweD4iXSxbInAiLCJjb252ZXJ0IiwiLX F1YWxpdHkgODEgLWF1dG8tb3JpZW50Il1d/IMG_0071.JPG
https://assets.atlasobscura.com/media/W1siZiIsInVwbG9hZHMvcGxhY2VfaW1hZ2VzL2FwNDh3ZWh6ZG ZoZDY1MGNiNjNkM2YwYzEwNDJmX0lNR18wMDgxLkpQRyJdLFsi cCIsInRodW1iIiwiOTgweD4iXSxbInAiLCJjb252ZXJ0IiwiLX F1YWxpdHkgODEgLWF1dG8tb3JpZW50Il1d/IMG_0081.JPG
https://assets.atlasobscura.com/media/W1siZiIsInVwbG9hZHMvcGxhY2VfaW1hZ2VzL2htY2MwZ2Jtdz V3ZDY1MGNiNjNkM2YwYzEwNDJmX0lNR18wMDg0LkpQRyJdLFsi cCIsInRodW1iIiwiOTgweD4iXSxbInAiLCJjb252ZXJ0IiwiLX F1YWxpdHkgODEgLWF1dG8tb3JpZW50Il1d/IMG_0084.JPG

The Jade Pagoda. ALASDAIRMC (ATLAS OBSCURA USER)

From atop its square base within a thicket of gardens, the Werawsana Jade Pagoda towers alongside an expressway. It’s hard to miss the kaleidoscope of gemstones that gleams from its every inch.

The entire pagoda is made from jade. According to Myanmar’s government, it’s the first pagoda in the world constructed solely from the precious stone. It’s a fitting choice of gemstone, as Myanmar produces almost 70 percent of the world’s supply of jadeite, a type of jade.

Work on the monumental structure began in 2012 and didn’t finish until 2015. Even before construction started, a jewelry trader named U Soe Naing spent about 25 years collecting and stockpiling all the jade. He had to gather over 11,000 tons of the stones to build the pagoda.

A series of chambers for praying and making merit ring the roughly 75-foot-tall structure. The exterior walls are inlaid with arrays of carved amulets, sculpted leaves, and inscriptions. There are also carved jade footprints of Buddha, where devotees and pilgrims can leave monetary donations.

In combination with the Jade Market in Mandalay, this is really the best place to see excellent examples of the stone used within the context of Buddhism. This site is a must-see on the itinerary of gem enthusiasts. Friends will turn jade-green with envy when they see your gleaming snaps.

GeneChing

01-18-2018, 03:37 PM

Jade sales fetch nearly $300 million (http://www.elevenmyanmar.com/business/13142)
Submitted by ttwin on Mon, 01/15/2018 - 19:14
Writer: Nilar

http://www.elevenmyanmar.com/sites/default/files//styles/large/public/field/image/111mmk_1.jpg?itok=yTOMDC8a
Jade lots displayed for sale

Myanmar earned over US$290 million (389.8 billion kyat) from jade exports up to the first week of this month in 2017-2018 fiscal year. Sales were down by over $210 million compared to the same period of last FY, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
Last year’s sales for the period were $404, compared to $291 this fiscal year, said Khin Maung Lwin, assistant permanent secretary of the ministry.
However, sales at the latest emporium were not included in the latest tally, he said. Gems and jade were sold at the emporium. “Yet, the list has not come to us,” said Khin Maung Lwin.
The country mines jade on a commercial scale in Lonekhin and Hpakant regions, along with ruby in Mogok and Mongshu regions and sapphire and other kinds of precious stones in Moetok.
The 54th Myanmar Gems and Jade Emporium was held from August 2 to 11 last year, fetching sales of 6,561 jade lots including one of 12 million euros, along with 326 lots of gems.
The 12-million-euro jade lot weighed 64 kilograms.
The First Yangon International Jewellery Expo was held at Lotte Hotel in Yangon on January 11.
During the event, Yangon Region Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein said his government would help to establish a large jewellery market in Myanmar where international gem merchants could make easy trades, according to a statement released by the regional government.
He stressed the need to improve the quality of production and establish quality control procedures, as the international community has great interest in Myanmar’s gems and jewellery

The Myanmar Gems and Jade Emporium is probably pretty rockin'. :p

GeneChing

08-31-2018, 12:05 PM

Given the economic success of PRC lately, I've been expecting this.

