Congress of Jade Carvers from the Americas
We are thrilled to announce that the next Congress of Jade Carvers from the Americas will be taking place in Antigua, Guatemala, from November 7th to 10th, 2024. Get ready again to meet master jade carvers, artists, collectors, and enthusiasts from across the Americas to celebrate the rich heritage of jade craftsmanship. Whether you're an experienced jade artist or simply curious about this captivating stone, the Congress of Jade Carvers is an unparalleled opportunity to deepen your appreciation and understanding of Guatemalan jade artistry.
Olmec Blue/Green Jade
This mesmerizing jade color comes from the presence of trace minerals during the stone's formation, making each piece of jade unique. While commonly referred to as "blue," the stone can often appear green depending on the lighting, giving it a mysterious, ever-changing quality. This precious stone holds deep cultural and historical significance, dating back thousands of years to the time of the Olmec civilization, the earliest known civilization in the Americas.
What sets Olmec Blue Jade apart from other varieties is its rare, translucent blue-green color, often ranging from pale blue to deep oceanic tones. Today, artisans use Olmec Blue Jade to craft exquisite jewelry and art pieces, preserving the legacy of this ancient stone.
Lavender Jade 💜
Symbolizes love, dreams, spirituality, romance and hope. It is a beautiful gift for the one you love.
Lavender jade is associated with love, dreams, romance, hope, serenity, tranquility, and spiritual healing. It's often considered a gem of calmness and balance, helping to soothe emotional turmoil and promote inner peace. Lavender jade is also believed to enhance intuition and promote a deeper connection with the spiritual realm.
Jade Properties
JADE has been a symbol of love and virtue for thousands of years. Wearing Jade is believed to help kidney, heart and stomach problems.
The healing stone aids the lungs, heart, immune system, nervous system and detoxifies kidneys and blood.
🙌🏻Thank you for helping our Guatemalan community!
We are pleased that we are able to contribute a percentage of our websales to The Maya Conservancy to provide scholarships for young Maya people.
Our Jade comes from the field to the showroom. Our values are always in alignment with Maya Conservancy and Fair Trade guidelines. We value our environment and people above all else. We employ indigenous locals and pay a living wage. We provide educational opportunities for our employees and help local communities, including English classes and tuition for school-aged children.
Honoring traditions and preserving culture and heritage sites are the cornerstones of our ethical code, also Jade Maya provides decent jobs in order to prevent emigration to other countries.
Our History
Jade Maya, made the decision to re-establish a jade carving industry in Guatemala and opened its doors in the 1970's and remains the largest jadeite Jade operation in the Americas.
Jade Maya is a totally integrated jade company founded in 1974 by archaeologist Mary Lou Ridinger and her husband Jay Ridinger. We mine fine jadeite jade which is found mainly in Guatemala and Burma, but valued throughout the world. The source discovered and used by Jade Maya, is the same used by the Ancient Maya people of Mesoamerica. The jade is cut and polished in our factory by native Guatemalan workers who are recovering and preserving the carving traditions of their ancestors.
