Jade Dragon

Buying Asian Antiques especially in the area of jade antiques is not only a great investment; it is a beautiful endeavor and will keep you out of the recession at the same time.

Now is a good time for starting your Asian Jade Antique Collection. When buying Asian Japanese and Chinese antiques, keep in mind that you need to purchase from state-run, well-known, large shops and confirm whether the antiques you are purchasing are authentic.

You will be able to tell that the antiques you are purchasing are authentic because these will usually have a seal made of wax which proves they are authentic. According to Asian Chinese laws, antiques before the year seventeen ninety-five are not allowed to be exported and ideally, you need to keep the receipt of your purchase to show to the customs officials at the airport when leaving China.

When starting your jade collection, keep in mind that these days, only 2 stones are thought to be real jade. This includes Old Jade, also known as Jade Nephrite which weighs six up to six-and-a-half on the Mohs scale. Jade antiques are a great addition to your collection as these increase in value and can help save you from the recession as a result.

Some beautiful jade antiques you might like to collect include jade amulets, carvings, jewelry such as earrings, bracelets, brooches and pendants and small statues. Many Buddha statues made of jade and combines sometimes with silver are also very popular among collectors.

A beginning collector may want to begin with smaller pieces and move on to more elaborate pieces later on. There are also lamp stands and antique telephone stands that are made of jade as well as vases. Keep in mind that as an investment, jade’s value increases and often set record-breaking prices.

Also known as ‘yu’ in Chinese Mandarin, jade is more precious than diamonds or gold. In Asian folklore, the value of jade is more than the fact that it appreciates in value. Jade is considered a spiritual substance and the ‘stone of heaven’ in ancient literature of the Chines.

Jade Fisherman

In other words, gold is seen as something of high value, whereas ‘yu’ is seen as priceless. A smooth hard stone, jade has a surface of luster of a smooth, hard stone that contains variations of color. Highly collectable today, Chinese jade necessitates being investigated before you buy.

In China, jade is viewed by the Chinese very differently compared to other semi-precious stones. They see jade has holding a high honorable place. As a matter of fact, when you tried to get help from your ancestry in Ancient China, you went to a place where the names of your ancestry were done in inscription form in tablets of jade.

They believed that this semi-precious stone was the mystical bridge between heaven and their prayers. Jade is attributed with many powers and is believed to be used as an amulet to ward off evil and to bring good luck. Others also believe that jade has powers of healing.