"Today, serpentine is more often used for the large-scale production of lower quality items, as it is less expensive than true jade, and easier to work with. Serpentine ranges in color from grayish green, brown, yellow, and greenish white to soft pale green. Sometimes, groups or rows of small, striking white cloud shapes are visible on the inside of the stones. Yellow-green to definite-green varieties of serpentine are less common. Multi colored pieces are also found with light-green to green, yellow-green, or brown patches within. Serpentine rates a 2.5 to 5 on the hardness scale. Because it is soft, it is not suitable for rings. It is a translucent to opaque stone with a greasy, waxy, silky or dull luster. Serpentine is a secondary mineral formed from minerals such as olivine (peridot) and orthopyroxene. There are two basic forms of the mineral: the antigorites and the chrysotiles. Antigorites are flaky, while chrysotiles are fibrous and are the source of asbestos. Although serpentine is related to asbestos, which is a carcinogen, it is not a cancer risk unless it is fibrous. Serpentine that contains asbestos is usually placed in sealed containers when displayed." From the internet.