Why young collectors are falling under the spell of China’s age-old jade love affair (https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2158134/why-young-collectors-are-falling-under-spell)
History of mineral used in ornaments, jewellery and tools once reserved only for emperors revealed in book by Hong Kong jade enthusiast Michael Liu
BY LEE HILL-CHOI
7 AUG 2018

https://cdn2.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/landscape/public/images/methode/2018/08/07/d47841fa-8674-11e8-99b0-7de4d17a9c3a_1280x720_111208.jpeg?itok=FL2mNRQp

In Chinese history, no other mineral has been as prominently admired as much as jade.

It has been used in ornaments, jewellery and tools and such was its allure that at one stage jade was it was reserved only for the use of royalty.

https://cdn4.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/08/07/317eb142-8a38-11e8-8608-b7163509a377_972x_111208.jpg
Jade collector and author Michael Liu signs a copy of his book, ‘In Pursuit of Fine Jades: Ming Court Belt Plaques’, during its launch.

Michael Liu, an avid collector of jade plaques, who has published the book, In Pursuit of Fine Jades: Ming Court Belt Plaques, says that there are two different kinds of jade: jadeite and nephrite.

THE ONE THING ABOUT COLLECTING AND LOOKING AT ANTIQUES IS THAT YOU ARE ALWAYS LEARNING – YOU ALWAYS FIND SOMETHING NEW
TSANG CHI-FAN, HEAD OF CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, CHRISTIE’S HONG KONG

The jade plaques featured in his book are usually made of nephrite and only highly ranked Chinese government officials and the emperor himself were allowed to wear them during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644).

Jade jewellery enters the spotlight as creative forms find wider appeal

In the past these jade plaques became a sign of one’s status, as well as acting as a sort of ID card for those who were permitted to wear them.

Some of these plaques, on closer examination, reveal details of history.

One such green jade belt plaque, pictured below, for example records a traditional children’s game.

https://cdn1.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/08/07/78e8df6a-8675-11e8-99b0-7de4d17a9c3a_972x_111208.jpeg
The Chinese green jade belt plaque called ‘Moxiayu’, which depicts children playing a traditional ’groping for fish’ game

Liu’s fascination with jade started as a child when his mother, who is also an avid admirer, began taking him to look for nice pieces of jade jewellery at Yue Hwa, the Chinese products retailer, in Hong Kong’s Jordan district.

“She would shop for three to four hours and I would be a little bit bored, sitting on my own, and just watching [her] talk and look at things,” Liu said.

Little did he know that this was the start of his growing appreciation of jade.

Tsang Chi-fan, head of Chinese ceramics and works of art at Christie’s Hong Kong, is the person who introduced Liu to some of Hong Kong’s best jade dealers.

It sparked an interest that was the inception of his book, which features his own personal collection of jade pieces.

https://cdn3.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/08/07/d47841fa-8674-11e8-99b0-7de4d17a9c3a_972x_111208.jpeg
Animals, including fish – which symbolise wealth and fortune – are a popular theme in Chinese jade carvings.

Pieces of jade owned by Liu, who is a member of the prestigious Min Chiu Society – a private group of Hong Kong art connoisseurs who are devoted to enhancing the appreciation of Chinese art – have featured in exhibitions and renowned museums including the Hong Kong Museum of History and the University of Hong Kong’s University Museum and Art Gallery.

His book, part of a series of jade books dedicated to the study of beautiful jade objects in ancient China, examines jade belt plaques worn by emperors, imperial family members, and senior officials during the Ming dynasty (1368-1688).

https://cdn4.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/08/07/47980210-8675-11e8-99b0-7de4d17a9c3a_972x_111208.jpeg
A white jade belt plaque, featuring two rabbits below two swastikas flanking the Chinese character ‘Shou’ – a combination that was a birthday greeting reserved for emperors – which was excavated from Emperor Wanli’s Dingling mausoleum on the outskirts of Beijing.

Tsang said: “The one thing about collecting and looking at antiques is you are always learning – you always find something new, you always find something that you thought ‘Oh, I haven’t thought about [that]’.

“You always discover new things that will change your whole understanding. Sometimes it can be quite revolutionary.”

Jade – once considered an accessory of choice for older Chinese people – is now drawing new interest among younger people.

Tsang said the number of younger people now flocking to auction houses in the hope of adding jade objects to their own collections was on the increase.

https://cdn3.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/08/07/ae4f55e0-8674-11e8-99b0-7de4d17a9c3a_972x_111208.jpeg
Intricate jade carving started in China about 6,000 years ago.

Jadeite jade is a highly prized collectible item these days because it is not found naturally in China and only limited supplies exist.

This type of jade was first imported into China from Burma – now called Myanmar – only 200 years ago during the Qing dynasty (1644–1911).

