False Jade

Abstract

Innocently mistaking some other mineral substance for jade is always possible; then, too, individuals sometimes purposely use less valuable materials to deceive unwary buyers. Jade has many plausible imitations and substitutes, almost all of which are green or near green (since stone of this color is more easily mistaken or accepted as a plausible replacement for true jade). Some of the substitutes match the real thing so closely that even jade experts must be very careful when identifying samples and almost always rely on complicated tests when any doubt exists.