There are many forms of jade stone, of which its soft green form is perhaps the most prominent and pricey one. However, another form of jade called black jade has gained popularity and praise for its natural powers and abilities. Even the ancient Mayan, Chinese, and Aztec civilizations have used it.
Black jade is a potent psychic protection stone known to deter evil eye and physic or energy attacks. Once the meaning and properties of this stone are known, it is believed that the knower can overcome any challenge and attain the purpose. This is perhaps because black jade is also the stone of vision and success. Let’s know more about this stone.
To get the best benefit of black jade, it is usually a good idea to wear it. The black jade bracelet is the most popular choice.
What is Black Jade
A black jade or black jadeite is essentially a type of jade containing dark minerals such as black hornblende jade and omphacite jade, along with graphite and iron oxide. Two types of black jades exist, namely, nephrite jade and black jadeite. Thus, when it is the matter of black color in jade, it is the only jade that has both nephrite and jadeite.
Black jade refers to a glossy jadeite jade with a bizarre black color, ranging from jet black to dark green. The color black is originally dark green inside, but the presence of iron oxide makes it black.
Meaning
Jade, as the English term, is associated with piedra de ijada, a Spanish phrase that refers to loin stone. The term was first introduced in the 16th century, as the stone was known to assist in healing different medical conditions related to kidneys or loins. The gemstone has a rich, diverse history and folklore.
Today, black jade refers to a general term indicating both jadeite and nephrite. Chemically, the name jade is shared by noticeably these two minerals. Jadeite refers to sodium aluminum silicate, while nephrite or nephrite jade refers to calcium magnesium silicate. The word nephrite is derived from the Latin translation of the same Spanish phrase from which Jade comes.
Both these minerals tend to look identical, but they differ in terms of compositions, densities, crystal formations, and hardness. Jadeite and nephrite are remarkably tough crystals with the same look and have valuable metaphysical properties. Both of them also have a fine grain. These similarities make it quite difficult to distinguish between the two. Thus, these days, they are recognized by the same name.
As both appear quite similar, they were not technically discriminated as two minerals until the latter half of the 19th century. Nevertheless, expert Chinese craftsmen had observed for a long time that some Jade variations, especially those from Burma and Myanmar, are denser and harder, are easier to carve, and are sophisticatedly polished.
This black jade is the favored choice of stone masters and is now known as jadeite. It can be available in other colors as well, apart from black. All other jades are termed nephrite.
Black jade, if obtained from Peru, is known as midnight Lemurian or shadow black jade by the metaphysical community. Lemuria is a lost continent that was once thriving in between the Indian and Pacific oceans.
This Lemurian jade is dotted with other minerals such as quartz and pyrite. These inclusions result in two colors, greyish or greenish ones are called shadow Lemurian jades, and black ones are termed midnight Lemurian jade.
Black jade means or represents self-control, wisdom, protection, and power. Broadly, the stone expresses social, financial, personal, and spiritual prudence. Its power is such that it can purify the negative energies to keep all negativity at bay.
The meaning of black jade also is safety and protection. It beckons the powers of several goddesses such as the goddess of justice (Maat), three goddesses of fate (Moirae), goddess of mercy (Kuan-Yin), and goddess of Earth and fertility (Bona Dea).
Unlike green jade whose meaning is love, black jade means psychic protection. It helps in manifesting the powers of lower chakras to awaken the energy of the life force and connect with Mother Earth.
Properties
Physical Properties
Black jade is a metamorphic rock. Its nephrite jade form is the outcome of contact metamorphism. This metamorphism takes place when an igneous invasion dislocates the existing rocks, and the invasion’s heat and pressure cause them to soften, liquefy, and recrystallize.
This results in new minerals and converts rocks into metamorphic ones. Nephrite specifically exists if the original rock was limestone rich in magnesium, which became marble due to the metamorphic process.
Nephrite jade is typically seen as small sheets and rocks. It features a waxy sheen on its smooth polished surface and is more abundant in nature than its counterpart jadeite. Both are available in a variety of colors, including black but jadeite is harder and more lustrous than nephrite.
