How to spot fake jade
Bought jade on a livestream — or about to? Run these checks first. They’re the same things an appraiser looks for, written plainly so you can use them before you spend a dollar. No sign-up, no catch.
First, the only word that matters: Type A
Type A
Natural, untreated jadeite. Only the surface is waxed. The only grade with lasting value — and the only kind we sell.
Type B
Bleached with acid and impregnated with polymer resin to fake clarity. Looks good briefly; degrades over time.
Type C
Dyed to fake colour. The green isn’t the stone’s own — and it fades. Worth a fraction of Type A.
Every check below is really answering one question: is this natural Type A, or has it been treated, dyed, or faked?
The checklist
- 1
Ask for the certificate — and verify the number
Genuine Type A jadeite from a serious seller comes with an independent gemological certificate. Don’t accept a grade by word of mouth — ask for the certificate image, then cross-check the certificate number on the issuing lab’s website. No certificate, or a refusal to show one, is the single biggest red flag.
- 2
Look at it under transmitted light
Shine a light through the stone (a phone torch works). Natural jadeite shows a fibrous, interlocking texture — like tightly felted fibres. Treated (Type B) jade that’s been resin-filled often looks unnaturally clean and glassy, sometimes with a faint resin “glow” and a network of fine acid channels. Ask the seller for a transmitted-light video; if they won’t film one, walk away.
- 3
Check for dye sitting in the cracks
In dyed (Type C) jade, colour concentrates along fractures and between grains rather than sitting evenly through the stone. If the green looks like it was “painted” into the cracks, or is suspiciously uniform and vivid, treat it as dyed until proven otherwise.
- 4
Inspect the surface up close
Under magnification, acid-treated (Type B) jade can show a pitted, “orange-peel” surface where the structure was etched. Real, untreated jade polishes to a smooth, dimpled surface that follows the natural grain. Bubbles, swirl lines, or a perfectly flawless “too good” clarity often mean glass or plastic, not jade.
- 5
Listen to the sound (gently)
Tapped lightly against another piece of genuine jade, real jadeite gives a clear, bright, almost metallic chime. Glass and plastic sound dull and flat. It’s a supporting clue, not proof — and never risk chipping a piece you don’t own to test it.
- 6
Feel the temperature
Jade feels cool to the touch and warms slowly. Plastic warms up almost immediately in your hand. On its own this is a weak signal — useful alongside the others, not a verdict by itself.
- 7
Be honest about the price
Top-colour, translucent Type A jadeite is rare and expensive. A vivid “imperial green” bangle for a few hundred dollars is almost certainly treated, dyed, or fake. If the price feels too good to be true for the colour and clarity you’re seeing, it is.
Livestream red flags
Most fake-jade horror stories start on a fast-moving livestream. These are the warning signs to bail on a sale:
- High-pressure “only one left, buy now” urgency that leaves no time to inspect.
- No certificate shown — or a certificate flashed too fast to read the number.
- Lighting and filters that make colour pop on camera but never a plain, transmitted-light shot.
- “Factory direct” or “mine direct” claims with no paperwork to back them.
- No clear return policy, or “all sales final” on an unverified piece.
- Seller dodges the question when you ask “is this Type A, and can I verify the cert?”
What a video can’t tell you
Be honest with yourself: these checks stack the odds in your favour, but no one can certify a stone from a phone screen. Acid treatment and resin fills can be subtle, and a good camera hides a lot. The only definitive answer is an independent lab test. That’s exactly why every piece we sell is certified before it’s listed — so you never have to rely on a guess.
Skip the guesswork
Every piece in our collection is already lab-certified and filmed in transmitted light — the checklist, done for you.