Beijing, May 18, 2026 – The highly anticipated Beijing Council International 2026 Spring Art Auction concluded successfully yesterday. Against a backdrop of a sluggish global economy, this spring auction defied expectations, achieving a total turnover of RMB 1.28 billion and an impressive sell-through rate of 82.5%. Notably, the 'Lustrous Jade – Ancient Chinese Jade and Hetian Jade' special session performed exceptionally well, with a transaction volume exceeding RMB 350 million, once again affirming the strong collecting demand and investment potential of the high-end Hetian jade market.
The Hetian jade special session featured 180 lots, with 158 ultimately sold, achieving a sell-through rate of 87.8%. Among them, several exquisite Hetian jade pendants stood out, repeatedly setting new records. The highly anticipated star lot – a 'White Jade Seed Material Auspicious Beast Pendant' weighing 120 grams – captivated collectors with its delicate texture, warm luster, and superb craftsmanship, ultimately fetching RMB 28 million, exceeding its high estimate by 30%, becoming the highest-priced item in the session. Another 'Celadon Jade Carved Dragon and Phoenix Pendant', though smaller in size, sold for RMB 8.5 million due to its unique cultural symbolism and rare celadon jade material, an increase of 25% from its estimate. Furthermore, a series of five 'Hetian Jade Seed Material Eighteen Arhat Pendants' with different themes, due to their rarity as a complete set, sold for RMB 15 million, an increase of 20%. Overall, the average premium rate for Hetian jade pendant lots reached 18%, demonstrating the strong market demand for high-quality Hetian jade pendants.
Mr. Zhang Hua, Head of the Chinese Jade Department at Council International Auction, stated in an interview: "The success of this spring auction's Hetian jade session once again proves the resilience and vitality of the jade market, especially the high-end Hetian jade market. In the current macroeconomic environment, high-quality, rare Hetian jade pendants, with their combination of artistic value, cultural connotation, and value preservation/appreciation attributes, have become a preferred choice for collectors' asset allocation. We have observed that the buyer structure is becoming increasingly diversified, with new young collectors and institutional investors actively entering the market in addition to traditional seasoned collectors, injecting new vitality into the market."
Professor Li Ming, a senior jade market analyst, pointed out: "Judging from the data of this Council International spring auction, the Hetian jade market shows a clear two-tier differentiation trend. On the one hand, top-grade seed material, works by renowned carvers, and masterpieces with clear provenance continue to command strong prices, even setting new highs, reflecting the market's pursuit of scarce resources. On the other hand, items of ordinary quality or with repetitive themes saw relatively stable prices, or even some adjustments. This reminds collectors that when investing in Hetian jade, they should pay more attention to the uniqueness of the jade quality, craftsmanship, theme, and cultural value, rather than blindly following trends. In the coming years, we expect the high-end Hetian jade market to maintain steady growth, but it places higher demands on collectors' connoisseurship and investment strategies."
Looking ahead, Beijing Council International Auction will continue to delve into the traditional Chinese art market, especially in the jade sector, consistently unearthing masterpieces with historical and cultural value and artistic collection potential to meet the growing market demand. The success of this spring auction undoubtedly injected a strong shot in the arm for the art market in the second half of 2026 and painted a positive picture for the future development of the Hetian jade market.