The black color in them comes from the inclusions of fine particles of iron oxide, black hornblende, and graphite. In reality, black jade is a very deep green stone, but it looks black due to the high amount of iron. This is the reason why you can spot a bit of green hue upon looking at a genuine black jade stone.
This hue is visible mostly via any portion of the jade, which could be transparent when exposed to light. Such transparency is typically realized in the edges that seem to radiate a very dark green color. As most of these stones are very black, it may not be possible to see through them.
In short, black jade is fundamentally a dark form of multi-colored jade. Thus, black is not a true color but is the result of the absorption of all colors, a feature that makes this stone a symbol of power.
A genuine black jade has perfect cleavage, a massive crystal system, dull to waxy luster, white streak, brittle fracture, and opaque to translucent transparency. On the Moh’s scale, its hardness ranges from 6.5 to 7. This hardness level of the semi-precious stone is relatively harder than other stones.
Metaphysical Properties
In any form, jade is cherished most for its metaphysical properties. Black jade is considered an etheric defender and protection stone. It is known to attract potent energy guards for your body and also for your mind and heart.
The stone seems to defend you against negative entities, including people who weaken your energies. It is also believed that the stone protects one against the negative energies’ morphogenic fields, such as fear and violence, that come from various mediums at the time of chaos and crisis.
The stone is also believed to be a great companion for those who start looking inward. It is known to aid a candid self-evaluation while transforming harming emotions.
It also encourages a sovereign way of living with physical restrictions, just a bloodstone. By wearing it, one can live a contented and active life. It acts as a reminder not to give up your dreams only due to unfavorable circumstances.
Black jade also helps in promoting reverence in your home and motivating you to speak with love and respect but as per what is in your mind and heart. With this stone, you can get assistance in striking a harmonious balance, particularly if the people with whom you live are dominating or strong. You can even expect moral strength at the time of speaking good words to them while preventing you from being influenced by a clever, praiseful, but subtly deceitful speech.
Many experts consider black jade as an ideal stone to overcome feelings of guilt and discard your self-defeating stances. It can also help you in discarding the extreme wish to change yourself to become someone you are not suitable to fit in with. By using this stone, you will feel motivated to think for yourself and make your opinions rather than simply following the popular ones.
As a delightful dream stone, black jade aids in reaching the spiritual world and getting insights from good as well as bad experiences. Apart from boosting creativity, the stone aids in resolving problems through your dreams.
Tagged as the ultimate dream stone and cherished in ancient cultures for its spiritual powers, the stone is also used as a protective talisman to ensure calmful death and long peaceful life. It is regarded as an amulet of friendship and good fortune.
The stone is also known to motivate aspirations as well as impact confidence and self-reliance in you to make them occur in reality. By strengthening your connection with nature, also instills strength and power to make you get rid of anxieties and fears.
Where to buy Black Jade
Usually Etsy or Amazon is a good idea. Etsy is the leading online global marketplace of handmade, vintage, and creative goods. Amazon is one of the largest global online marketplaces. Both of them are reliable and easy to find your favorite items there.
Black Jade in jewelry uses
The dark black appearance of black jade makes it an ideal candidate for use in inlay jewelry. As this gemstone is soft and not that hard, it lasts longer only when used in jewelry that it will not be hit or banged often. Shrewd jewelry designers tend to restrict the use of this semi-precious stone to hair accessories, pendants, necklaces, and earrings.
However, you can easily find black jade anklets, rings, and bracelets too although there is a likelihood of harm if abused in any way. For example, they may break even upon falling.
Where does Black Jade come from
Nephrite and jadeite are the two black jade forms available across the globe. However, black nephrite is rarer than the abundantly found nephrite. It comes from Wyoming (U.S.A.), Peru, Canada, and Australia.
South Australia is known for its big deposits of black nephrite. These Australian versions have inclusions of some plant matter due to which they reflect attractive wavy patterns or have dendritic additions.
On the other hand, black jadeite is found in Guatemala and Burma.
How much is Black Jade worth
Many gemstone and crystal fans ask whether black jade is valuable or not. Well, it is! The fact is that black jadeite is costly; whereas, nephrite black jade is not that expensive. The reason why black jadeite is costlier than the other variety is its discerning quality of being harder and having a mellow luster.