Tsang said: “Nephrite jade is native to China, so the Chinese have been carving this type of jade for the past 6,000 years, but they have been carving jadeite only for the past 200 years.”

https://cdn3.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/08/07/e9a0ef3c-8674-11e8-99b0-7de4d17a9c3a_972x_111208.jpeg.
A Chinese jade belt plaque with the carving of a dragon, which is a symbol of the emperor and the heavens.

However, this does not necessarily mean one kind of jade is more valuable than the other.

Tsang said before jade started to be seen as a symbol of power, it was carved as a way of communicating with higher beings.

As such, jade represented not only status, but also the spiritual philosophy of ancient China.

GeneChing

09-17-2018, 07:51 AM

Gigi, our Publisher Emeritus, has always kept these in her desk.

Jade rollers: how the West fell for Traditional Chinese medicine-inspired facial beauty tool that’s old hat to many in China (https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/2164492/jade-rollers-how-west-fell-tcm-inspired-facial-beauty-tool)
Lauded for their supposed ability to tone, de-puff and brighten facial skin, jade rollers are a hit with Western beauty bloggers and celebrities like Meghan Markle and Rachael Ray – but not with their Chinese counterparts

PUBLISHED : Monday, 17 September, 2018, 7:17pm
UPDATED : Monday, 17 September, 2018, 8:07pm
Jessica Rapp

https://cdn3.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/980x551/public/images/methode/2018/09/17/6865ca4c-a9c8-11e8-8796-d12ba807e6e9_1280x720_182300.jpg?itok=Zad-84bq

Paraded as one of the simplest solutions to facial perfection, the jade roller has swept across Western social media like wildfire. From top beauty bloggers and vloggers to celebrities including Meghan Markle and Rachael Ray, all swear by the ancient Chinese tool for its ability to tone, de-puff and brighten facial skin.

In China, things are a lot different. The jade roller is not a new fad, but a centuries-old device with properties based around ideas in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

“During the Qing dynasty, emperors used the power of jade to draw out negative ‘chi’ [energy],” explains Misty Stewart, spa director at the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong. “Jade rollers have been considered a long-guarded treasure by Chinese royalty. In Chinese medicine, jade is referred to as the ‘stone of heaven’ and represents health, wealth, longevity and prosperity.”

Unlike their Western counterparts, Chinese beauty bloggers are not gushing over the ancient derma rollers and sending followers to e-commerce sites to buy their own. In China, rollers can be found atop hawkers’ dusty tables in front of tourist sites like the Forbidden City, which is where Beijing resident Hellen Shen found hers a number of years ago.

https://cdn3.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/09/17/48862b22-a9c8-11e8-8796-d12ba807e6e9_972x_182300.jpg
A jade roller sold by New York’s Ling Skin Care chain.

Shen says at first she simply thought the tool was beautiful, and it mostly sat in her room unused. Later, she saw one of the characters in a popular Chinese television drama, Empresses in the Palace, using a jade roller, and it inspired her to use it more often. She now keeps it in her fridge to enhance the jade stone’s natural cooling properties and uses it to massage facial oil into her skin, using gentle, circular motions.

New York-based facialist Ling Chan, who grew up in Hong Kong, has a theory as to why jade rollers blew up in the US.

“The internet spreads ideas very quickly, and everyone wants to learn beauty secrets from Asia,” she says. “Plus, it’s easy to get and to use. It’s such a low investment that everyone can do it.”

https://cdn4.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/09/17/94cfef9a-a9c8-11e8-8796-d12ba807e6e9_972x_182300.jpg
Jade rollers to be used in a facial treatment

Compared to the often pricey single-use face masks that K-beauty is known for, and hi-tech Japanese facial massagers available at Saks Fifth Avenue, the jade roller certainly stands out for its affordability. One can cost as little as US$10 on Amazon (and they can run even cheaper on Taobao), but Ling warns that consumers should make they are getting real jade. She sells her own version of the roller for US$90, which she says is priced for its quality – for one, the metal does not squeak on the stone when rolled.

https://cdn1.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/09/17/ee0a727a-a9c7-11e8-8796-d12ba807e6e9_1320x770_182300.jpg
Ling Skin Care branch in New York.

Chan introduced the tool at her Ling Skin Care outposts in Manhattan after first coming across one at a tourist site during a trip to China.

The jade roller treatments are popular for people that prefer a natural alternative to technology MISTY STEWART
Sceptics argue that the roller is no more than a massage tool that possibly helps drain lymph nodes and has anti-inflammatory properties. Chan, however, is so set in her belief in jade that she uses the stone in her other daily routines as well. In 2002, she even made headlines for sleeping with a 9-inch by 15-inch (23cm by 38cm) jade pillow.

