Large 10mm Sapphire Blue Mashan Jade Beads

Product Code: nor828

Availability:In stock

Price is per 15-inch string of about 40 beads to the string. Mashan Jade is really Dolomite Marble - although dyed, the colour is fixed. Beautiful colour & sheen.

For 5,000 years Imperial China used the word "jade" as something precious. Because jade is said to have all the attributes most valued in society. A symbol of purity and serenity, it is delicate, but will not break - is beautiful, but not impermanent, it can be flawed with lines, but still pleasing.

Chinese jade first arrived in the West during the sixteenth century, brought from Canton by the Portuguese. Today jade continues to be a symbol of love, virtue, and status. With Chinese carvings reaching the highest value. The best jade has a waxy, pearly appearance. Feeling cool and so smooth, it seems soft to the touch. Yet hard enough that pressure from a sharp knife will not leave a mark.