PAIR OF JADEITE AND DIAMOND PENDENT EARRINGS | 天然「帝王綠」翡翠 配 鑽石 耳墜一對

Imperial Reverence

In the glittering world of jewellery, jadeite is a fascinating and unique material – one that is inextricably linked to Chinese culture. Jadeite may not have the dazzling brilliance of a diamond, but it has a luminosity that seems to come from within. In the rough, jadeite is encased within a shell of weathered stone, and it is worthless if left uncut and unpolished. Only after it is carved and polished is its splendour revealed to the world. Jadeite has the character of an unassuming gentleman who is not quick to show his talents. According to The Book of Rites, ‘A gentleman would find that jadeite is akin his virtues; soft and smooth, its qualities appear just like his benevolence.’ In the Confucian intellectual ideal, the gentleman is held up as paragon of character, thus it is entirely fitting to compare such impeccable moral character to fine jadeite.

What is generally called “jadeite” actually refers to two different minerals: nephrite and jadeite. It can come in many colours, including green, lavender, yellow, red, white, and black, but the most sought-after colour is a deep emerald green called “Imperial Green,” found almost exclusively in Myanmar jadeite (jadeite). The best quality jadeite has a refined, smooth texture (grade) and excellent translucency (lustre). As the light passes through the stone, the jadeite captures the light within, diffusing it evenly so that the suffused light resembles gentle ripples on a clear pool. Currently, Myanmar is the only place in the world that produces jewellery-quality jadeite. The best jadeite pieces have a deep green colour, a smooth, exquisite texture, and a pure, even translucency. This kind of jadeite is as revered and rare as an emperor, so it is called “Imperial Green Jadeite”.

A good stone requires cutting and polishing before the beauty of jadeite can be fully realised. The cabochon is a classic shape for jadeite. The technique for cutting cabochons is akin to sculpture. The contours of the cabochon must be round yet symmetrical, and its length and width must be harmoniously proportional. When cutting a pair or a set of cabochons, significant amounts of stone must be wasted in order to achieve the optimal visual effect. The jadeite cabochon and diamond earrings (Lot 1746) and the jadeite cabochon set (Lot 1660) have been crafted from the best quality “Imperial Green Jadeite” with excellent colour, grade, and translucency. The cabochons are beautifully and symmetrically matched with a rounded, full shape. These pieces represent the perfect union of nature’s gifts and human artistry.

敬帝王

在光華璀璨的珠寶世界裡，玉是迷人又獨特的類別，更與中華文化密不可分。有別於其他寶石，玉石的光輝，並非鑽石般璀璨耀眼，而是一種內斂於自身而散發的光芒。玉的原石被一層風化皮殼包裹着，未經雕琢不成器，唯有細細琢磨，始能綻放令世人矚目的光華。這樣的特質，如同韜光養晦的謙謙君子，《禮記》中「君子比德於玉焉，溫潤而澤，仁也」，可見在儒家的思想境界中，君子是完美人格之典範，把世間最美的品德比擬為美玉， 實在無比貼切。

而一般泛稱的玉，實際上涵蓋了兩種不同礦物：軟玉和硬玉。 顏色包括綠、紫、黃、赭紅，白和黑色，但最受追捧的顏色是如祖母綠般的濃郁翠綠色，稱為「帝王綠色」(imperial green)，幾乎只在緬甸玉(硬玉)的翡翠礦石中發現。頂級的翡翠，具有細緻的質地(種)和絕佳的透明度(水頭)，光線像是被捕獲在玉石中，並以均勻的方式反射，彷彿一汪碧水清波幾乎要從玉石中淌洩出來的流動感。目前全球寶石級的翡翠原料僅產於緬甸，而濃綠色正、盈潤細緻、瑩透純勻的美玉，是翡翠中的極品，如同帝王般尊貴、珍稀，因此將其尊稱為「帝王綠翡翠」(imperial green jadeite)。

如前所述，良材尚須雕琢才能化為美玉，而蛋面是最經典的翡翠切磨樣式之一。蛋面對於工藝的要求，並不亞於雕件。蛋面的輪廓必須圓順對稱，長寬比例和諧，若要切磨出成對或成套的蛋面組合，必須耗損很多原石材料，才能在視覺上達到最佳的效果。拍品 1746 的翡翠蛋面鑲鑽石耳環，以及 拍品1660 的翡翠蛋面套組，不僅取材自最頂級的「帝王綠翡翠」，色、種、水絕佳，而且蛋面形狀飽滿圓潤，勻稱搭配，可說是大自然奇蹟和人類藝術文明的完美結合。