Hong Kong, May 10, 2026 – Sotheby's Spring Sale 2026 concluded yesterday, achieving a total turnover of HK$2.85 billion, significantly exceeding pre-sale estimates, with a remarkable sell-through rate of 89.5%. The highly anticipated 'Imperial Jadeite' special session was particularly outstanding, with an 'Emerald Rhyme of Nature' imperial green jadeite bead necklace fetching an astonishing HK$280 million, becoming the highest-priced lot of this spring sale and setting a new auction record for jadeite bead necklaces in the past five years.
This spring sale presented over 2,000 lots, covering various categories including Chinese paintings and calligraphy, ceramics and works of art, jewelry and watches, and modern and contemporary art. Among them, the jewelry and jadeite section performed exceptionally well, with a total turnover of HK$1.23 billion, accounting for 43.1% of the total sales. In addition to the 'Emerald Rhyme of Nature' imperial green jadeite bead necklace, another 'Jadeite Serenity' cabochon ring weighing 20.5 carats also sold for a high price of HK$120 million, an increase of 35% from its low estimate. Overall, high-end jadeite lots generally saw price increases of 15% to 40% compared to their estimates, indicating collectors' undiminished enthusiasm for top-tier jadeite.
Mr. Nicolas Chow, Chairman of Sotheby's Asia, stated after the auction: "The success of this spring sale, especially the outstanding performance of the Imperial Jadeite session, once again confirms the strong demand from collectors in Asia and globally for rare, high-quality artworks. In the current complex economic environment, top-tier jadeite, as a hard currency with both artistic value and investment attributes, has increasingly highlighted its characteristics of hedging and preserving value, attracting the attention of many experienced collectors and new buyers."
Professor Li Ming, a master of Chinese jade carving and a senior jadeite connoisseur, analyzed: "The transaction data of Imperial Jadeite at this Sotheby's spring sale clearly conveys the market's strong demand for high-quality, clearly sourced, and exquisitely crafted jadeite treasures. Especially for museum-grade imperial green jadeite bead necklaces like 'Emerald Rhyme of Nature,' their rarity dictates their continuous appreciation in value. In the next few years, we expect the prices of top-tier jadeite to maintain a steady upward trend, especially for works with unique historical provenance or carved by renowned masters, whose appreciation potential will be even more significant."
From the perspective of buyer structure, the bidding atmosphere at this spring sale was exceptionally intense, with not only traditional buyers from Hong Kong and mainland China but also active participation from international buyers from North America, Europe, and the Middle East. Online bidding also contributed nearly 20% of the total sales. This indicates that the global wealthy class's demand for high-end art and luxury goods remains strong, and purchasing channels are becoming increasingly diversified.
Market analyst Mr. Zhang Hua believes: "Sotheby's impressive results in this spring sale, particularly the strong performance of the high-end jadeite market, have injected a shot in the arm for the global art market in 2026. Against the backdrop of increased inflation expectations and geopolitical uncertainties, scarce and value-preserving hard assets, such as top-tier jewelry and artworks, will continue to be favored by high-net-worth individuals. It is expected that the high-end jadeite market will remain active in the coming year, with prices likely to increase by another 5% to 10% on the existing basis."
In summary, Sotheby's Spring Sale 2026 not only achieved impressive results but also clearly depicted the current trends in the art market through the outstanding performance of Imperial Jadeite: high-end masterpieces remain the focus of market pursuit, with their value continuously rising, driven by both scarcity and artistic merit. This trend suggests that in the coming years, the top-tier jewelry and art market will continue to be an important component of global wealth allocation.