But despite its accessibility, is the jade roller just another 24-carat gold Korean beauty mask or unicorn body scrub for millennials?

Celebrities in the beauty and wellness industry are always looking for the next all-natural, accessible, DIY fad. Lifestyle brand Goop, for example, which drew criticism for promoting jade eggs to improve sexual health, is now touting derma rollers made from rose quartz – a crystal associated with love in feng shui – that are supposed to have similar soothing effects on the skin as jade.

https://cdn4.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/09/17/51993506-a9c8-11e8-8796-d12ba807e6e9_1320x770_182300.jpg
An antique jade roller

Meanwhile, facials based on the principals of gua sha – a TCM-based detoxing technique that involves repeatedly scraping the skin with a smooth, blunt instrument – have recently appeared. Performed to cure breakouts or relieve dryness, the process involves dragging a slim slab of jade or rose quartz across the skin of the face.

Back in China, jade is being injected into spa packages in the form of luxurious, traditional Chinese experiences as more spas embrace a combination of both modern and traditional wellness techniques. The Chi Spa at Beijing’s China World Summit Wing hotel, for example, offers an “Empress Imperial Jade Journey”, a three-hour full body scrub and massage, topped off with a jade facial.

https://cdn2.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/09/17/fac08748-a9c7-11e8-8796-d12ba807e6e9_1320x770_182300.jpg
Interior of the spa at the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong.

Stewart says the “Imperial Jade Ritual” at the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong spa – which features jade roller facials – is one of their most popular. The two-hour service starts with a herbal compress and reflexology to open meridian energy lines, then moves on to a Chinese-style massage followed by a sesame and ground-rice scrub, and then a green tea and algae body mask. It finishes with a ginseng face mask massaged in with jade rollers, “ensuring equilibrium in mind and body”.

“The jade roller treatments are popular for people that prefer a natural alternative to technology,” Stewart says. “Many guests of ours have bought jade rollers at our retailer after the treatment so they could continue to use them at home and enjoy the benefits.”

Chan, however, believes millennial Chinese consumers are not going to be flooding their WeChat Moments feed with the tool any time soon.

“Every Chinese consumer knows the benefits of jade, but they love to look to the West for inspiration,” she says. “Consumers in China are constantly chasing the trends on the other side of the world.”

THREADS
TCM and Beauty Tips (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70370-TCM-and-Beauty-Tips)
Jade (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69261-Jade)

GeneChing

12-18-2018, 05:07 PM

A THIEF STOLE A JADE NECKLACE FOR A MILLION POUNDS AND SWALLOWED ALL 40 BEADS (PHOTO) (https://sivpost.com/a-thief-stole-a-jade-necklace-for-a-million-pounds-and-swallowed-all-40-beads-photo/1533/)
magictr | December 18, 2018

https://sivpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/3105b61aa6c05ac0b23a37987b27bd07.jpg
Вор украл нефритовое ожерелье за миллион фунтов и проглотил все 40 бусинок (ФОТО)

A resident of China tried to steal a jade necklace worth £1 million, swallowing one after the other 40 beads to remain uncaught. 49-year-old man surnamed HOU stole jewelry from a jewelry store, pretending to be a buyer. The suspect asked to see the stones in natural light, then went outside and ripped a necklace.

https://sivpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/f0f0fa335bbc20023e91881bdb6a9ae4.gif
Вор украл нефритовое ожерелье за миллион фунтов и проглотил все 40 бусинок (ФОТО)

https://sivpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/73584b10caf5b939bd7a1e230062de5a.jpg
Вор украл нефритовое ожерелье за миллион фунтов и проглотил все 40 бусинок (ФОТО)

According to police, the man had an accomplice — a 24-year-old girl surnamed Zhou. Together they were pretending to be buyers interested in buying the necklace. During the week, they came to a jewelry store in Guangdong province. The day of the crime the couple came at 11 am, and the man asked to look at the decoration in the daylight. The girl was left inside with the girl.

Once Howe went outside, ripped the necklace and swallowed all the beads. Store employees called the police, and robbers almost immediately caught, however, jewelry is not found. Then police decided to send the suspect for an x-ray.

Now the man was previously tried for the theft of jade jewelry, remanded into custody. Half of the beads have already been transferred to the police, the second half is still inside Howe.

Earlier 27-year-old from Kiev was caught stealing cable.

