Finely Textured Carved Jade Pendant

Fine jade pendant set with carved jadeite and accented with diamonds in 18k.

The jade is celadon with apple green patches.

Finely textured and translucent, the carving is thick and substantial.

Specifically, its texture is ‘oily’ (糕) over ‘milky’ (糯), a beautiful distinction in jadeite’s expression.

(Photos are taken with black and light backgrounds to convey this – the jadeite against the dark is to give an idea of what ‘finely textured’ means in carved jadeite.)

Spanning 5cm tall, the carving is of a finger citron with ruyi, coins, and a monkey, archetypal wealth and health motifs.

Both sides are carved distinctly, even so, some prefer an outcome that is finely nuanced, not obvious, as this carving is.

Big and small, the two green ‘splotches’ are perfectly placed in the asymmetric carving.

The mounting makes use of the breathing gaps in the carving, a nod to Cartier’s carved jade pendants.

This is one of those carvings in pendant size jadeite that has achieved a look of fine antiquity, despite not being an antique.

For rarely will an actual antique piece depict this far translucency.

Not obvious at first glance but the spartan setting flatters the carving.

This is an extremely elegant pendant that may skip an untrained eye.

One that is splendid worn at any length, because it returns again and again to that look of laissez-faire antiquity.

Such a carving in a pendant will take them all, chain, bead, or pearl.

The pendant comes to 6cm by 2.5cm.