【Beijing, May 15, 2026】China Guardian's 2026 Spring Auction concluded successfully yesterday, achieving a total turnover of RMB 3.25 billion, with a remarkable sell-through rate of 82.3%. This represents a 15.7% increase compared to the same period last year, signaling a strong recovery in the art market, particularly in the jade sector. The highly anticipated Hetian jade special session performed exceptionally well, with several exquisite pieces fetching prices far exceeding their estimates, becoming the biggest highlight of this spring auction.
The undisputed focus of this spring auction was the “Condensing Fat into Realm – Hetian Jade Masterpieces Special Session.” This session presented a total of 120 Hetian jade treasures, with 108 pieces successfully sold, achieving an impressive sell-through rate of 90% and a total turnover of RMB 880 million. Among them, a Hetian jade籽料 (seed material) carving titled “Auspicious Beasts Presenting Fortune,” with its delicate texture, exquisite craftsmanship, and auspicious symbolism, became the centerpiece of the entire auction. Estimated at RMB 35 million to 45 million, after multiple rounds of intense bidding, it finally hammered down at an astonishing price of RMB 72 million, setting a new auction record for Hetian jade carvings in the past three years, exceeding the highest estimate by 60%. Another Hetian jade mountain carving, “Li Bai Drunk,” with its unique artistic conception and rare white jade quality, sold for RMB 48 million, an increase of 45% over its estimate. In addition, several Hetian jade hand-held pieces and pendants also performed well, with an average premium rate exceeding 30%.
Mr. Li Ming, a veteran auction industry observer, pointed out: “The outstanding performance of the Hetian jade special session at this Guardian spring auction is not accidental. After several years of market adjustments, collectors' enthusiasm for high-quality, rare Hetian jade treasures has not diminished but increased. Especially those exquisite pieces that combine artistic value, cultural connotation, and traceable provenance have been fully recognized by the market for their resilience and appreciation potential. The successful sale of 'Auspicious Beasts Presenting Fortune' further confirms the scarcity value of top-tier Hetian jade.”
Ms. Wang Li, head of China Guardian's Jade Department, stated in an interview: “We are very satisfied with the results of this Hetian jade special session. This not only reflects the market's confidence in the Hetian jade category but also demonstrates our strict standards and professional judgment in selecting auction items. We have observed that the buyer structure is changing; in addition to traditional seasoned collectors, an increasing number of young collectors and corporate institutions are also beginning to pay attention to and invest in Hetian jade. They focus more on the artistic merit, cultural stories, and inheritability of the works, rather than just the material itself.”
Market analyst Zhang Hua believes that in the coming years, the Hetian jade market will show the following trends: First, refinement and personalization will become mainstream, with collectors favoring works that are uniquely crafted, novel in theme, and exquisitely carved; second, origin traceability and jade quality authentication will become stricter, and Hetian jade with authoritative certificates will be more favored by the market; finally, cultural added value will become increasingly prominent, and Hetian jade works combined with traditional culture and historical allusions will have greater collection value and market competitiveness. It is expected that in the next two years, the average annual appreciation rate of high-quality Hetian jade is expected to remain between 10%-15%, while the appreciation potential of top-tier rare seed material may even exceed 20%.
The success of this spring auction has undoubtedly injected a shot in the arm into the entire art market, especially the brilliant performance of the Hetian jade sector, signaling that the spring of China's traditional art collection market is quietly arriving.