The Jade Factory Experience

The Jade Factory, owned by John Sheehan and Dracky Zhang, first started trading in 1990 with one shop in Rotorua.  It has expanded its retail outlets to include Auckland, Christchurch, Hokitika and Queenstown.  The retail outlets are supported by two large lapidary workshops.

The jadeFactory specializes in Nephrite Jade products, ranging from hand-carved pendants, jade jewellery combined with gold or sterling silver fittings, beads, sculptures, ornaments and tumbled stone.

The beginnings of the Jade Factory can be traced back to John's early interest in carving.  John was studying at an Alaskan university in 1969, and sharing a house with an Inuit artist who carved whale bone.

In 1970, John immigrated to New Zealand and he became fascinated by Maori art and New Zealand's Pounamu. (greenstone-jade).

John and his family moved to Rotorua, in the North Island where he was fortunate to meet many of  New Zealand's best stone carvers of the time, all of whom were working to establish unique contemporary approaches to carving pounamu.

At this time John met Jin Hong Zhang (Dracky), who has a deep knowledge of Chinese jade carving techniques and processes, and has given the company access to new forms of international jade carving.  They set up a factory in China now run by Dracky's talented brother Jackson.  They employ 90 carvers.

John's passion for beautiful jade has taken him to all known jade fields around the world.  As well as travelling New Zealand, he visits Russia, Canada, China and Australia in search of the highest quality raw material.
Only 3 to 5 percent of all jade extracted from any source anywhere is of the high jewellery grades carvers prefer.

John and his company have trained and employed many carvers, both in New Zealand and in China, who have become artists in their own right.

The Jade Factory team of carvers share John's love for jade and the desire to interpret individual qualities and spirituality of each piece of stone.  They are happy to explain how they go about creating a unique carving.  Visitors are welcome into the workshops to chat with the carvers or other staff available to explain the meaining of the origin of particular jade pieces and designs.

Many of the hand sculptured creations have a special meaning connected with hope, strength, growth and family bonds.  Because of the nature of the handwork involved, every piece regardless of its design or size is almost unique.