What a dumb plan. :rolleyes:

GeneChing

01-17-2019, 02:56 PM

I gave out some jade rollers as stocking stuffers for xmas. They are all over SF Chinatown, and like anything there, prices and quality really varies.

Wellness
Jade rollers: Wrinkle-fighting wonder cure or pointless (yet pretty) sham? (https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/jade-rollers-wrinkle-fighting-wonder-cure-or-pointless-yet-pretty-sham/2019/01/11/712c3e9e-1373-11e9-b6ad-9cfd62dbb0a8_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.656336e7775a)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/resizer/EPgjM-JzfVHnTzhgWwj24w1QjYE=/1484x0/arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/B3SGNFQUF4I6TK3ZGDGU66JG6I.jpg
(iStock)
By Elizabeth Kiefer January 14

When I was a kid, my grandmother kept a clean metal spoon in the refrigerator. If her allergies would act up — or whenever she felt like her under-eyes were puffy — she would pull the cold spoon out and roll the rounded back beneath her eyes, for 30 seconds each. It’s a cheap, easy beauty hack I regularly use myself these days. It is also a comparable yesteryear version of today’s jade roller craze.

For the unfamiliar, a jade roller is pretty much what it sounds like: a hand-size, paint-roller-like apparatus with a cylinder of jade stone at one end. Jade rollers are said to have been a part of beauty routines among Chinese elites since the Qing dynasty, which began in the early 17th century; people who associate stones with certain properties claim jade has a special ability to heal and soothe.

Flash forward a few hundred years: In 2018, jade rollers were all the rage on Instagram, beloved by beauty bloggers across the globe. Their popularity can be attributed to their position at the intersection of two trends: increasing interest in both self-care and “natural” wellness products. You can acquire a jade roller for $12.99 on Amazon.com or $40 at Sephora; if you prefer rose quartz, that’s an option, too — for $45 on Goop.com.

Some evangelists claim that the rolling motion of the stone on your face can help clear toxins and decrease puffiness, while others assert much loftier results: that regular use of jade rollers can erase wrinkles, stimulate collagen, tighten pores and potentially improve inflammatory skin conditions. They’re often touted as an “anti-aging” tool (a phrase some beauty circles, such as Allure magazine, have banned).

In reality, explains Suzanne Friedler, a Manhattan-based dermatologist, jade rollers are about as effective as any form of facial massage when done correctly. “Any time you massage any of the tissues, you’re increasing circulation. Your skin may look brighter, more luminous, maybe more contoured and less puffy,” she says. “But if you’re looking for substantive change, that’s not going to happen with the jade roller. It’s also not going to have an effect on inflammatory conditions like eczema or psoriasis.”

Susan Bard, a dermatologist with Manhattan Dermatology Specialists, says that people need to be wary about the potential for jade rollers to transmit bacteria — if you’re not disinfecting your roller, you may wind up doing more harm than good — and about overly aggressive usage. “The coldness of the stone can certainly help reduce puffiness. But the drawbacks are if you rub too vigorously, you can actually aggravate acne or create irritation.” She agrees that using a roller regularly can have some skin-deep benefits, but adds that it’s not the jade itself that’s the special ingredient.

The heart keeps our blood moving throughout the circulatory system at a regular clip. But lymphatic system fluid — which contains white blood cells and plays an important role in protecting the body from germs and disease — flows more slowly and can be helped along manually. Massage in any form can decrease puffiness by helping to move retained fluid (known as lymph) out of areas where it has gotten stuck, Bard explains. Meanwhile, coldness, from a stone or even a metal spoon, can decrease inflammation by causing blood vessels to contract.

Elizabeth Taylor, owner and lead aesthetician of True Beauty Brooklyn in New York, regularly incorporates manual lymphatic drainage into her facials. There are upward of 300 lymph nodes (essentially, checkpoints where lymph gets filtered for infection) in the face and neck, Taylor says; facial massage can help get the lymph moving and drained away. In turn, that can make your face look more contoured and give your skin that sought-after glow.

The good news is that you can also pull this off on your own: Using a face oil, serum or a silky face wash, pinch your thumb and forefinger together and, starting from the center of your chin, gently push backward along your jawline a few times. Then, place your ring finger next to your inner eye and, with light pressure, trace a half circle underneath your eyes, up to the temples. Finally, place the tips of all 10 fingers in the center of your forehead and draw your fingers outward. At the very least, the massage itself feels great.

If you do see an extra glow or reduced puffiness, don’t get too excited. “These are all temporary results,” Friedler says. Facial massage — with a stone or otherwise — is not a magical cure for all your skin complaints. Claims that using a jade roller helps stimulate collagen — the main structural protein of the skin — lack veracity: According to Friedler, the only way to do that is to traumatize the collagen with laser treatments, acid peels or retinoids.

