Jade is born in response to natural fortune, and it will inevitably encounter various natural flaws, which are not only a natural embodiment of the nature of jade itself, but also the knowledge basis for our research on the profound heritage of Hetian jade culture. Understanding and even skillfully using the flaws of Hetian jade is a must-know knowledge for every jade lover and collector.
In fact, when making the finished product, Hetian jade has considered the influence of various defects, and there are many types of defects, such as natural defects such as asbestos, stone flowers, metal minerals, and variegated colors will be formed inside and on the surface of the flesh. There will also be such as waterline, cotton, crack, pulp, etc., and Mr. Wu Hanzhang, the founder of Chunxi and Tianyu, will introduce them one by one.
Cotton is the most common defect in Hetian jade, which is visually formed by the aggregation of white crystals, and its forms are diverse, such as needle-like or flake-like, and the distribution is uneven. Cotton can greatly affect transparency and purity, especially white jade. On the other hand, cotton can also be a source of material for creation. For example, Yang Shuming's work "Returning to the People on a Snowy Night" cleverly designs cotton dots into the shape of snowflakes, so that the original flaws become color-added, reflecting the ingenuity of the jade carving master and the unique charm of perfecting the jade.
The waterline is found in most of the raw ores, but it cannot be regarded as a complete flaw, because the internal stress changes of the jade caused by changes in the geological environment are formed by the repolymerization of the crystals (to put it bluntly, the raw ore is broken, and the tremolite regrows and bridges in the cracked area, and the purity is too high so it can be seen by the naked eye). Waterlines come in many forms, including thin waterlines, coarse waterlines, and fault waterlines. The key is that the distribution and length of the waterline in the jade meat are also different, and the stripes are often not straight, which requires the carver to have a deep understanding of the waterline when working, and try to use or cover it up as skillfully, and the waterline can be observed in the original ore in most cases, so it is not particularly difficult to avoid.
Needless to say, there are two kinds of cracks: open cracks and dark cracks. Bright cracks are visible on the surface of the jade, while dark cracks are hidden inside the jade and are only exposed during the carving process. Cracks are the most painful flaws of jade carvers, because they can hardly be used effectively, they can only be dug out by design as much as possible, if it is a seed material, it is basically difficult to remedy, it is the most hated flaw of jade merchants, many good materials are carved almost found to have cracks, that kind of mood is difficult for everyone to understand.
Stiff refers to a by-effect of Hetian jade, which is often the outer skin area of jade, and may also be mixed with cotton and stone, which is sometimes a coarse-grained tremolite with incomplete jade, and sometimes marble and other minerals. The existence of stiffness usually affects the light transmittance of jade, but stiff skin is a good helper for gambling materials, which often means that the internal meat quality is very clean.
From the above introduction, it is not difficult to see that the defects of different degrees and locations are also important influencing factors. Cotton has a great impact on the texture. Shallow dotted cotton is generally dug out as much as possible, but large areas of deep cotton will reduce the quality. Dense "dirty" cotton affects the value more, and too much cotton is basically discarded;Cracking reduces the integrity and value of the jade. Surface cracks can be repaired or removed by design. The facial fissures of human figures and beasts have a great impact and are the key avoidance positions. It is also necessary to analyze the area where it occurs, and decide whether to keep it or design it according to the difference in light transmittance.
Jade merchants need to have a clear understanding of different defects in order to clarify their impact on quality and value in identification and sales, and make rational judgments. Every blemish contains the power of nature and the imprint of time. It is important for us to understand their aesthetic value and cultural significance when we play with jade. A closer look at imperfections can also enhance our aesthetic abilities and creative inspiration.