Difference Between Jade and Aventurine

Do you know the difference between jade and aventurine? If not, don’t worry – you’re not alone! At 1st look like the same but actually, they are different from each other. I’m here to guide you through everything from what makes them different in appearance to their symbolic meanings and even some of their common properties. Today, I’ll be discussing the significant differences between two popular choices: Jade and Aventurine.

How to tell the difference between jade and green aventurine?

Jade

Jade is a spiritual stone that is typically famous due to its green color, although may be yellow or white. It is a coveted gemstone combination of two different minerals Nephrite and Jadeite. These minerals are metamorphic rocks, known for their extreme toughness and durability. Their compositions are as follows:

Nephrite: Primarily composed of actinolite and tremolite, nephrite is a variety of amphibole. Nephrite is an amphibole mineral made from calcium, magnesium, iron, and hydroxyl silica.
Jadeite: Jadeite is a pyroxene mineral (Na(Al,Fe3+)Si2O6) that includes sodium, aluminum, iron, and silicon. A pyroxene mineral, jadeite is richer in color and harder than nephrite, making it more valuable. It found various shades like green, lavender, black, orange, and white.

Jadeite stones have different physical properties, such as being hard, tough, and resistant to breakage.

Aventurine

Aventurine is a variety of quartz that contains small reflective inclusions of minerals, such as Mica, Hematite, or Goethite. Commonly it is found in green, although it can also be red, yellow, and blue.

Aventurine is considered a semi-translucent mineral and has a glossy look compared to jade, which has a matte appearance. It is less hard than jade so needs to be handled with care.

Physical and chemical properties

Hardness: Both minerals demonstrate considerable hardness, with jade ranking 6-7 and aventurine at 6.5-7 on the Mohs hardness scale.
Toughness: Jade is renowned for its exceptional toughness, particularly nephrite. Aventurine has decent toughness, thanks to its quartz base.

However, these stones also differ in several aspects:

Transparency: While jade is generally opaque, aventurine is typically translucent, allowing light to pass through its crystal structure.
Luster: Aventurine possesses a shimmering, glittery quality (known as aventurescence) due to its reflective inclusions. In contrast, jade exhibits a matte, subdued finish, often described as greasy or waxy.

Color, price range, and market value

Jade comes in many different colors, including green, lavender, black, and white. The most valuable jadeite variety, known as Imperial Jade, flaunts a rich, vivid green. Prices for jade may stretch from affordable to exorbitant based on factors like color, translucency, and texture. High-quality jade sells at a premium because it has strong historical or cultural significance.

Aventurine is commonly found in green but also can be yellow, orange, blue, and grey. Compared to jade, aventurine is relatively affordable and accessible to collectors.

Aventurine Vs Jade Table

spect	Jade	Aventurine
Definition	Hard green stone consisting of jadeite or nephrite	Green mineral comprising small reflective particles, especially quartz containing iron or mica
Chemical Composition	Sodium and aluminum silicate (jadeite); magnesium and calcium silicate (nephrite)	Fuchsite (quartz containing iron or mica)
Aventurescence Effect	Does not have aventurescence effect	Has an aventurescence effect
Look	Matte, opaque look	Glossy look
Value	Tends to be more valuable	Less valuable compared to jade
Main Characteristic Color	Various shades of green, reddish-orange, yellow, white, grey, black, brown, lavender	Green (varies from light green to dark green)
Rarity	Relatively rare and expensive	More common and less expensive compared to jade