【Hong Kong, May 18, 2026】Christie's Hong Kong Spring 2026 Auction concluded successfully, achieving a total sales value of HKD 2.53 billion, exceeding the pre-sale high estimate by 15%, with a remarkable sell-through rate of 88%. The highly anticipated Jewelry and Jadeite section performed exceptionally well, recording a total sales value of HKD 820 million and a sell-through rate of 92%. In particular, several rare jadeite cabochons, with their outstanding quality and scarcity, once again affirmed the strong demand in the high-end jadeite market.
The undisputed highlight of this auction was a necklace composed of three top-grade Imperial Green jadeite cabochons, which ultimately hammered at HKD 185 million, significantly surpassing its pre-sale estimate of HKD 120 million, an increase of 54%. All three cabochons reached the 'Old Pit Glassy' grade, boasting rich and vibrant color, fine texture, and excellent translucency, making them truly rare masterpieces in the market in recent years. Another independently mounted oval-shaped jadeite ring, with its even and full green color and excellent clarity, sold for HKD 68 million, an increase of 28% from its estimate. Additionally, various ice-jade and glutinous-ice-jadeite pieces also performed well, with an average premium rate exceeding 20%.
Ms. Shirley Shieh, Chairman of Christie's Asia Jewelry Department, stated in an interview: “The outstanding performance of jadeite cabochons in this spring auction once again proves the status of top-grade jadeite in the hearts of global collectors. Especially in the context of increasing global economic uncertainty, rare hard assets with potential for value preservation and appreciation, such as high-quality jadeite, are increasingly highlighting their safe-haven attributes and artistic value.”
From market data, over the past five years, the price of top-grade jadeite cabochons has shown a steady upward trend, with an average annual compound growth rate of 10% to 15%. The results of this auction further solidify this trend. Analysts point out that the high-end jadeite market is driven by several factors: firstly, the increasing depletion of high-quality jadeite raw materials leads to persistent supply shortages; secondly, the continuous growth of affluent classes in Asia, especially Greater China, fuels strong demand for top-tier jewelry; furthermore, jadeite, as a cultural symbol, with its profound historical heritage and oriental aesthetic value, stands out in the field of collection.
Mr. Li Ming, an independent jadeite market analyst, commented: “The sales data for jadeite cabochons at this Christie's spring auction is encouraging. It is noteworthy that buyers' pursuit of quality has reached an unprecedented level. Those exquisite jadeites with excellent clarity, color, and craftsmanship, even at high prices, still attract numerous collectors to bid. This indicates that the market is developing towards a more refined and high-end direction, where ordinary quality jadeite has limited premium space, while truly collectible treasures continue to be sought after.”
Looking ahead, the industry generally believes that the high-end jadeite market will continue to remain active. With the gradual global economic recovery and the continuous accumulation of wealth in Asia, the demand for rare, high-quality jadeite will remain strong. However, market polarization will also become more pronounced, and collectors need to pay more attention to the clarity, color, craftsmanship, and reliability of the source when investing in jadeite. For ordinary investors, blindly following trends carries risks, while for seasoned collectors pursuing ultimate rarity and artistic value, top-grade jadeite remains a worthwhile investment target.