Jade has long been regarded as a treasure to the Chinese, being deeply rooted in their culture as the stone for gods and emperors. For thousands of years, it was thought to be a source of good luck, strength and protection, with the jade bangle said to be one of the most valuable and meaningful objects one could gift an Asian woman.

These semi-precious stones can be found all over the world, including Russia, Canada and South America, although the best are said to come from Myanmar. Unlike diamonds, jade is mined in large masses before being cut into large blocks and auctioned. Unbeknownst to most, jade is an umbrella term for two substances, nephrite and jadeite. The former is typically opaque or light green, while the latter comes in hues of white, green, purple, black and pink. Jadeite is rarer and thus more valuable, and is more commonly used in jewellery.

Today, more jewellery designers are experimenting with jadeite in their creations. Jadeite cabochon beads take the place of oriental jadeite carvings, and are set between rows of white diamonds and other precious stones. However, it’ll be prudent to note that it’s not just the Asian designers who are exploring the trend; even Western designers like David Webb and JAR are experimenting with jade and jadeite in their collections.