BEIJING, May 20, 2026 – The highly anticipated Beijing Council 2026 Spring Art Auction concluded successfully yesterday, with the 'Heavenly Craftsmanship – Southern Red Agate Boutique Special Session' performing exceptionally well. The total transaction amount reached an impressive RMB 185 million, with a sell-through rate of 92.3%, once again confirming the strong growth momentum in the Southern Red Agate market.
This auction presented 120 exquisite Southern Red Agate lots, including carvings, bead strings, and display pieces, all featuring superior material and superb craftsmanship. Among them, a 2.5-kilogram 'Splendid Mountains and Rivers' Southern Red Agate display piece, with its rare persimmon red material, delicate texture, and ingenious carving techniques, became the focal point of the entire session. The item started at RMB 28 million and, after multiple rounds of intense bidding, finally sold for a staggering RMB 52 million, an appreciation rate of 85.7%, setting a new record for a single Southern Red Agate lot in recent years. In addition, a set of 'Buddha's Light' prayer beads, consisting of 108 full-flesh persimmon red Southern Red Agate beads, sold for RMB 12 million, an increase of 60% over its estimate. Several other exquisite Southern Red Agate carvings also performed well, such as the 'Longevity and Prosperity' carving, which sold for RMB 8.5 million, and the 'Dragon and Phoenix Auspiciousness' pendant, which sold for RMB 4.8 million, both significantly exceeding expectations.
Overall, the average transaction price of this Southern Red Agate special session increased by approximately 15% compared to the same period last year, indicating a sustained surge in market demand for high-quality Southern Red Agate. Particularly, rare colors (such as top-grade persimmon red and cherry red) and master-level carved works showed even more significant price increases.
Market Analysis and Trend Prediction:
Mr. Li Ming, a senior jade market analyst, pointed out: “The success of this Council spring auction's Southern Red Agate special session is not accidental. In recent years, as collectors' understanding of the cultural value and scarcity of Southern Red Agate continues to deepen, its market value has also risen. Especially with the increasing depletion of high-quality mining sources such as Washi and Lianhe materials from Sichuan, existing exquisite pieces have become even more precious. At the same time, the involvement of top domestic jade carving masters has elevated the artistic value of Southern Red Agate to new heights, adding more added value to it.”
Mr. Li Ming further analyzed: “The future Southern Red Agate market will show a polarized trend. On the one hand, ordinary quality Southern Red Agate lacking distinctiveness or with mediocre craftsmanship will have limited price growth potential, and may even face correction pressure. On the other hand, exquisite Southern Red Agate with rare mining sources, top-grade colors, perfect condition, and master-level carving techniques will continue to highlight its investment and collection value, and its price still has significant upward potential. We expect that within the next three years, the average annual price increase for top-grade Southern Red Agate is likely to remain between 10% and 20%.”
Expert Comments and Market Insights:
Ms. Zhang Hua, Vice President of the China Jewelry and Jade Association, stated: “As an important part of traditional Chinese jade culture, Southern Red Agate's unique red color symbolizes auspiciousness and festivity, and is deeply loved by the Chinese people. The outstanding performance of this Council auction not only boosted market confidence but also injected new vitality into the cultural inheritance and market development of Southern Red Agate. However, collectors still need to be discerning when investing, paying attention to the authenticity of the material, the quality, and the exquisite craftsmanship, and avoid blindly following trends.”
An anonymous senior collector also shared his views: “I have been following the Southern Red Agate market for over ten years and have witnessed its journey from obscurity to being highly sought after. The transaction data from this auction once again proves that true masterpieces will always find buyers. For us collectors, now is a good time to carefully select and plan for the future, especially for collectibles with clear provenance and authoritative appraisal certificates, which have more long-term investment value.”
In summary, the success of the Beijing Council 2026 Spring Auction's Southern Red Agate special session not only provided a strong boost to the market but also clearly outlined the future development trajectory of the Southern Red Agate market: specialization, artistic value, and scarcity will be the dominant trends. For investors and collectors, grasping market dynamics and selecting high-quality collectibles are essential to navigate this market full of opportunities and challenges with steady progress.