Both of these characteristics are lacking in nephrite jade. Moreover, black jadeite is rarer than the commonly found nephrite jade. This makes it even pricier.
Usually, jade is amended into cabochons so that they can be used in accessories including jewelry. This means that the stone is polished instead of faceted. This makes jade more valuable, especially when it is proportional, symmetrical, and thick as well as when there are no flaws or imperfections that are tangible to the naked eye.
Further, the dome shapes should be uniform with no unevenness or flat spots. It is also possible to cut jade into round beads that are subsequently matched to others having analogous hue and saturation so that they can be laced together.
Considering the difficulty in getting beads of an alike color, larger beads with long strands are likely to be very valuable. Bracelets or bangles cut from a single piece of jade are also very expensive.
It is a fact that imperial emerald jade is perhaps the costliest jade form. When compared to it, the price of black jade is relatively less. The exact price depends on the quality and size of the stone. Better quality and a bigger size mean a more expensive product.
Today, the most commonly sold black jade in the market is nephrite jade. This is because it is hard to find jadeite of high quality.
How to identify Black Jade
Okay, you may have just brought a piece of new black jade and wish to know whether it is a genuine one or not. So, how do you find that out? Well, it is easy. There are two simple tests to perform.
You can simply conduct a light test to spot its green hue. Just hold the stone in light and look for a green hue around the edges. If you spot it, know that it is a real black jade. You can try this out even at the store itself before buying jewelry or the stone itself.
Just keep in mind that black jade is mostly nephrite jade (jadeite is rare and expensive), it will glow green under bright light. This is because it still belongs to the greenstone family.
Another way to identify a black jade stone is the warm-up test. To perform this standard test, you only need to hold the stone in your hand and touch it for a few seconds to make it warm. Once this happens, set the stone aside for a couple of seconds and then again take it into your hand. If it has cooled in a couple of seconds, it is a real jade.
Ideally, you should perform both tests so that you are assured that the stone is a real black jade gemstone.
The best combination to use with Black Jade
Black jade is believed to improve the user’s physical health, the credit for which goes to its healing properties. To enhance these properties, you can consider combining black jade with a few crystals or stones such as sapphire, turquoise, lapis lazuli, jet, fluorite, chalcopyrite, dolomite, malachite, stichtite, moss agate, and Himalaya red azeztulite. When used with malachite, the stone aids in appreciating your dreams and desires better.
You can boost the powers of the stone by using it with black tourmaline, fire agate, rose quartz, ametrine, black obsidian, ruby, bloodstone, peach aventurine, emerald, smoky quartz, cuprite, and kyanite. If you use it with one of these stones, the black jade can be more effective.
If you wish to get rid of anger as well as come out of angry feelings easily, consider combining the stone with green calcite, blue lace agate, rose quartz, larimar, or black spinel. Some more combinations can even aid you in getting rid of fear and coming out of continued distress due to negativity.
Some stones are known to release fear, such as Tigers eye, moss agate, black obsidian, rhodonite, and purple scapolite. You can use one of them with black jade to come out of fear.
These anti-fear stones are known as ideal psychic protection stones that, when worn on the body, can be extremely helpful. This is because they are known to work by averting intrusion of any kind of negativity into your field of energy.
You may choose to use one of the protection stones, especially when you need that extra help during an unwanted psychic attack. These powerful protection stones include fire agate, black diopside, black tourmaline, black obsidian, black spinel, and black andradite garnet.
Some more stones to use while facing a psychic attack are Maori greenstone, cookeite, tantalite, and pyrolusite. They work by generating a subtle fence around you to keep the negative impact of such an attack away.
Final Words
Jadeite and nephrite, which are two unique minerals, are generally called jade. Their black variations are known as black jadeite and nephrite black jade. The color inside is not black but green, although the more oxide content results in a black look. The jadeite form is rarer, harder, denser, and more expensive than the nephrite form. No matter which of the two black jades you get, you can expect power, protection, self-control, and wisdom.
