A uniquely beautiful twist on an ancient gemstone, Turkish Purple Jade is only found in one place in the world; the Bursa Province in Türkiye’s Marmara Region. The true emperor of Chinese jewelry, Jade was also prized in Aztec, Maori, Mayan, Native American, Olmec, and Toltec cultures. Incredibly beautiful, immensely collectable, and undeniably rare, Turkish Purple Jade is a treasured addition to any jewelry collection.
Hardness 6.5 – 7
Refractive Index 1.652 – 1.688
Relative Density 3.30 – 3.38
Enhancement None
Beauty
Turkish Purple Jade, also known as Turkiyenite, has been used as a modern gemstone since the 80s. The base colors run from gray-purple to rich deep purple, with various mottling. These color variations, along with deep green dots and red streaks, provide an interesting canvas that highlights the gem’s characteristic patterns. Occasionally, you can find bold specks of green and orange along with other attractive variations. Ours beautifully display the preferred, rich-mottled-purples in a highly-desirable range of medium to medium-dark saturations (strength of color) and tones (lightness or darkness of color), the marketplace ideal.
Turkish Purple Jade is optimally cut ‘en cabochon’ (cut in convex form and highly polished, but not faceted) to accentuate the signature color mottling that makes each gemstone visually unique. Expertly cut by experienced lapidaries in the legendary gemstone country of Thailand (Siam), home to some of the world’s best gem-cutters, Turkish Purple Jade is carefully cut into attractive smooth domes with a desirable proportion, shape, and symmetry, also maintaining a superior mirror-like polish, affording an excellent luster.
Jade has two different varieties, but prior to 1863 it was a blanket term covering Jadeite (pyroxene group), Nephrite (amphibole group), and other similar minerals. The name ‘Jade’ originates from the Spanish conquest of the Americas, being derived from ‘piedra de hijada’ (colic stone), which was coined around 1565. Another Spanish name for the gem is ‘piedra de los rinones’ (kidney stone), which when translated into Latin, Lapis Nephriticus, gives us the name, Nephrite. Not incredibly romantic, these names came from Spaniards making a tenuous curative connection between the shapes of polished Jade pebbles and kidneys. In 1863 the French mineralogist, Alexis Damour established that some Chinese Jade (Nephrite) and Burmese Jade (which he named ‘Jadeite’) are different minerals with a similar appearance and properties. Jadeite comes in shades of blue, brown, cream, green, grey, lavender, orange, purple, red, violet, white, yellow, and combinations thereof, including mottling. Jadeite’s reddish coloration is caused by iron trace elements, while its greens are due to the presence of chromium.
Rarity
While China, along with Burma (Myanmar), remain important origins for this gemstone, other Jade sources include, Guatemala, Russia (Siberia), Kazakhstan, Japan, Taiwan, Türkiye, Australia, New Zealand, and the USA. While Turkish Purple Jade has been used as a modern gem since the 80s, there is some evidence to suggest it was also a gemstone of antiquity.
Turkish Purple Jade is a variety of Jadeite, the most valuable of Jade’s two types, and a gem usually synonymous with Burma (Myanmar). Fine, translucent/semi-transparent Jadeite is very rare, representing far less than one percent of all Jade mined. In fact, fine-Jadeite ranks four on the top ten list of the world’s rarest and most valuable gems (Painite1, Alexandrite2, Taaffeite3, Jadeite4, Red Beryl5, Black Opal6, Grandidierite7, Benitoite8, Tanzanite9, and Poudretteite10).
As the concentration of Jadeite in Turkish Purple Jade is 40 – 60 percent (also contains Feldspar, Lawsonite, Quartz, and Zircon), and as on opaque gem, Turkish Purple Jade doesn’t necessarily have the same luminescence as Burmese Lavender Jadeite, one of Jade’s rarest varieties, but it does have a similar beauty and scarcity, and accordingly, demands a similar price. With Turkish Purple Jade’s sole source (Bektaşlar, Harmancık District, Bursa Province, Türkiye) now long depleted, once historic supplies are exhausted, there is no more. The surface deposit was small, with nothing found under several feet. Although additional money was spent searching the Bursa Province for more, this well-explored area has yielded nothing additional. Given this historic rarity, the Turkish government is apparently considering designating Turkish Purple Jade a National Heritage Stone.
No longer mined, Turkish Purple Jade is extremely difficult to source in any grade, with quality and prices varying depending on color and inclusions. Turkish Purple Jade is also totally natural and unenhanced, which is a critical attribute for top qualities, accentuating desirability, rarity, and value.
Durability & Care
Tougher than Diamonds, Turkish Purple Jade (Mohs’ Hardness: 6.5 – 7) is an excellent choice for everyday jewelry. Turkish Purple Jade should always be stored carefully to avoid scuffs and scratches. Clean with gentle soap and lukewarm water, scrubbing behind the gem with a very soft toothbrush as necessary. After cleaning, pat dry with a soft towel or chamois cloth.
Map Location
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