【Beijing, May 18, 2026】The highly anticipated Poly 2026 Spring Auction recently concluded successfully, with the “Jade Splendor – Hetian Jade Seed Material Masterpiece Special Session” performing particularly well. Multiple exquisite pieces achieved high prices, once again confirming the strong growth momentum of the Hetian jade seed material market and collectors' continuous pursuit of high-quality jade. The total transaction value of this special session reached an impressive RMB 285 million, with a transaction rate of 92.5%, an increase of 15% compared to the same period last year, indicating sustained market confidence in Hetian jade seed materials.
This special session featured 120 carefully selected Hetian jade seed material lots. The most eye-catching was a “Mutton Fat Jade Seed Material Rough Stone” weighing 280 grams, which sold for an astonishing RMB 38 million, far exceeding its pre-sale estimate of RMB 25 million, with a premium rate of 52%. This rough stone boasts exquisite and warm jade quality, top-tier whiteness, rich oiliness, and naturally formed auspicious skin, hailed by many experts as a rare top-tier rough stone seen in the market in the past decade. Another highlight was a “Hetian Jade Seed Material Relief Carved Auspicious Beast Handle Piece,” which, with its superb carving and superior jade quality, ultimately sold for RMB 12 million, a 100% increase from its estimated price of RMB 6 million. In addition, several exquisite small seed material pieces weighing between 50 grams and 150 grams also sold for prices 20% to 50% higher than their estimates, demonstrating strong market demand for high-quality seed materials of various specifications and types.
From the data, the average price per gram in this spring auction's Hetian jade seed material special session reached RMB 1017, an increase of approximately 15.5% compared to RMB 880/gram in the 2025 spring auction. This data fully illustrates that the value of Hetian jade seed material as a scarce resource is steadily increasing. Particularly, high-quality, large-weight mutton fat jade seed materials have seen more significant price increases, becoming the focus of market pursuit.
Mr. Li Ming, a senior jade market analyst, pointed out: “The success of this Poly spring auction's Hetian jade seed material special session is not accidental. It reflects the abundant capital in the current high-end art market and collectors' return to recognizing the value of traditional cultural artworks. Especially against the backdrop of increasing global economic uncertainty, Hetian jade seed material is regarded as an excellent asset for value preservation and appreciation due to its scarcity, non-renewability, and unique cultural attributes.” He further emphasized, “The increasing difficulty of mining high-quality seed materials and the sharp decline in reserves directly drive up market prices. In the future, seed material works with good jade quality, unique skin color, and exquisite craftsmanship still have huge room for appreciation.”
Several industry insiders also stated that with the continuous development of the domestic economy and the accumulation of national wealth, the demand for cultural and artistic items with collection value will remain strong. The awareness and interest of younger generation collectors in Hetian jade are also continuously increasing; they pay more attention to the cultural connotation and artistic value of jade, laying a solid foundation for the long-term prosperity of the Hetian jade seed material market. It is expected that in the next few years, the Hetian jade seed material market will continue to maintain a steady growth trend, with the prices of exquisite seed materials expected to reach new highs, while ordinary quality seed materials will also benefit from the overall market upswing, showing a steady increase. However, collectors still need to be vigilant when investing, guarding against phenomena such as selling inferior goods as superior and counterfeiting in the market, and choosing reputable auction houses and merchants for transactions.
The outstanding performance of this Poly spring auction's Hetian jade seed material special session undoubtedly injected a shot in the arm for the entire jade market, signaling that the collection and investment value of Hetian jade seed material will continue to be recognized and sought after by the market.