Bard supplied one more caveat for anyone hopping on the “natural skin care” bandwagon. “There are natural things that do have benefits, like aloe, and there are natural things that you wouldn’t want to put on your face — like poison ivy. Just because something has been around for a million years doesn’t mean it’s the best option. Scientifically proven products are always the best ones to go with.”

THREADS
TCM and Beauty Tips (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70370-TCM-and-Beauty-Tips)
Jade (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69261-Jade)

GeneChing

03-27-2019, 11:36 AM

Christie’s Auctions Qing Dynasty Jade Washing Bowl for US$3 Million (https://www.barrons.com/articles/christies-auctions-qing-dynasty-jade-washing-bowl-for-3-million-01553291451)
By Fang Block March 22, 2019 5:50 p.m. ET

https://asset.barrons.com/public/resources/images/ON-CX833_jade_G_20190322174010.jpg
A greenish-white jade Twin Fish washer imperially inscribed sold for almost US$3 million during Christie's Asian Art Week sale. COURTESY OF CHRISTIE'S

A greenish-white jade “Twin Fish” washer (or washing bowl) from China’s Qing Dynasty fetched US$2.9 million after eight minutes of spirited bidding during a live auction at Christie’s New York on Wednesday evening, far surpassing its presale high estimate of US$1.5 million.

The collectors’ strong interest in the item not only lies in its quality and history—the washer was inscribed and sealed in 1786 by Emperor Qianlong who reigned from 1735 to 1796—but also its significant provenance: It was offered for sale from the private collection of Florence and Herbert Irving, the namesakes of the Asian Art Wing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Although the buyer behind it wasn’t identified, the Irving Collection was especially appealing to Chinese buyers, says Jonathan Stone, co-chairman of Christie’s Asian Art.

“This kind of provenance is really important to Chinese collectors,” he says. “It’s hard to quantify, but certainly in a qualitative sense, they add a great deal of credibility.”

The Irving collection achieved another extraordinary price during Christie’s day sale Thursday, when a pale green jade carving of a mythical animal “pig-dragon” was hammered down for US$2.295 million, more than 300 times its presale high estimate of US$7,000.

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Live auction of jade Twin Fish washer at Christie's on the evening of March 20. COURTESY OF CHRISTIE'S

Highlighting Christie’s Asian Art Week sale this week, the approximately 400-piece Irving Collection realized a combined total of US$31 million, with 97% sell-through rate and seven lots fetching over US$1 million.

Curated Asian art sales at Christie’s global offices in New York, London, Geneva, and Hong Kong, offer a great opportunity to showcase Asian arts in the international market, Stone says.

While Asian buyers still dominate this market, there’s continued genuine interest from international buyers, he says, adding that the Asian Art Week in New York has registered bidders from Asia, Europe, the U.K., and the Americas.

Overall, 90% of Christie’s Asian Art Week sale were Asian buyers, according to Francis Belin, president of Christie’s Asia, who traveled from Hong Kong to assist the sale. “The results are very strong, with top lots seeing depth in bidding,” he says.

In 2018, Asian buyers’ spending accounted for 25% of Christie’s US$7 billion in total global sales in 2018. Sales in Asia total US$815.4 million, up 8% from 2017, according to Belin.

While Japan has been witnessing a renewed interest in collecting, the number of Chinese buyers has exploded since the 2008 financial crisis, Stone says. “What is quite phenomenal is the speed by which Chinese buyers become so sophisticated and extremely informed about the art market.”

Their buying is not restricted to Asian art or Chinese art, there is an increasing appetite for non-Chinese arts, largely but not uniquely European modern and impressionist art, and 20th century art, Stone says.

“At Christie’s, we are committed to taking the best international arts to China, and taking the best Chinese arts to the international market,” Stone says.

Christie’s is the only foreign auction house that is allowed to host sales in China, which debuted in Shanghai in 2013, according to Stone. In addition, it also established a gallery in Beijing in 1996.

I'm waiting for a jade axe or sword to come up for auction.

THREADS
Chinese antiques (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70813-Chinese-antiques)
Jade (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69261-Jade)

GeneChing

08-28-2019, 06:44 AM

Jade-Rollers now has its own thread (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71451-Jade-Rollers) independent of the TCM and Beauty Tips (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70370-TCM-and-Beauty-Tips) and Jade (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69261-Jade) threads.

