Jade is difficult to evaluate because there are so many enhancement techniques, such as dyeing, and resin filling, not to mention that there are hundreds of simulants, stones that look like jade but are not jade.

Based on this knowledge it was interesting when Nicole came in with a jade ring to ask what it may be worth. She said that she was planning to give it to a friend and wanted to know what she was giving.

The ring was inherited from her grandmother and she thought it was ugly. The jade was about 3/4″ in length and a 1/4″ in width. It was rectangular in shape and shaped with a ridge going across the top. It was not a very nice looking shape.

The ring was in 14K white gold old-fashioned design. Also not very pretty.

The color of the jade on the other hand looked fantastic. It was a beautiful apple green color and shiny as hard candy.

We told her that by the look of the jade she may want to reconsider giving it away for the jade may be worth a lot. We suggested she get an appraisal for confirmation from a gemologist.

She took our advice and had an appraisal done. What she found out astounded her. The jade, it appears, would be valued between $10,000 to $20,000, depending on the whether it was sold in the West or the East because orientals would place a different value on it than westerners.

Needless to say she kept the ring.

Russell Oshita, the diamonddude

The Diamond Specialists Inc.

Diamonds Hawaii