Jade Abacus Rings

What are Abacus Rings?

Jade abacus rings are named as such because of their shape which resembles the discs used in abacuses. Each disc or bead in an abacus is cylindrical with a hollowed centre. These discs were built into a frame which allowed them to slide up and down depending on the calculation applied. Before calculators, abacuses were often used as a tool for counting and even today, they are used as a teaching tool for mathematics.

Similar to the discs found in abacuses, jade abacus rings have a cylindrical shape with a hollow centre. The entire jade ring is carved from a single raw jadeite. These rings are also known as hololith rings which are rings that are carved entirely out from a single piece of stone. This is similar to how jade bangles are carved but requires much lesser jadeite raw material due to the relatively smaller sizes of jade rings.

Being carved from entirely from jadeite or nephrite, jade abacus rings wears very comfortably. The cool smooth jade material is always in contact with one’s skin and with fine jade, the polish is incredibly delicate which results in a very smooth textured finish for perfect wearing.

Unique Jade Pieces

Natural, Type A jade exists in an array of beautiful colours. Accordingly, jade abacus rings can be found in vastly different colours. Since every single jade abacus ring is completely carved from natural jade, every jade abacus ring is unique in its colour hue and patterns adorning the ring. No two jade rings will be alike but factors that determine the quality of jadeite or nephrite do not change. Colour, translucency, fineness of the crystal aggregate structure and clarity are some of the key factors that will grade any given jade ring.

Unisex Design

Jade abacus rings can be worn both by men and women alike. In many jade jewellery, designs are targetted mostly at women. Men’s jade jewellery options are, in comparison, less varied. For abacus rings, the design is applicable to both sexes. Different colours of jade give different looks and feels to these unisex rings. Darker colours present a bolder look while lighter translucent abacus rings give a softer and more understated look. As an alternative to the traditional gold rings, jade rings in this hololith design are an excellent option for both men and women.

Limitation of Abacus Rings

Unlike gold rings, jade abacus rings cannot be resized. Being hololith rings, jade abacus rings are entirely made up of jadeite. Thus, jade abacus rings are not malleable nor are they able to be cut and melted to form back together. Once a jade abacus ring is polished, the only way to change its size would be to polish the inner surface of the ring and increase the inner diameter of the ring. This removes material from the jade abacus ring to increase the ring size which is not advised as it makes the band thinner and is a risky process since a thinner band is easier to break and the polishing process might simply crack the ring. In a way, jade abacus rings are simply fixed in the sizes they are available at, similar to jade bangles.

Care when wearing jade abacus rings is also another important note. Jadeite and nephrite are amongst the toughest materials found naturally due to their crystal structure. However, being made as hololith rings, the band on a jade abacus ring is not very thick. Wearing it on the finger also exposes the jade material to more contact in everyday activities. E.g. opening a door handle made of steel. Accidental bumps might not damage jade much, but a hard knock or an excited slap on a table will crack a jade abacus ring. Wearing with gentle care is advised when dealing with jade abacus rings.

Conclusion

Fine jade abacus rings are beautiful and unique pieces of jade jewellery that wear comfortably. These rings can be found in an assortment of colours with a wide range in quality but sizes are fixed and cannot be changed. Similar to jade bangles, one’s individual ring size needs to be identified prior to selecting any jade abacus ring. With any fine Type A jade jewellery, proper care will ensure that the jade will last for a very long time.