China Guardian 2026 Spring Auction: Hetian Jade Market Reaches New Heights, Exquisite Carvings Lead the Price Surge

【Beijing, May 18, 2026】China Guardian's 2026 Spring Auction concluded successfully yesterday, with the 'Jade and Exquisite Objects' specialist sale performing exceptionally well, once again affirming the strong resilience and continuous growth potential of the high-end Hetian jade market. The total transaction volume of this spring auction reached RMB 1.85 billion, with a remarkable sell-through rate of 82.3%. Among these, the Hetian jade sector contributed nearly RMB 350 million, representing a 15% increase compared to the same period last year.

The highlight of this auction was undoubtedly several rare Hetian jade carvings. The highly anticipated 'Qianlong Period White Jade Carving of Auspicious Blessings' fetched RMB 68 million, exceeding its pre-sale estimate by nearly 30%, becoming the highest-priced lot of the session. This carving, with its warm and delicate jade quality and exquisite craftsmanship, embodying auspicious meanings, attracted fierce bidding from collectors both on-site and online. Another piece, the 'Hetian Jade Seed Material Auspicious Beast Carving', also sold for a high price of RMB 42 million, showcasing the unique charm of Hetian jade seed material with its perfect combination of natural skin color and ingenious design.

From the transaction data, the average unit price of the Hetian jade sector in this spring auction increased by approximately 12% compared to the same period last year. Particularly, exquisite carvings with perfect condition, rare themes, and clear provenance saw even more significant increases, with some lots even doubling in price. This indicates a continuous rise in market recognition for high-quality Hetian jade, and collectors' enthusiasm for rare resources remains undiminished.

Market Analysis and Trend Judgment:

Li Ming, a senior jade market analyst, stated: "The excellent performance of Hetian jade in this Guardian Spring Auction further solidifies its core position in the Chinese art market. We observe that the market's valuation of Hetian jade is becoming increasingly mature, no longer blindly pursuing large pieces, but focusing more on jade quality, craftsmanship, cultural connotation, and rarity. Especially Hetian jade masterpieces with renowned carving, historical provenance, or unique cultural stories, their resistance to decline and appreciation potential far exceed ordinary goods."

Li Ming further pointed out that the Hetian jade market will show the following trends in the future:

• Clear trend towards refinement and high-end: Resources are becoming increasingly scarce, and collectors will focus more on top-grade jade quality, exquisite craftsmanship, and unique themes of Hetian jade works, whose prices will continue to remain firm or even rise.


• Prominence of cultural and artistic value: The market will place more emphasis on the cultural implications, historical stories, and artistic expression carried by Hetian jade, rather than just the material itself.


• Seed material remains a market hot spot: Natural seed material, due to its rarity and unique oily luster, will continue to be sought after, especially seed material carvings and hand-held pieces with complete skin color and superior jade quality.


• Brand building and standardization: With market development, the appraisal, evaluation, and trading of Hetian jade will become more standardized and branded, which will help improve market transparency and collector confidence.

Professor Wang, Vice President of the Jade Professional Committee of the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics, stated in an interview: "The transaction situation of Hetian jade carvings at this Guardian Spring Auction is encouraging. This is not only a reflection of market confidence but also an affirmation of the value of traditional Chinese jade culture. High-end Hetian jade, as a special commodity with artistic, collection, and investment attributes, its value will continue to climb with the passage of time and the further depletion of resources. For collectors, now is a good time to acquire exquisite Hetian jade, but it is essential to be discerning and select truly rare and fine pieces."

Overall, China Guardian's 2026 Spring Auction injected new vitality into the Hetian jade market, demonstrating its strong vitality and broad prospects. Against the backdrop of economic fluctuations, high-end Hetian jade, with its unique scarcity and cultural value, is becoming an increasingly favored safe-haven asset and value investment target for collectors and investors.