La Casa Del Jade

Morning Walking Tour

jadeadmin — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:56:11 +0000

Itinerary

9:00 Cathedral and Ruins

9:30 Central Plaza and Monuments (City Hall Palace and Palace of the Captain’s general)

9:45 Street of the Arch

10:00 La Merced Church and Plaza

10:30 Capuchinas Convent and Museum

11:30 Museo Mesoamericano del Jade y Casa del Jade (snack and courtesy drink)

12:15 Handicraft Market “El Carmen”

Cost: USD$ 20.00 per person

(Minimum of two)

Includes:

Bilingual Professional Tour Guide
Fees to the monuments listed on itinerary
Snacks and soft drink

Recommendations:

Wear comfortable clothing and shoes (tennis shoes)
Bottled water
Hat or cap and sun block
Camera
During rainy season (from May to October) don’t forget umbrella.

Book your tour by clicking here!!!

XXI Latin American Ports Congress on a special night at Casa del Jade

jadeadmin — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:23:42 +0000

The night of April 11^th of 2012, the participants of the XXI Congress of Port Authorities recently held in the beautiful city of Antigua Guatemala visited the residence of Pedro de Alvarado, “Casa Antigua “El Jaulón” “today home of Casa del Jade.

The house was beautifully decorated. That evening, the congressmen enjoyed the best flavors of Guatemala and at the same time they also had the opportunity to visit the Mesoamerican Jade Museum and see the Jade process, the ancient and sacred stone of the Maya.

Necklace Lengt

casadejade — Thu, 10 May 2012 21:09:52 +0000

Download the Guide:

Find your Ring Size

casadejade — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:47:38 +0000

If you don´t know your ring size, here are some easy ways you can find out:

1. Wrap a piece of string around your finger.
2. Mark the point where the two ends meet.
3. Measure the string against a ruler to get the circumference of your finger.
4. Divide it by 3.14 to get the diameter of your finger.
5. Look up the ring size chart below to know your exact size.
6. If it falls between two sizes, select the larger size.

Note:
1. Never measure cold finger or measure your ring size at cold season, as the finger gets smaller in cold temperatures.
2. We recommend you measure your finger late in the day or at night.

Download the Guide:

Bracelet Length

casadejade — Wed, 09 May 2012 19:04:01 +0000

Measure bracelet length, read the number of the widest part (thumb not included) of your palm.

Download the guide:

Casa Del Jade was visited by the Spanish soccer team, Real Madrid

indigo — Tue, 08 May 2012 08:47:05 +0000

On Tuesday March 8^th 2012, as part of a tour in support of eradicating hunger in Guatemala, several players from different seasons of Real Madrid soccer team of the Spanish league visited the beautiful city of Antigua Guatemala.

Among the places to visit, on a tour at Casa del Jade, they had the opportunity to experience the millenary legacy of Jade and its relationship with the roots of Guatemala, The Maya Civilization.

On Tuesday March 8th, 2012

How to take care of Jade Jewelry

casadejade — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:55:13 +0000

Jadeite Jade´s hardness varies from 7.0 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale, where the hardest element, diamond, is a 10. This quality makes Jadeite an ideal gemstone for everyday use, as you don´t have to worry about it getting easily ruined.
Jade is actually very easy to take care of:

The more you wear it, the brighter and lovelier your jade will become.
The best way to clean your jade jewelry is by using mild soap and warm water. Use a soft towel to dry.
A soft bristled toothbrush is recommended for crevices between the jade and the mounting, and also for carved pieces.
Chemical cleaner, however, is to be avoided at all costs.
If you take your jade to a jeweler to be cleaned or worked on, make sure they do not steam clean your jade piece.
Never put jade in an Ultra-Sonic cleaner.
It is best to remove your jade before swimming in a chlorine treated pool, the ocean, or soaking in a hot tub.

What is Gold-filled?

casadejade — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:52:41 +0000

According to the Gemological Institute of America GIA, gold filled is “a material with 10K or finer gold alloy soldered or attached to a less costly metal. The plating must make up at least 1/20 of the total metal weight”.

It is also known as “Rolled Gold” or “Gold Overlay” and in the case of quality gold-filled pieces, some have the same appearance as 14 karat gold.

In the USA the quality of gold filled is defined by the Federal Trade Commission. The most common stamps found on gold filled jewelry are 1/20 12K GF and 1/20 14K GF. Gold-filled items, even with daily wear, can last five to 30 years but will eventually wear through. The gold layer on gold-plated jewelry varies greatly depending on manufacturer, so there is no single, simple comparison. Gold-filled items are 50 to 100,000 times thicker than regular gold plating, and 17 to 25,000 times thicker than heavy gold electroplate (sometimes stamped HGE or HGP).

At Casa del Jade, all our gold filled jewelry is 1/20 14k GF.

