Beijing, May 15, 2026 – The highly anticipated China Guardian 2026 Spring Auction concluded successfully yesterday, with the “Jade Rhapsody of the East – China Hetian Jade Masterpiece Special Sale” performing exceptionally well. This special sale featured 120 carefully selected Hetian jade lots, achieving a total transaction value of RMB 285 million, with a remarkable sell-through rate of 88.3%. This significantly exceeded market expectations, once again affirming the strong resilience and investment value of the high-end Hetian jade market.
The undisputed highlight of this special auction was a white jade seed material mountain carving titled “Blessings and Longevity”. This piece, weighing 1.5 kilograms, boasts a delicate and warm texture, with first-grade whiteness and局部 sprinkling of golden skin. The exquisite craftsmanship depicts auspicious motifs such as immortal mountains and pavilions, pine trees symbolizing longevity, auspicious clouds, and mythical beasts. After multiple rounds of fierce bidding, it finally hammered at an astonishing price of RMB 58 million, far exceeding its pre-auction estimate of RMB 35 million, with a premium rate as high as 65.7%. This transaction price not only set a new auction record for Hetian jade carvings in the past three years but also became the highest-priced lot in this auction.
In addition, a celadon jade carving titled “Auspicious Beasts Presenting Fortune” also performed strongly, selling for RMB 18.5 million, an increase of 23.3% over its estimate. Multiple small and medium-sized exquisite pieces, such as white jade hand-held pieces, jade plaques, and pendants, also sold for prices 10% to 30% higher than their estimates, indicating continued strong market demand for mid-to-low-end Hetian jade masterpieces.
Market Analysis and Trend Judgment:
Mr. Li Ming, a senior auction industry analyst, pointed out: “The success of this Guardian Spring Auction's Hetian jade special sale sends several key signals. Firstly, high-end Hetian jade, especially white jade seed material with master carving, top-tier quality, and traceable provenance, is being highly recognized by the market for its scarcity and artistic value. It demonstrates strong resilience and can even rise against the trend amidst overall economic fluctuations. Secondly, collectors’ aesthetic and appreciation levels for jade are increasingly sophisticated. They no longer blindly pursue large pieces but focus more on jade quality, craftsmanship, and cultural connotations. Finally, with the continuous growth of high-net-worth individuals in China, the demand for art investment allocation is increasing. As a treasure of traditional Chinese culture, Hetian jade's value preservation and appreciation attributes make it an important investment target.”
Ms. Wang Li, head of China Guardian's Jade Department, stated: “We are very satisfied with the performance of this Hetian jade special sale. From the transaction data, market confidence in exquisite Hetian jade continues to warm up, and the buyer structure is also more diversified, including not only traditional collectors but also many young entrepreneurs and art enthusiasts. In the future, we will continue to deeply cultivate the Hetian jade market and unearth more masterpieces with historical and cultural value and artistic collection potential.”
Expert Commentary:
Professor Zhang, a renowned jade appraisal expert, believes: “The successful sale of the ‘Blessings and Longevity’ white jade seed material mountain carving is the most direct affirmation of the scarcity of top-tier Hetian jade seed material resources by the market. Such works are not only precious in material but also represent the pinnacle of carving art, possessing irreplaceable uniqueness. It is expected that in the next few years, the price of top-tier Hetian jade seed material will continue to rise steadily, while the mid-range exquisite market will focus more on cost-effectiveness and cultural added value.”
Overall, the success of China Guardian's 2026 Spring Auction Hetian Jade Special Sale not only injected a strong boost into the market but also pointed the way for the future development of the Hetian jade market. Driven by increasingly depleted resources and the prominence of cultural value, the investment and collection prospects of Hetian jade remain broad, but collectors need to pay more attention to quality, provenance, and artistry when making choices.