Wait—Do Jade Rollers Actually Do Anything for Your Skin? (https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/wait-jade-rollers-actually-anything-215100916.html)
Cosmopolitan
Brooke Shunatona
Cosmopolitan August 23, 2019

https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/lNQ4yZj_AmbxdsY54ZQGeA--~A/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjtzbT0xO3c9ODAw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/cosmopolitan_438/51835072c73e459f2891fc24472ec69e
Photo credit: Jeffrey Westbrook/Studio D Stylist: Alma Melendez

From Cosmopolitan

Depending on who you ask, jade rollers are the be-all and end-all of skincare tools… or they're just a pretty decoration for your vanity. So what's the truth here? We turned to Sandra Lanshin Chiu, founder of the holistic healing studio Lanshin in Brooklyn and expert in Chinese medicine dermatology, and Melissa Kanchanapoomi Levin, M.D., dermatologist and founder of Entière Dermatology in NYC to answer the perennial question, "Should I buy this or will I be mad I wasted my money?" Keep on scrolling to find out what they had to say.

Do jade rollers actually work?

Wellll, that really depends on what your goal is here. Are jade rollers the magical cure-all for your acne breakouts and wrinkles, like some make it out to be? Sorry to disappoint, but no. Jade rolling can, however, reduce puffiness temporarily by increasing lymphatic drainage, according to both Chiu and Levin. As far as improving product penetration, that's where they differ. While Chiu says it can help, Levin says there's really no science to back that up. All that's to say, if you don't expect any miracles and you like the way it smooths on your products, then yeah, jade rolling might work for you.

Is a rose quartz or jade roller better?

~Technically~ jade rollers are made with (you guessed it) jade stones, but you've likely seen other gemstones used in face rollers, like rose quartz. So can you just pick yours out based on the color you like or will it make a difference? According to Chiu, the stone doesn't really matter. "Variations in the type of stone won’t effect results," she says. "The key is good technique plus consistency."

Should you use a jade roller after moisturizer?

Though it might not work to push the products any deeper into your skin, jade rolling 100 percent feels better when performed after moisturizing. To get the skin properly hydrated beforehand, Chiu suggests first spraying a hydrating mist or applying an alcohol-free toner and gently patting it into the skin. Then, smooth on a hydrating serum, followed by your hydrating mist again. To lock it all in, finish with a few drops of a natural face oil, and you're ready to rock and roll (and, no, I'm not even a little bit sorry for that pun).

How do you use a jade roller?

Let me guess—you got your jade roller, did a couple haphazard strokes across your face, and called it good, right? While that might feel good and everything, there is a proper method and reason for jade rolling, so let's take sec to go over that first. As Chiu describes it, "Jade rolling is a simple technique derived from ancient Chinese Medicine using a roller to apply pressure to the skin and underlying tissue, creating movement beneath the surface." Jade rolling is kinda like foam-rolling your face, though it definitely isn't as painful as working through tight muscles on your body. In fact, if it hurts, you're def doing it wrong.

So what is the right way to use a jade roller? Hint: not like a paint roller on a wall. Instead of pushing the tool back and forth and in every which way, Chiu says to work in specific directions depending on what you're trying to target. After hydrating your skin to prep, follow her steps for face rolling, below:

Neck: Start with the neck to open channels of circulation. Place the roller in the back at the top of your neck, and roll downwards along the sides. Then, move to the front and roll from the jawline down to the collarbone.

Cheeks: Place the roller in the middle of your face, and push it outward toward the sides.

Forehead: Roll from your hairline down to your eyebrow. Then, take the roller between your brows and pull it horizontally towards your temple and repeat on the other brow.

Eyes: Gently roll horizontally from the outer corner of your eye toward the inner corner and repeat on the other eye.

How often should you use a jade roller?

It's important to note that the results won't last forever, so to see any effects, you'll have to keep it up. Chiu suggests using your jade roller on a daily basis and whenever you do your skincare routine.

Should I keep my face roller in the fridge?

As nice as it might feel to glide ice cold stones across your puffy face, Chiu says they generally avoid using cooler temps to treat the body in Chinese medicine. "Although a cold roller can feel nice, cold contracts circulation and the actual purpose of rolling is to increase circulation," Chiu says. "I encourage everyone to focus on good rolling technique, rather than on the gratifying feel of a cold tool."

One exception: Both Chiu and Levin say that if you're experiencing allergies or a sunburn, a cool jade roller can help soothe the skin. Chiu suggests first washing the tool with warm, soapy water to get rid of any product that could exacerbate the skin reaction, then gently roll over the affected area with a cold roller.

