Hey, let me tell you, a couple of days ago an old customer—someone I met when I first came to Ruili—started chatting with me and asked how the current agate market is doing. He said he had his eye on a string of Southern Red agate bracelets but was a bit hesitant. So, I thought, why not share some thoughts about agate with everyone? Honestly, agate may not seem as “high-end” as jadeite or Hetian jade, but there’s plenty of depth and nuance to it.

If you ask me, recently the agate sales in the Ruili market and my online store have been quite interesting. It’s not the crazy surge like a few years ago, but it hasn’t crashed either. The market is highly polarized. I’ve stepped into this pit myself—when I first started, I saw agate as cheap and profitable, but guess what? I paid a hefty tuition fee learning the hard way.

What’s the current state of the agate market?

Walk into the jade market in Ruili now, and you’ll find agate stalls are no longer as clustered as before, but good pieces still stand out at a glance. The previous frenzy of everyone scrambling for material has calmed down; people have become more rational. Just last year, I saw a nicely graded Baoshan Southern Red agate piece in the Ruili market—rich color, strong waxy luster, and a decent size about the palm of a hand. A couple of years ago, that kind of material would have shot up in price, but now the sellers are noticeably more flexible and open to negotiation.

My feeling is, ordinary and common agate is genuinely hard to sell now. If you bring out a bunch of agate with dull colors and lots of cracks, basically no one will even glance at it. Buyers have become savvy—they’re not fools who’ll just buy something to put on a shelf. Who has money blowing in the wind?

However, premium and distinctive pieces remain solid hard currency. For example, Southern Red agate in persimmon red or cherry red hues with visible warm luster, or agates with special patterns and unique color distribution like Gobi agate, Warring States red, and even some natural bicolor or cleverly carved agate pieces. These kinds of items, as long as the price is right, basically sell themselves. In my online store, I’ve had several occasions where top-quality Southern Red beads sold out instantly upon listing—no time to hesitate at all.

Are prices rising or falling? It depends on the type of agate

You can’t generalize this question. Honestly, there are so many types of agate: Southern Red, Warring States Red, Gobi agate, Alxa, water-worn agate, raisin agate... each has its own market trend.


    • Southern Red Agate: This is what everyone cares about most. If you ask me, the price of premium Southern Red remains firm, even showing slight upward trends. Especially high-quality persimmon red, icy drift material, or rare combined and “nine-mouth” materials with even color and strong waxy luster, free of obvious cracks—they’re still hot commodities. Ordinary Southern Red, meaning pale colors, many cracks, and watery translucency, has indeed dropped significantly, roughly 20-30% lower than a few years ago. This is very obvious. A friend of mine bought a batch of average Southern Red beads last year hoping to make a profit, but they sat for almost a year before barely breaking even, costing a lot of time and effort.

    • Warring States Red Agate: This has been quite popular in recent years. High-quality Warring States Red with sharp color contrast, clear patterns, and unique designs is steadily appreciating. Especially those with “blood veins” or “water bubbles” are highly sought after. But those with blurred colors and unclear patterns are like ordinary Southern Red—prices are declining.

    • Gobi Agate and Alxa Agate: These have also been heavily speculated on in recent years. Let me tell you, this stuff is all about rarity and shape. Unique natural shapes still command decent prices. But plain, unremarkable pieces are flooding the market now, and prices have long since fallen from their peak. Buyers are tired of the same old thing—if you don’t offer something new, who’s going to pay?

    • Other Agates: Like common water-worn agate or Brazilian agate, most are volume sellers. Prices have basically remained stable or slightly declined. Only very large pieces or those with exceptional carving can fetch a premium.

Overall, the market is polarized. The good stuff gets more expensive, the poor quality stuff is increasingly unwanted. I think this trend will continue for some time.

Some trends I’ve observed, let me share

After working in this field for years, some things become clear just by watching. Here are a few obvious trends in the agate business recently:


    • Quality is king: In the past, people might have thought natural agate was enough. Not anymore. People increasingly pursue high quality. Consumers have higher standards and better aesthetics—they’re no longer satisfied with “anything will do.” So merchants with premium material have it relatively easier.

    • Personalized aesthetics: Previously, everyone chased persimmon red Southern Red. Now, many seek niche, distinctive agate. Like the Warring States Red with unique patterns I mentioned, or Alxa agate with unusual colors. People want something unique, not the same as everyone else.

    • Design over volume: Many used to buy agate just for the material, stringing beads randomly. Now, younger buyers pay more attention to overall design. For example, pairing with small gold beads, silver ornaments, or oddly shaped beads to make the bracelet or necklace more distinctive. This trend isn’t just in jade but across the entire collectible market.

    • Live streaming sales create market segmentation: There are too many live streamers selling agate now, and prices are chaotic. Some hosts slash prices to boost sales, but quality is questionable. This draws away bargain hunters. Meanwhile, knowledgeable buyers prefer offline or reputable old shops because they know cheap goods often hide many pitfalls.

My outlook on the future market and advice for you

If you ask me about the future of the agate market, honestly, I think big price surges are unlikely, but premium agate will continue to hold and appreciate in value. Ordinary material may linger at low levels. After all, agate isn’t a “hard currency” like jadeite or Hetian jade; its value lies more in craftsmanship and rarity.

So, if you’re thinking about buying agate recently, here’s my advice:


    • If you’re a complete beginner, don’t rush to buy expensive pieces. Look more, ask more, compare more. Visit markets, watch live streams, but don’t easily believe those “bargain” stories. If there really were bargains, they wouldn’t be available to you.

    • Choose quality carefully; don’t be greedy for cheap. Especially Southern Red—color must be pure, waxy luster strong, and cracks minimal. For Warring States Red, check the patterns; for Gobi agate, check the shape. Quality comes first—better to buy fewer but better pieces.

    • Find a trustworthy dealer. This is crucial! Not necessarily me, but find someone knowledgeable and honest. Someone who can clearly explain the origin and details without cheating you. Listen more to experts, less to hype.

    • If investing, focus on premium pieces. Materials and works with collectible value are more likely to bring good returns. Ordinary pieces are just for fun—enjoy them.

    • Know your limits; don’t let collecting ruin your life. Don’t chase after a piece of agate at the cost of chaos in your life. Ultimately, it’s a hobby, a pastime.

That’s all for now. I hope this helps friends who want to get into agate. The market’s deep and complex—you have to see and learn a lot yourself. I’m no expert or professor, just a jade seller speaking from the heart.