In short: Guatemalan jade is jadeite, the rarer of the two minerals sold as jade. GIA’s Gems & Gemology (Spring 2024) lists Guatemala among the few countries with gem-quality jadeite and calls it the second-largest producer after Myanmar. The jade comes from the Motagua fault zone, a belt running about 110 km from Baja Verapaz to Zacapa, with newer mining in Izabal. “Real” has a second meaning in a shop: whether the stone was bleached and filled with polymer (B jade) or dyed (C jade); GIA’s research found that only infrared spectroscopy, a laboratory method, gives conclusive proof of the polymer treatment. Two long-running Antigua jade houses are Jade Maya (1974) and Casa del Jade (1977); their online prices start at about US$17-27 for small jewellery.
This page explains what gemologists and the sellers themselves publish. It is not an appraisal or a recommendation of any shop.
Is it real jadeite?
“Jade” is not one mineral. GIA uses the word as a generic term for nephrite, jadeite and, under certain conditions, green omphacite. Jade Maya calls jadeite the rarer and more valuable of the two; GIA notes that nephrite’s colours tend to be more muted.
What Guatemala produces is jadeite. GIA’s Spring 2024 study of Guatemalan ice jade says:
- it names five countries where gem-quality jadeite is found: Myanmar, Guatemala, Russia, Kazakhstan and Japan;
- Myanmar is the traditional and most important producer, and Guatemala has become the second-largest;
- Guatemalan jadeite occurs in the serpentinites of the Motagua fault zone, the boundary between the North American and Caribbean plates, over about 110 km on the north side of the Motagua valley from Baja Verapaz to Zacapa, with Izabal a newer mining area (the study’s samples came from the Morales mine there).
The study adds a detail that matters to buyers comparing prices: the Guatemalan material first sold in China was coarse-grained and not transparent enough to count as gem quality, which gave Guatemala a reputation for low-quality jade; finer, translucent material has since reached that market. Even so, its Guatemalan ice jade usually sells for one-quarter to one-third of the price of comparable Burmese material, according to the article.
Who found it, and when
Jadeite was worked in Central America from about 1500 BCE, GIA notes, but the specific source was not identified until much later. GIA dates the modern find to 1952, when Smithsonian researcher Robert Leslie found jadeite nodules in Guatemala. Jade Maya, founded by archaeologist Mary Lou Ridinger and Jay Ridinger, says they rediscovered the ancient sources along the plate boundary in 1974, had samples tested by GIA, and restarted jade carving in Guatemala that year. Both accounts are printed here because the two sources date the discovery differently.
Treated jade: the A, B and C grades
In shops the useful question is less “is this jade?” than “has it been treated?”. GIA explains the grading used in China:
| Grade | What it means (GIA) |
|---|---|
| A jade | natural jadeite, or polished with wax only |
| B jade | bleached with acid, then impregnated with polymer resin |
| C jade | dyed |
GIA’s 1992 study of bleached jadeite found the treatment in high- and low-quality material alike. Several standard gemological tests help detect it, it said, but infrared spectroscopy was the only method that gave conclusive evidence in every case. GIA adds that omphacite, which can look like fine green jadeite, is identified by its Raman spectrum, which takes advanced testing. In practice that means:
- a seller’s word or a certificate card is a statement by the seller, not a lab result;
- for a piece where the price matters, ask for, or pay for, a report from a gemological laboratory;
- Jade Maya itself recommends getting an appraisal for insurance from an appraiser familiar with jadeite.
What makes one piece worth more than another
GIA ranks jadeite’s value factors, in order of impact on price, as colour, transparency and texture:
- Colour: green is the most valued; jadeite also comes in lavender, white, black, grey, yellow, orange and red. The finest, intense green with near-transparency is called imperial jade.
- Transparency: GIA says the best jadeite is semi-transparent. Buyers sometimes lay a thin slice on a printed page to see whether the text shows through.
- Texture: fine, even grain gives a smooth surface and high lustre.
GIA also notes jadeite is generally sold by the piece, not by weight, so there is no per-gram price to compare. Jade Maya says Guatemala produces jadeite in shades of green, lavender and white.
