The market for fine Type A jadeite jade, free of any and all treatments and enhancements, is undeniably centered in East Asia. There, buyers eagerly scoop up rich green stones with an even and glowing, smooth texture mined in Myanmar for incredible amounts of money – some pieces commanding millions of dollars. Conditions in the Americas are markedly different. While there are certainly devoted fans of jadeite jade in the Western hemisphere, public awareness of the stone is much more limited, and native gems never reach the astronomical values attached to some of their Eastern counterparts. As such, it came as a surprise that a new development in the world of fine jadeite jade premiered at the AGTA Tucson Gem Show by the American-based company, Mason-Kay.
by Emily “D.D.” Frontiere
for the Roskin Gem News Report
The team at Mason-Kay, led by Jeff Mason, are top jade experts in the USA. They offer testing services and assistance with valuation. Dealing with fine Type A jadeite jade exclusively, Mason-Kay buys and sells estate pieces, as well as acting as a wholesaler distributor.
This year, they debuted a collection of fine Guatemalan jadeite jade pieces boasting a collection of features previously seen in a handful of examples too sparce to market. This material is characterized by a combination of three hues – blue, gray, and green – paired with exceptional transparency.
Photo courtesy of Jordan Wentz.
We spoke with Jordan Wentz, a long-time member of the Mason-Kay company, about the attributes of this new material from the perspective of buyers and sellers. Additionally, Mary Lou Ridinger, the archaeologist credited with rediscovering Guatemalan jadeite jade in the 1970’s and owner of Jade Maya, kindly provided technical details about the gem.
Traditional Guatemalan Jadeite Jade
Guatemala plays host to several varieties of jadeite jade, the most famous of which is arguably their black material which contemporary artists use as a medium for both carvings as well as jewelry. Other colors found locally include blue (sometimes referred to as Olmec Blue), a light purple called “lilac”, green, and white. Regardless of color, Guatemalan jadeite jade has previously been known for having a relatively large and rough granular texture resulting in a murky transparency so clouded that it is sometimes completely opaque.
Photo courtesy of Mason-Kay.
A Bold New Look
Rumblings of high transparency Guatemalan jadeite jade sold in China began circulating very recently, prompting an article in the Spring 2024 issue of GIA’s Gems & Gemology entitled “‘Ice Jade’ From Guatemala” by Z. Huang, et.al. They reported a green material originating from the Morales mine located in the Izabal Department that boasted what they called “near-transparent” clarity due to a high level of purity of jadeite jade, coupled with a very fine crystalline structure.
Image: Google Maps.
Ridinger confirmed that there are several sites in this region that have been known to contain the semi-transparent jadeite jade situated alongside more clouded stones, and added that there are additional deposits in Chiquimula and Zacapa situated Southwest of Morales.
Wentz explained that Mason-Kay’s Guatemalan jadeite jade inventory is obtained via a trusted seller in Mexico, a country which processes much of the Guatemalan product. Ridinger added that she is aware of Guatemalan jadeite jade being sold legally to U.S. buyers through Mexico, but noted that at least some of the material, sold through China, wasn’t exported through the proper channels.
Photo courtesy of Jordan Wentz.
Historical Guatemalan Jadeite Jade Mining
Guatemalan territory sits on a highly active geologic region where tectonic forces [from the North American Plate, and the Caribbean Plate] continue to create ideal conditions for jadeite jade formation. However, modern miners have known the location of the deposits previously mined by ancient civilizations only for the last several decades after Ridinger and her husband Jay rediscovered them in the 1970’s. Ultimately, it was their acceptance and understanding of plate tectonics (an unproven theory at that time) which dictated their search.
Reflecting on the local geology, Wentz expressed that she is not at all surprised that Guatemala houses so many varieties of jadeite jade. Further, she explained, we are only in the early stages of jadeite jade mining in the country and that more novel varieties may be waiting to be discovered. Ridinger agrees, saying she believes that only a small fraction of, what she calls, “the highly sought after varieties of jade” have been identified thus far.
What Halted Guatemalan Jadeite Jade Production
Central American jadeite jade did not disappear due to material depletion or waning interest in the gem; rather, it was politics that killed the trade. At least seven different Mesoamerican cultures revered the durable gem as a symbol of immortality and created vast amounts of religious tokens, jewelry, tools, and funerary items. Invading Spanish conquistadors in the sixteenth century recognized the link between jadeite jade and indigenous religion and banned ownership of the stone as part of their efforts to convert the local population to Catholicism. No evidence, written or oral, indicating where the jadeite jade had been mined survived this purge.