Buyer’s Guide

casadejade — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:40:05 +0000

The term Jade refers to two minerals: jadeite and nephrite. Jadeite, the kind of Jade found in Guatemala, is harder than nephrite jade, commonly known as “Chinese Jade”. Jadeite also has a wider variety of colors, ranging from white, different shades of green, lavender, orange, yellow, light blue to the rare black. Because of its higher translucence and greater variety of colors, jadeite is generally more expensive than nephrite. But how can you differentiate jadeite from nephrite and other stones or fakes? 1. Ask if the stone is a jadeite or nephrite mineral. Jadeite is the more expensive form of Jade and although similar in resemblance and hardness, jadeite and nephrite differ in their colors and chemical compositions. Jadeite has a wider color range whereas nephrite is mainly shades of green and white, yellow and red. Jadeite is more rare than nephrite so it has more value. 2. Test the hardness using specialized equipment. The hardness of various minerals is often measured on the Mohs scale, devised by the German mineralogist Friedrich Mohs in 1812. On this scale, nephrite usually registers at between 6 and 6.5. In comparison, jadeite tends to be slightly denser and harder, measuring up to 7 on the scale. 3. Examine the fibrous structure. Experts with the right equipment are able to tell nephrite jade from jadeite jade by looking at the specific fibrous structures of the minerals. Nephrite has a looser interwoven filtrons structure and, when fractured, can splinter or grain. When looked at under a powerful microscope, however, jadeite has a much tighter interlocking granular structure, which explains its extra toughness. 4. Hold the piece of jade up to a strong light and look for flaws. If you don’t see any, it’s a fake. Because jade is a natural stone, it will have natural cracks and veins that will be clearly visible. 5. Examine the color. It should not be pure or translucent, but cloudy and opaque. Real jade is not uniform in color, fake jade is. In special cases, color can be uniform and translucent. 6. Examine the texture by running the edge of a fingernail across the jade surface. You should feel tiny little cracks and variations in the surface of the piece. These are not considered damage because the cracks or “cleaving veins” occur naturally in the stone. If the surface is perfectly smooth, the jade is most likely artificial. 7. Hold the piece of jade in your hand. It should feel cool to the touch. Warm it up until it reaches your body temperature and put it down. Pick it up again in 30 seconds. If it is cool again, it’s probably real. If it’s glass, it will still be warm to the touch. 8. Look for a crystalline structure. Jadeite and nephrite sometimes have a crystalline structure that is visible to the naked eye. If you can’t see a crystalline structure, examine the stone under magnification. Soapstone does not have a crystalline structure. 9. Look at the surface of the stone. Jadeite and nephrite are shinier with a harder looking surface. Soapstone looks softer and has less of a sheen. Because waxing is an acceptable way of finishing jades, soapstone can sometimes look as if it has a hard surface. 10. Examine the stone for signs of scratching. Though jadeite and nephrite can also scratch, especially if they have been waxed, you should not see many signs of wear on jadeite or nephrite. TIPS WHEN BUYING JADE JEWELRY 1. Choose a stone with intense colors. Jade comes in many colors including various shades of green, lavender, yellow, red, white and even brown and black. Green, however, is the most popular color. The more expensive stones have a brighter green hue. 2. Buy high-quality jade, that is in its natural, untreated state. The color is considered natural because the stone hasn’t undergone any artificial treatments. 3. Look at the stone. Fine jadeite and nephrite can be translucent, although they are not always. 4. Look at the price of the piece. A fine jade of between 1-1/2 and 2 inches in height can cost thousands of dollars. If the price is low, the jade may be dyed, altered or made from a different material like soapstone. 5. Don’t rely on color. Although jade is often thought of as green, both jadeite and nephrite come in a wide range of colors. 6. Don’t buy jade just because the color “looks right.” Poor-quality dyed jade can fool you into a purchase, but will lose its color and value in a matter of a few years. 7. Color, color intensity, color distribution, clarity, transparency and texture are qualities that determine the value of the stone. Imperial jade with a deep color that shines through at the edges commands the highest prices. Matched stones can be worth tens of thousands of dollars. 8. Jade’s toughness is one of its defining qualities. Many varieties are harder and tougher than steel. This toughness makes jade an ideal gemstone for everyday wear, as you do not have to worry about it getting easily ruined. As with any gemstone, the quality of the jade is reflected in its price. In some instances, the highest quality of jade can be even more expensive than diamond. 9. When purchasing jade, always be on the lookout for treated jade. Once jadeite jade has been treated by dying, bleaching or any other treatment techniques, the jade’s structure can be compromised, leaving your jade brittle, dull or even cause it to leak acid or dye. 10. To be sure you’re getting quality jade, ask for a certificate of authenticity. The only way to be absolutely certain is to have the jade tested at a gemological institute. 11. Jade is sold by the piece instead of by the carat as other gems. The value of jade is based on its color, the depth of the color and its translucence. The rarest colors, the most intense colors and the most translucent pieces command the highest prices.

Visit of the Mrs. Guatemala 2011 candidates

casadejade — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 19:25:09 +0000

On November 28th. 2011, we had the visit of the Mrs. Guatemala 2011 candidates. They enjoyed a tour through our installations where they learned about Jade and the Mesoamerican culture. They also received a small conference about “The Nahuales” (the Mayan protective animal), where each candidate received a complementary Jade nahual with an explanation of its characteristics. After the conference, there was a cocktail and a photo shoot of the candidates wearing the beautiful jewels of Casa del Jade.