Christie's Autumn Auction 2026: Ancient Jade Pendants Market Continues to Heat Up, Masterpieces Set New Records

【Hong Kong, November 20, 2026】Christie's Hong Kong Autumn Auction 2026 concluded successfully yesterday. The highly anticipated 'Chinese Ancient Jades and Works of Art' sale performed exceptionally well, particularly the ancient jade pendant section, which saw both transaction volume and sell-through rate reach new highs in recent years, once again affirming the strong resilience and collecting enthusiasm in the high-end ancient jade market.

In this autumn auction, Christie's presented a total of 120 ancient jade pendant lots, covering various masterpieces from the Neolithic period to the Ming and Qing dynasties. Ultimately, 108 lots were successfully sold, achieving an impressive sell-through rate of 90%, far exceeding market expectations. The total transaction value reached an astonishing HKD 185 million, representing a 15% increase compared to the same period last year. Among them, 15 lots sold for over HKD 5 million, and 3 lots broke the HKD 10 million mark, fully demonstrating the scarce value of top-tier ancient jades.

One of the highlight lots was a 'Western Han White Jade Chilong Dragon Pendant'. This pendant features warm and delicate jade, exquisite craftsmanship, and a vivid and powerful Chilong dragon motif, making it an exemplary work of jade carving art from the Western Han Dynasty. After multiple rounds of intense bidding, it was finally hammered at HKD 38 million, significantly exceeding its pre-sale estimate (HKD 20 million - HKD 30 million), becoming the 'King of Jade Pendants' in this auction and setting a new auction record for Western Han jade pendants in the past five years. Another 'Song Dynasty Celadon Jade Openwork Flower and Bird Pendant', with its intricate openwork technique and elegant motifs, attracted numerous collectors and was ultimately sold for HKD 12.5 million. Compared to its estimate of HKD 5 million - HKD 8 million, the premium rate reached an impressive 56%.

Market Analysis and Trend Judgement:

The excellent performance of ancient jade pendants in this Christie's autumn auction is not accidental. Market analyst Li Ming stated: "Under the downward pressure of the global economy, the demand for safe-haven investments in art by high-net-worth individuals is increasing. Ancient jade pendants, with their profound cultural heritage, scarcity, and stable value growth potential, have become highly favored investment targets. Especially museum-quality collections with perfect condition, clear provenance, and exquisite craftsmanship, their price performance is particularly outstanding."

Based on the results of this auction, the following trends are worth noting:

• Strong Demand for High-Quality Masterpieces: Collectors are increasingly demanding comprehensive factors such as jade quality, carving, condition, and age. The prices of top-tier masterpieces continue to strengthen, further widening the price gap with ordinary lots.


• Han and Song Dynasty Jades Highly Sought After: Han Dynasty jades, with their majestic, understated, and spiritual style, and Song Dynasty jades, with their literati elegance and delicate refinement, performed particularly well in the market, with transaction prices repeatedly setting new records.


• Increased Participation of International Collectors: This auction attracted numerous collectors from Asia, North America, and Europe, and the activity of online bidding significantly increased, indicating that the international market recognition of ancient jade pendants is gradually improving.

Professor Wang, a renowned expert in ancient jade appraisal, pointed out in an interview: "The success of this Christie's autumn auction once again proves the unique charm and market value of ancient jade pendants as treasures of Chinese civilization. The transaction price of the 'Western Han White Jade Chilong Dragon Pendant' not only reflects its artistic and historical value but also indicates that the market's understanding and confidence in high-ancient jade are gradually recovering. In the future, we expect the ancient jade pendant market to continue to show a polarized trend, with prices for masterpieces remaining strong, while ordinary categories may face greater market competition."

Looking ahead, with the increasing global influence of traditional Chinese culture and the deeper understanding of the cultural value of ancient jade by collectors, the ancient jade pendant market is expected to maintain steady growth. However, collectors still need to be cautious when investing, paying attention to the authenticity, condition, and provenance of the lots to seize opportunities in a volatile market.