Photo courtesy of Jordan Wentz.
Modern Considerations in Jadeite Jade Mining
There are a few things that modern Guatemalan jadeite jade prospectors need to bear in mind when searching for new deposits. First is the active geology of the region. Wentz explained that the country is rocked by up to one hundred tremors each day. These earthquakes can both hide jadeite jade sources as well as reveal them. Secondly, and unfortunately, an obstacle miners face is the social and political climate of the country where some locations can’t be mined legally, while other places are simply too dangerous to explore. Currently, the U.S. Department of State classifies Guatemala overall as a Level 3: Reconsider location and lists several localities travelers should not visit due to crime.
Photo courtesy of Jordan Wentz.
Rudimentary Mining Techniques Limit Production Potential
While the scope and quality of the Guatemalan jadeite jade deposits is largely unknown, most of the legal mining operations use exclusively non-mechanized mining techniques. Armed with chisels, shovels, and hammers, there is only so much stone that can be extracted in a given period of time. This restriction of pace is not necessarily a bad thing. In 2022, Wentz interviewed Ridinger on her YouTube channel “Jewels of the Trade” where the geologist said that she thinks there is enough Guatemalan material to last 10,000 years, but it may be depleted in as little as five years if the government does not implement laws protecting the resource.
This issue of supply is why it has taken several years for Mason-Kay to amass enough material to make a formal debut to retailers. They don’t expect supply to ever be ample, but, in the next few years at least, it is expected that Mason-Kay will be able to offer this semi-transparent jadeite jade in large enough quantities for designers and collectors alike to develop an appetite for it.
Why Semi-Transparent Guatemalan Jadeite Jade Appeals to Collectors
Speaking specifically about the American market for their Guatemalan jadeite jade, Wentz provided insight as to the mindset of buyers and why she predicts demand will grow rapidly. There are several reasons, she said, that it has high appeal. First is obviously beauty. Colorless ice jade from Asia has come to be one of the most sought-after varieties of jadeite jade, and the Guatemalan material offers a similar look paired with a gentle and sophisticated color that can be worn by individuals of any gender.
Photo courtesy of Jordan Wentz.
Next is the price. Guatemalan jadeite jade simply does not command the same extreme prices that Imperial jadeite jade does. This means that it is currently an attainable material for enthusiasts. As for exactly how affordable it is compared to other materials, that is a difficult subject to analyze.
If you ask sellers how they value jadeite jade pieces, they will say that the price has nothing to do with carat weight, and there is no standard pricing scale. Rather, the price depends on the unique constellation of attributes of each individual item including, but not limited to, color, texture, translucency, and the quality of the carving.
Why Mason-Kay Decided to Carry Guatemalan Jadeite Jade
Previously, Mason-Kay did not directly buy or sell Guatemalan jadeite jade because of the conventional material’s clouded transparency. Concerns had nothing to do with the perceived beauty of stone, rather the fact that low transparency can be linked with decreased durability. Not only does large crystal size and irregular orientation make the stone appear opaque, it also increases the possibility of outright fracturing. The possibility of stones harboring undetectable vulnerabilities was enough to stop Mason-Kay from selling it to their customers.
Photo courtesy of Jordan Wentz.
The Future of Guatemalan Jadeite Jade
There is nothing but enthusiasm surrounding the clear Guatemalan jadeite jade. Ridinger and the Mason-Kay staff all expect great things in the future. The material is beautiful and there is enough of it for Mason-Kay to make a concerted marketing effort. Additionally, the relative affordability of the gem makes it an attractive item for knowledgeable collectors and new admirers alike.
But stay tuned! We may soon find that Guatemala houses even more unique and striking varieties of fine jadeite jade. For those interested in learning more about this subject, Mason-Kay is presenting the inaugural International Jade Summit at the Monterey Bay Jade Festival on June 14th, 2025. Those who attend will hear from several speakers, including Ridinger herself.
Photo courtesy of Jordan Wentz.
About the Author:
Emily “D.D.” Frontiere is a gemologist, gems and jewelry appraiser, and freelance writer based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. You can read more of her work here as well as posted with the International Gem Society. [email protected].