Where to buy: Antigua’s jade houses
| Seller | Since | Where | What they publish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jade Maya | 1974 | main showroom, factory and the Linda Schele jade museum at 4a Calle Oriente No. 34, Antigua; also inside the Westin Camino Real (Guatemala City), La Aurora airport and the Pez Vela cruise terminal (Puerto Quetzal) | says it mines its own jadeite and sells only jadeite; every item comes with a card certifying authenticity; says it has eight shops in Guatemala; phone +502 7931 2400 |
| Casa del Jade | 9 July 1977 | 4ta Calle Oriente No. 10, El Jaulón building, Antigua (a restored colonial house it moved into on 15 June 1998) | jade museum, showroom and a two-hour jade-carving workshop |
Prices they publish online (read 2 October 2026):
| Jade Maya online shop (US$, items with a price) | Lowest | Highest |
|---|---|---|
| Earrings (150 items) | $21.60 | $367 |
| Pendants (45) | $27 | $2,500 |
| Bracelets (139) | $23 | $1,463 |
| Necklaces (308) | $17 | $5,900 |
| Rings (41) | $39 | $4,550 |
| Keyrings (21) | $22 | $22 |
Casa del Jade’s home page showed a handful of sale pieces the same day, from US$26 (a necklace, down from $37) to US$73 (earrings, down from $109). Neither shop’s online prices are guaranteed to match the showroom; ask in the store.
Jade Maya’s FAQ says its US orders ship through a sister site in Houston, Texas, and that US customers do not pay import taxes on them. That is the retailer describing its own mail orders, not a customs ruling for what you carry in your luggage.
Taking it home
What Guatemala and US Customs say about carrying jade out of the country is on our separate page, What Can You Take Back to the USA From Guatemala?. In short: the mining law regulates exporters of mineral product, we found no traveller-level rule for jade souvenirs, and a pre-Hispanic carved jade piece is an archaeological good that may not be sold or exported. Declare purchases on arrival in the US.
While you are in Antigua
Jade Maya is listed in our Antigua things to do guide. For the archaeology behind the replicas, the Maya sites with their own pages include Tikal, Quiriguá, in the Motagua valley, and Iximché.
Mineral facts come from GIA (gia.edu): the Spring 2024 Gems & Gemology article on Guatemalan ice jade, GIA’s jade description and quality pages, its B jade FAQ and its 1992 study of bleached jadeite, all read on 2 October 2026. Seller details and prices come from Jade Maya’s and Casa del Jade’s own websites, read the same day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Guatemalan jade real jade?
Yes. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) uses ‘jade’ for nephrite, jadeite and, under certain conditions, green omphacite, and Guatemala produces jadeite. A GIA Gems & Gemology article (Spring 2024) lists Guatemala among the few countries where gem-quality jadeite is found and says Guatemala has become the second-largest producer after Myanmar. Whether a particular piece in a shop is natural, untreated jadeite is a separate question that only testing settles.
What is the difference between jadeite and nephrite?
They are two different minerals sold under the one name. Jade Maya, the Antigua jade house, describes jadeite as a pyroxene and nephrite as an amphibole, and says jadeite is the harder, denser and rarer of the two; GIA notes that nephrite’s colours tend to be more muted than jadeite’s. Both Jade Maya and GIA’s Guatemalan research describe Guatemala’s jade as jadeite.
How can I tell if jade is treated or fake?
Not reliably by eye. GIA explains that in the A/B/C system used in China, ‘A’ jade is natural or only waxed, ‘B’ jade has been bleached with acid and impregnated with polymer resin, and ‘C’ jade is dyed. A 1992 GIA study found that several gemological tests help detect the bleach-and-polymer treatment but that infrared spectroscopy was the only method that gave conclusive evidence. For an expensive piece, ask for a report from a gemological laboratory.
Where can I buy jade in Antigua Guatemala?
Two long-running jade houses in Antigua are Jade Maya, founded in 1974, with its main showroom, factory and museum at 4a Calle Oriente No. 34, and Casa del Jade, open since 9 July 1977 and now at 4ta Calle Oriente No. 10, in the restored colonial building El Jaulón. Jade Maya says it only sells jadeite and that every item comes with a card certifying authenticity. Jade Maya also lists shops inside the Westin Camino Real in Guatemala City, inside La Aurora airport and at the Pez Vela cruise terminal in Puerto Quetzal.
How much does Guatemalan jade cost?
It depends on the piece; GIA notes jadeite is generally sold by the piece rather than by weight, and that colour, transparency and texture drive value, in that order. As a floor, Jade Maya’s online shop listed jadeite earrings from US$21.60, pendants from US$27 and bracelets from US$23 on 2 October 2026, with single pieces into the thousands of dollars; Casa del Jade’s home page showed sale pieces from US$26 to US$73 the same day.
Can I take jade home to the United States?
Our separate guide covers this: Guatemala’s mining law regulates exporters of mineral product, we found no traveller-level rule for jade souvenirs, and a pre-Hispanic carved jade piece is a protected archaeological good that cannot be sold or exported. See What Can You Take Back to the USA From Guatemala.
