DOWDY and old-fashioned – that’s how one might be tempted to describe jade.

But, these days, the green-hued stone, used in crowns, weapons and jewellery in China as early as 6,000BC, is getting an image overhaul.

At least five Singapore brands, including companies like Soo Kee Jewellery, Poh Heng Jewellery and Tianpo Jewellery, began turning out small but modern collections using jade around 2002.

Smaller, independent stores such as 63-year-old Gold & Silver in Tong Building in Orchard Road started offering more modern designs in recent years as well. It had begun selling jade in 1976.

Traditionally, jade is set in yellow gold but these jewellers use white gold, diamonds, pearls and even coral to complement jade in trendy designs.

Over at On Cheong in South Bridge Road, where jade makes up around 30 per cent of the shop’s  stock, assistant operations manager Crystal Ang said that jade was bought by elderly women in the past.

“Now, buyers are stylish professionals in their 20s,” she said. Gold & Silver’s creative director, Ms Liza Lim, also said that “younger ladies and a number of Caucasians” are among the store’s regular jade buyers these days.

Soo Kee’s assistant brand manager, Ms Kate Ang, called the target market for chic jade jewellery “a niche crowd” made up of young urban professionals. Ms Pauline Chow, 38, a modern jade-jewellery collector, said: “Jade is understated and elegant, yet speaks of value.”

The finance manager added: “I can easily make a statement using jade, whereas I’d have to spend a lot to make the same statement using diamonds.”

Her collection contains 40 pieces, some fromMudan in Far East Plaza, which range from $100 to about $2,000.

Some feel an affinity for the stone because it represents tradition and heritage to them.

Ms Stephanie Cheng, in her early 30s, was introduced to jade by her mother. As a child, Ms Cheng, who works for a property developer, would follow her mum on jade-buying trips where she would pick classic pieces like “fat jade bangles”.

Two years ago, she began buying modern jade pieces, like a diamond and jade charm bracelet from Gold & Silver that cost around $7,000.

Ms Penny Ho, a jade collector who works in accounting, buys pieces that cost $1,000 and above. She also prefers pieces with white gold and diamonds. The mother of three, who is in her 40s, said that the allure of jade has also got to do with its “positive association with Chinese culture”.

But, ultimately, what sells these jade lovers on the stone is how striking it is as an accessory.

Ms Chow said: “I wear simpler clothes to bring out the beauty of my bold jade pieces (and) I get many compliments for them. “I feel that wearing jade is like wearing art on your body.”