Rainbow new jade beads are also known as rainbow soohow jade beads, tricolor jade, or occasionally candy jade. Like our other new jade beads, rainbow jade is actually bowenite, a type of serpentine that is similar to nephrite jade. The beautiful color variations in these semiprecious beads are achieved with a colorfast dye, and include delicious fruit shades of raspberry (burgundy), cherry, apricot and green pear. While the colors in these beads will not leech out, make sure to shield the beads from prolonged sun exposure, or the colors may fade. In China, bowenite is mined in the Soochow (Suzhou or Soo Cho) region, thus the name rainbow soochow jade.