Final Thoughts

Jade rolling is a good first step for anyone interested in natural skincare, but if you're looking for a tool and technique for a more sculpted look, Chiu suggests Gua Sha, a similar but different technique used in Chinese medicine, instead.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7xTVUAHy7I

In other words, jade rollers aren't the magic wands they're sometimes touted to be. Will they overhaul your skin? That's more myth than truth, but they feel really freakin' good and make an otherwise mundane skincare routine much more fun—and that, my friends, is fact.

GeneChing

01-08-2020, 07:50 AM

Tons of Giant Nephrite Jade Discovered in Canada (http://www.geologyin.com/2016/12/the-giant-nephrite-jade-road-in-canada.html)
Geochemistry, Geology, Mining 2:57 PM

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The Polar Pride boulder—called “the find of the millennium” by trade experts—was discovered in Canada. The 18-ton boulder was split in half for carving. Courtesy of Jade West Group.

Jade is a commercial term encompassing green, white, black or yellow-brown material that consists either of Na-rich pyroxene (jadeite) or prismatic to acicular amphiboles of the tremolite-actinolite series that form bundles that are randomly oriented and interlocked (nephrite).

Nephrite is tougher (harder to break) than jadeite material. Its fracture strength is about 200 MN/m2 whereas that of jadeite is about 100 MN/m2. On the other hand, jadeite material is harder (7 compared to 6.5 on the Mohs scale).

Jade In British Columbia

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Jade was first identified in Canada by Chinese settlers in 1886 in British Columbia. At this time jade was considered worthless as they were searching for gold. Jade was not commercialized in Canada until the 1970s. The mining business Loex James Ltd., which was started by two Californians, began commercial mining of Canadian jade in 1972.

There are over fifty known nephrite occurrences in British Columbia. These are located in the Cassiar, Cry and Dease Lake, and Mount Ogden areas, as well as in Southern British Columbia. These occurrences consist of individual blocks, boulder fields, talus blocks, and in situ occurrences. Most of the in situ occurrences are lens or cigar shaped.

They occur at or near the contacts of ultramafic/mafic rocks (mainly serpentinites) with cherts, and other metasedimentary or igneous felsic rocks of oceanic terranes such as the Cache Creek (Mississippian to Jurassic) and Slide Mountain (Devonian to Permian) terranes. These contacts are commonly interpreted as shear/fault related. In general, it is believed that the British Columbia nephrite formed by metasomatic exchange between ultramafic and silicabearing rocks. Impurities in the nephrite are spinel group minerals (chromite, magnetite, picolite), diopside, uvarovite, titanite, chlorite and talc.

Until the 1960s, almost all of the nephrite produced in British Columbia came from secondary deposits. With the rapid expansion of amateur lapidary activity after World War II, production in British Columbia’s jade fields picked up and they became the most important suppliers. About the same time, markets opened up in Germany and the Orient. Mining activity gradually depleted the secondary deposits, but increasing values led to further exploration. These efforts uncovered primary deposits adjacent to the Fraser River area in southern British Columbia, the Mount Ogden area in central British Columbia, and the Cassiar jade fields in the far north. Today, British Columbia is the main supplier for the China market.

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Nephrite in British Columbia. Photo Credit: e-NetworkAssociates. com

Jade West Group, founded in 1981, is the biggest player in green nephrite mining and trading in British Columbia. Kirk Makepeace, the company’s founder, is an avid promoter of the stone. He started with a summer job as a jade driller.

Nephrite mining in British Columbia is very challenging. Winters are long and harshly cold, and deposits are remote, so mining can only happen during the short summer season, about 60 days a year. Almost all of the secondary deposits are exhausted, so current mining is almost all from primary deposits. Transporting the heavy equipment to the mining sites is backbreaking work.

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Nephrite Mined In British Columbia Canada

Jade West uses diamond-coated circular and wire saws and modern high-pressure hydraulic splitters to remove the nephrite from the mountain and saw it into pieces of a manageable size. Nephrite’s excellent toughness makes it extremely difficult to break out of the rock. While blasting had been used in the past, Jade West no longer uses explosives.

Nephrite deposits range from 12 inches to 12 feet wide. The wider deposits are very challenging to quarry. Nephrite boulders on the surface sometimes reach weights of 200 tons and are rarely under 100 pounds, but Jade West tries to limit the weight of its boulders to five tons, which is a reasonable size for them to mine, handle, and transport on trucks to the nearest town, about 100 miles away. The average weight is two tons, a size that satisfies most of the carving factories in China.

From jade rollers to jade boulders.