昌化石因其(qi)主(zhu)要產于(yu)浙(zhe)江臨(lin)安(an)昌化縣而得其(qi)名,亦是我國四(si)大(da)系印章石之一。昌化石的礦物成(cheng)分是以粘土礦物地(di)(di)開(kai)石為主(zhu),常(chang)(chang)含有(you)(you)高嶺石等粘土礦物。還常(chang)(chang)含有(you)(you)未蝕變成(cheng)地(di)(di)開(kai)石的硬(ying)質石英斑晶,硬(ying)度遠(yuan)遠(yuan)大(da)于(yu)地(di)(di)開(kai)石,工藝(yi)上稱其(qi)為“砂丁(ding)”,“砂丁(ding)”的多少直接影響昌化石的質量。
昌化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)石(shi)的(de)石(shi)質(zhi)相對多(duo)(duo)砂、多(duo)(duo)氣孔,一(yi)般都較壽山石(shi)和青田石(shi)稍堅些,且硬度變化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)較大。質(zhi)地(di)也(ye)不(bu)如(ru)二(er)者(zhe)(zhe)細(xi)膩。但也(ye)有(you)質(zhi)地(di)細(xi)嫩者(zhe)(zhe)及各種(zhong)顏(yan)色(se)(se)凍石(shi)。昌化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)石(shi)的(de)顏(yan)色(se)(se)主要有(you)白(bai)、黑(hei)、紅、黃、灰等各種(zhong)顏(yan)色(se)(se),品種(zhong)也(ye)細(xi)分(fen)(fen)成(cheng)很多(duo)(duo)種(zhong),多(duo)(duo)以顏(yan)色(se)(se)劃分(fen)(fen)。如(ru)白(bai)色(se)(se)者(zhe)(zhe)稱(cheng)“白(bai)昌化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)”,黑(hei)色(se)(se)或灰色(se)(se)雜黑(hei)色(se)(se)者(zhe)(zhe)稱(cheng)“黑(hei)昌化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)”,多(duo)(duo)色(se)(se)相間(jian)者(zhe)(zhe)則(ze)稱(cheng)“花昌化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)”。
與(yu)昌(chang)(chang)化(hua)(hua)石(shi)(shi)(shi)為(wei)(wei)相近的(de)彩(cai)石(shi)(shi)(shi)有(you)(you)青田石(shi)(shi)(shi)、田黃、等。石(shi)(shi)(shi)藝界、主要認(ren)為(wei)(wei),昌(chang)(chang)化(hua)(hua)石(shi)(shi)(shi)是色彩(cai)豐(feng)富(fu)、富(fu)于變化(hua)(hua)的(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)材。可以說,其(qi)他彩(cai)石(shi)(shi)(shi)具(ju)有(you)(you)的(de)色彩(cai),在昌(chang)(chang)化(hua)(hua)石(shi)(shi)(shi)中都能(neng)找到;而其(qi)它(ta)(ta)彩(cai)石(shi)(shi)(shi)不具(ju)有(you)(you)的(de)色彩(cai),昌(chang)(chang)化(hua)(hua)石(shi)(shi)(shi)也(ye)有(you)(you)。昌(chang)(chang)化(hua)(hua)石(shi)(shi)(shi)的(de)品(pin)(pin)種(zhong)繁多,細分起來有(you)(you)上(shang)百種(zhong),而且還有(you)(you)新(xin)品(pin)(pin)種(zhong)發現。它(ta)(ta)與(yu)巴林石(shi)(shi)(shi)均按石(shi)(shi)(shi)質色象而定種(zhong)屬(shu),顏色、透(tou)明度、光(guang)澤度、硬度是區分品(pin)(pin)類(lei)的(de)四(si)要素,只不過巴林石(shi)(shi)(shi)具(ju)備這幾種(zhong)要素的(de)程度與(yu)昌(chang)(chang)化(hua)(hua)石(shi)(shi)(shi)有(you)(you)所不同。昌(chang)(chang)化(hua)(hua)石(shi)(shi)(shi)與(yu)青田石(shi)(shi)(shi)、壽山石(shi)(shi)(shi)的(de)分類(lei)也(ye)有(you)(you)許多相似之(zhi)處(chu)。
所不(bu)同的(de)是,青田(tian)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)的(de)取(qu)名(ming)(ming)方(fang)法除了根據質地(di)及色澤的(de)異同而定外,還要再(zai)冠上產(chan)地(di)名(ming)(ming),如封門燈光凍(dong)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、官洪燈光凍(dong)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、白洋夾板凍(dong)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)等(deng)。壽山石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)的(de)種類,有(you)的(de)以產(chan)地(di)取(qu)名(ming)(ming),有(you)的(de)以坑(keng)(keng)硐取(qu)名(ming)(ming),也有(you)的(de)以石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)質色象取(qu)名(ming)(ming)。如田(tian)坑(keng)(keng)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、水(shui)(shui)(shui)坑(keng)(keng)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、山坑(keng)(keng)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)這三項傳(chuan)統大類,山坑(keng)(keng)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)中的(de)高山石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、小(xiao)高山石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、都(dou)城坑(keng)(keng)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、月尾石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、虎崗石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、獅頭石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)等(deng),均以地(di)名(ming)(ming)、硐名(ming)(ming)定名(ming)(ming),而像田(tian)坑(keng)(keng)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)中的(de)、白田(tian)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、紅田(tian)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、黑田(tian)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)等(deng),水(shui)(shui)(shui)坑(keng)(keng)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)中的(de)水(shui)(shui)(shui)晶(jing)凍(dong)、魚(yu)腦(nao)凍(dong)、天藍凍(dong)等(deng),則(ze)以石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)質色象定名(ming)(ming)。
昌(chang)化(hua)石(shi)也有(you)“老坑(keng)(keng)貨(huo)”、“新坑(keng)(keng)貨(huo)”之(zhi)稱,但主要是(shi)指開發早遲(chi)和(he)質量優(you)劣的(de)兩(liang)類坑(keng)(keng)硐(dong)的(de)產出(chu)分類,并不(bu)是(shi)昌(chang)化(hua)石(shi)品(pin)(pin)種的(de)區(qu)(qu)分。在(zai)(zai)品(pin)(pin)評石(shi)材質量時,有(you)紅硐(dong)石(shi)、水硐(dong)石(shi)、康山(shan)嶺(ling)石(shi)、蚱(zha)蜢腳背(bei)石(shi)、昌(chang)化(hua)塢石(shi)、纖嶺(ling)石(shi)、灰石(shi)嶺(ling)石(shi)之(zhi)說,這也是(shi)指部分石(shi)材質量的(de)不(bu)同(tong),而(er)不(bu)是(shi)品(pin)(pin)種的(de)不(bu)同(tong)。因為論品(pin)(pin)種,這些坑(keng)(keng)硐(dong)和(he)產地均大同(tong)小(xiao)異(yi)。所以(yi)昌(chang)化(hua)石(shi)的(de)種屬難(nan)以(yi)坑(keng)(keng)硐(dong)、產地名劃分。在(zai)(zai)開發早期,采石(shi)者只是(shi)籠統地將昌(chang)化(hua)石(shi)區(qu)(qu)分為烏玉石(shi)、石(shi)、黃玉石(shi)、花玉石(shi)、紅玉石(shi)(即(ji))幾大類。