Beijing, May 18, 2026 – The highly anticipated Beijing Council 2026 Spring Art Auction concluded successfully yesterday. Among them, the 'Jade-like Crimson Splendor – Southern Red Agate Masterpieces Special Session,' favored by collectors, performed exceptionally well, once again confirming the continuous upward trend in the Southern Red Agate market. This special session featured a total of 120 exquisite Southern Red Agate pieces, with 108 ultimately sold, achieving an impressive sell-through rate of 90%. The total transaction value reached RMB 125 million, an 18.5% increase compared to the same period last year, demonstrating robust market vitality.
The highlight of this auction was undoubtedly several high-quality Southern Red Agate carvings. Among them, a 'Magnificent Landscape' Southern Red Agate ornament weighing 2.5 kilograms fetched an astonishing RMB 18 million, far exceeding its pre-sale estimate of RMB 12 million to RMB 15 million, with a premium rate of 20%. This ornament, with its warm texture, rich 'persimmon red' color, and exquisite carving, attracted fierce bidding from collectors present. Another 'Longevity and Fortune' Southern Red Agate hand-held piece, personally crafted by contemporary jade carving master Wang XX, sold for RMB 3.5 million, an increase of approximately 15% compared to its market price last year, once again highlighting the potential for value preservation and appreciation of works by renowned artists.
From the data, the average unit price of this Southern Red Agate special session reached RMB 1.157 million, an increase of approximately 10% compared to the same period last year. The sell-through rate for mid-to-high-end lots (estimated between RMB 1 million and RMB 5 million) was as high as 95%, indicating strong demand for exquisite Southern Red Agate. Even some entry-level or slightly lesser-quality lots performed well, with sell-through rates remaining above 80%, demonstrating the continuous expansion of market breadth and depth.
Zhang Ming, a veteran auction industry journalist, pointed out: "The success of this Council Spring Auction's Southern Red Agate special session is not accidental. In recent years, with collectors' deeper understanding of traditional jade culture and increased awareness of the scarcity of natural gemstones, Southern Red Agate, with its unique red charm, warm texture, and profound cultural heritage, has gradually become another highly sought-after collectible category after jadeite and Hetian jade. Especially high-quality Liangshan Southern Red, due to the increasing depletion of its mineral resources, its market value has soared."
Li Hua, a jade market analyst, also stated: "The market enthusiasm for Southern Red Agate has shown a clear upward trend over the past five years. From an investment perspective, the average annual appreciation rate of high-quality Southern Red Agate has reached 10%-20%, with some rare exquisite pieces even higher. The data from this Council Spring Auction once again confirms this trend. We expect that the Southern Red Agate market will maintain steady growth in the next five years, especially for exquisite pieces with master carvings, unique designs, or rare raw materials, whose investment value will become even more prominent. At the same time, with the improvement of market maturity, collectors' appreciation level for Southern Red Agate is also continuously improving, which drives the market to pursue high-quality, high-craftsmanship, truly rare and exquisite pieces."
However, the market is not without challenges. Li Hua warned: "With the increase in market demand, there have also been many treated or counterfeit products on the market. Collectors need to be vigilant when purchasing, choose reputable auction houses or merchants, and seek the help of professional appraisal agencies. In addition, although the overall market is good, the increase in ordinary Southern Red Agate is limited, and investment still needs to focus on exquisite pieces."
Looking ahead, Beijing Council Auction House stated that it will continue to cultivate the Southern Red Agate market, presenting more high-quality Southern Red Agate artworks to collectors through stricter selection standards and more professional marketing, and jointly promoting the healthy and sustainable development of the Southern Red Agate collection market.