Nephrite

Tactile Intelligence: Nephrite evaluation begins long before visual inspection. Experienced cutters rely on resistance feedback during handling, but interpretation varies across markets. Mainland Chinese workshops tend to emphasize “oiliness” and tactile cohesion, while some Southeast Asian traders focus more on translucency under strong backlight. High-density material can still be downgraded if it feels overly “dry” in hand—a judgment that remains highly subjective between master cutters.