Five different questions are often conflated
Visual observation describes what appears under stated conditions. Laboratory identification addresses material using appropriate methods. Treatment disclosure concerns whether testing has found and reported particular enhancement. A report has the scope written by its issuer. A grading standard defines a stated framework. These categories overlap in conversation, but they are not interchangeable.
An editorial guide cannot identify a particular stone, determine treatment or origin, certify a report, or assign a grade to an item from photographs. Start with material identity, then use controlled observation to describe appearance without confusing it with a laboratory conclusion.
What a current standard is—and is not
A current national standard is an official record with a defined title, status and scope. It is not a shortcut for applying a grade online, a replacement for reading a laboratory report, or a universal market price system. The official status record should be checked again before publication or material revision because status can change.
| Official record | Status checked 2026-10-11 | Editorial use |
|---|---|---|
| GB/T 23885-2009, Jadeite grading | Current / active (现行); official record lists implementation and a continuing-validity review. | State its title and current status; do not reproduce its tables or treat this page as a grading service. |
| GB/T 29155-2012, Transparent jadeite (colorless) grading | Current / active (现行); scope is specifically transparent/colorless jadeite. | Do not imply that it covers every jadeite object or supplies a universal price result. |
| 20250124-T-334, Jadeite — Identification and classification | Consultation-stage proposed standard / not active. | Label only as a plan under consultation; do not present it as an effective requirement. |
Read a report within its stated scope
A report can be important evidence, but it should be matched to the exact object and read for its actual wording. Material identity, treatment language, measurements, the issuing body and document verification are separate fields to check. Many reports do not answer every question a buyer may have, including a personal valuation, purchase suitability, visible condition outside the reported scope, or a retail promise.
Use Reading a Jadeite Report for document-to-object matching. Use treatment terminology to distinguish trade shorthand from laboratory wording. A report should not be expanded into claims it does not make.
Use terms with their scope attached
Words such as “natural,” “untreated,” “Type A,” “grade,” “certificate,” “origin” and “quality” are often used with different meanings. A careful record states who used the term, where it appears, and whether it is a visual description, a trade term, a laboratory conclusion or an official-standard reference.
The Jadeite Glossary provides compact scoped definitions and links to deeper articles. It does not override a report or standard. Where evidence is insufficient, the correct entry is unknown—not an inferred classification.
A practical evidence sequence
Describe the object under controlled light; identify the questions that matter; obtain and match relevant documentary evidence; read the wording at its stated scope; and keep price, origin and preference as separate questions. The Buying Guide provides this sequence in decision form. The Natural vs Treated guide explains why visual observation cannot settle treatment status.