Look beyond the close-up
A close-up photograph can show details you would miss at arm’s length. It also makes a small stone fill the screen. Before deciding how a jewel looks, view the whole piece and, where available, a photograph of it being worn.
The same piece can look different against a dark background or beside a window. Camera angle and exposure also affect the image. When comparing two photographs, check the surroundings as well as the stone.
Colour, transparency and texture
Colour, transparency and texture are central to GIA’s discussion of jadeite. Begin by considering them separately: the colour you notice, how much light appears to enter the material, and the visible character of its surface. Then return to the whole piece.
Use ordinary words to describe what you see. If the edge looks lighter than the centre, ask for a side view. If the surface is difficult to see, request a closer image. You do not need specialist vocabulary to ask a useful question.
Check the documentation
A photograph cannot confirm material identity, treatment or origin. Those details need supporting documentation for the individual stone.
Read the available Stone Profile alongside the photographs. Check which details are recorded, and ask GREIGN about any missing information that matters to your choice.