Nephrite

This stone is really well-known, it was very popular in ancient time, especially in Egypt and China. Nephrite is in fact a fine-grained, calcium-rich, magnesium, iron, aluminous amphibole. Though this stone is not very hard (its hardness is from 5 to 6,5 Moh’s Scale depending on the deposit), nephrite is one of the toughest gem minerals known because of the intergrown nature of the individual crystals. Nephrite gets its name from Greek “nephros” – kidney, ancient people believed nephrite to treat kidney diseases. Numerous deposits of this material are spread around the world, there are mines in British Columbia, China, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan and Alaska. Nephrite can have all shades of green color – apple-green, grass-green, olive. Sometimes Russian nephrite has a cat’s eye effect, and this in combination with beautiful green color makes it even more attractive. The astrologers say that nephrite is connected with religion and rebuilding of the whole life. Nephrite talismans protect life, cure physical diseases. A carved nephrite as a present is a sign of special love and friendship, eternal gratitude and favor.