It’s rarer and pricier than the other jade gemstone variety, with one 175-tonne lump found in 2016 being valued at $170 million. Nephrite is the second, and it’s more common and more widely ...

Now, excavations at the site have revealed ancient structures — and a “unique” carved stone. “The majority of the approximately 30 excavated or partially investigated earl ...

For many prospective buyers, however, jade’s myriad quality points can be confounding. Evaluated on its color, transparency and texture, the material comes in two forms, jadeite and nephrite.

Every sale is a gamble. Chunks of ­jadeite—as opposed to the more common nephrite, which is considered an inferior jade—resemble mud-­colored eggs. Buyers try their best to divine what’s ...