These detailed rules are formulated based on two national standards: GB/T 16552—“Jewelry and Jade—Names” and GB/T 16553—“Jewelry and Jade—Identification.” They also draw upon authoritative monographs such as “Interpretation of National Standards for Jewelry and Jade” and “Systematic Gemology,” as well as research findings on nephrite from the Xinjiang Rock, Mineral, and Gemstone Laboratory (detailed rules). The rules establish identification methodologies that are consistent with industry realities and tailored to practical identification procedures.
　　 The naming of nephrite
　　 1.1? The mineral primarily composed of tremolite is designated as “nephrite” or “Hetian jade.”
　　1.2? When conducting specific identification, given the significant uncertainties regarding the place of origin, we do not differentiate based on origin according to the national standard GB/T 16552. If the gemstone is designated as “Hetian Jade,” the remark column should state: “The designation does not imply any specific place of origin.”
　　1.3? White specimens may be referred to as white jade, while dark green and grayish-green specimens may be called green jade. Specimens that fall between white jade and green jade may be referred to as bluish-white jade.
　　1.4? For samples that cannot be identified using conventional analytical methods, with the consent of the client, a powdered sample shall be taken for further testing and subsequent analysis and identification.
　　 2. Shape description
　　 2.1?The sculptures are named according to their form (e.g., figures, flowers, vessels, mountain scenes, etc.) and their carving themes (e.g., Guanyin, “Abundant Year After Year,” etc.).
　　2.2?Raw stones are described as pebble-shaped, angular, and subangular.
　　2.3? With photo.
　　 3. Color description
　　3.1 According to national standards and industry practice, the description of the apparent color of nephrite in these detailed rules is based on color characteristics. Given the complexity of jade products, and following the convention in geology, the description of the apparent color of nephrite adopts a method that first specifies the secondary hue and then the primary hue; other commonly used color-description methods may also be employed. When necessary, the shape and distribution pattern of the color should be described as well.
　　For example: Yellow-brown—indicates a color dominated by brown with a yellowish tint.
　　Orange-yellow—a commonly used color descriptor, referring to a distinctive shade of yellow. When the color appears in multiple hues, each primary hue is described separately—for example, white and yellowish-brown. It is distributed in clumps or clusters.
　　3.2 The observation and description of colors involve significant subjective factors, and often a single piece of jade exhibits two or more colors, or its color characteristics are ambiguous and difficult to articulate. Transitionary and associative approaches can be employed for description, classification, and naming. Color characteristics that cannot be adequately expressed in the official names may be described in the remarks section.
　　3.3 Light Source: Nephrite exhibits different hues when observed under various light sources, and nephrite with different hues will also show varying appearances under the same lighting conditions. When identifying and classifying nephrite, natural light should be used, avoiding direct sunlight. As an auxiliary light source, a standard fluorescent lamp with a color temperature of 5000–7000 K is recommended.
　　Background: Place the samples to be compared flat on a large piece of white cloth or against a white background for identification.
　　Select the photo background as needed, and place contrast reference objects—such as coins or magnifying glasses—when required.
　　4? ? Methods for describing the texture, inclusions, and cracks of nephrite jade
　　The quality of nephrite jade is primarily determined by factors such as its texture, transparency, inclusions, imperfections, and fissures. Traditionally, the industry has categorized and described these factors in a rather complex manner, making them inconvenient to apply in practical identification and classification tasks. This detailed guideline summarizes and standardizes these factors into commonly used descriptive terms as follows:
　　4.1?? ?Texture fineness
　　4.1.1 Fine: The texture is dense and smooth, delicately moisturizing with a good oily luster; it may have a small amount of stone flowers.
　　4.1.2 Relatively Fine: The texture is still relatively fine, but the mineral crystals are slightly coarser and have a grainy feel or exhibit characteristics such as “porcelain-like” or “stiffness,” with poorer luster.
　　4.1.3 Poor fineness: Features include punctate objects, flocculent structures, and locally visible “stone flowers” and “radish patterns,” which are easily detectable by the naked eye.
　　4.2 ??Inclusions: Other rock and mineral impurities, such as white and black impurities.
　　4.3 ?Fissures:
　　4.3.1 Shear Zone: Exhibits a small number of oriented or intersecting cleavages, fractures, and fibrous mineral arrangements, but has not yet fractured.
　　4.3.2 Cracks and Cleavages: These feature cleavage planes and fracture planes, with obvious cracks already present. The integrity of the jewelry may have been or already is compromised.
　　4.3.3 Use descriptions such as “many, few; long, short, and贯穿.”
　　5. Quality
　　According to local standards, samples weighing over 200 grams do not need to be weighed; for samples weighing 200 grams or less, the mass shall be expressed in grams, with the mass rounded to two decimal places.
　　6. Occurrence of nephrite jade
　　Traditionally, the occurrence types of nephrite (Hetian jade) raw materials are classified into mountain-origin, mountain-stream, and river-origin stones, and their market prices vary considerably. However, there are no specific criteria or reference standards for identifying these occurrence types, and the characteristic features of each type can be perfectly replicated artificially, introducing significant uncertainty. Therefore, identification does not reflect the occurrence type nor provide any relevant indications thereof.
　　7. Nephrite skin color
　　In the current nephrite market, in order to achieve the characteristic skin colors of raw stones, nephrite surfaces are often dyed, partially dyed, or have additional colors applied on top of the existing ones. For skin colors lacking scientifically valid identification criteria, the report or certificate should clearly state in the remarks that the skin color has not been identified. Alternatively, depending on the specific testing objectives, the wording can be discussed and agreed upon with the client. For example, the report might specify that only the jadeite quality (jade material) is being examined, or it might explicitly describe in the remarks any cases where the skin color has been obviously dyed or artificially enhanced.