Sotheby's Autumn 2026 Auction: Imperial Jadeite Leads, High-End Market Resilience Shines

【Hong Kong, October 28, 2026】Sotheby's Hong Kong Autumn 2026 Auction concluded successfully yesterday, achieving a total sales figure of HK$2.85 billion, exceeding its pre-sale high estimate by 15%. The sell-through rate reached 87% by lot and 93% by value, once again affirming the strong resilience of the high-end art and jewelry market. Among them, the highly anticipated “Imperial Jadeite” special sale performed exceptionally well, becoming the highlight of this autumn auction.

Leading the auction was an Imperial Green Jadeite bead necklace named “Dewdrop of Jadeite”, which fetched an astonishing HK$320 million, far surpassing its pre-sale estimate of HK$250 million, setting a new auction record for jadeite bead necklaces in the past five years. This necklace comprises 42 exquisite Imperial Green Jadeite beads, each with a diameter of 15mm, boasting intense and even color, fine and warm texture, and excellent translucency. It is hailed as a “once-in-a-century treasure.” The bidding was exceptionally fierce, lasting nearly 20 rounds, and was ultimately acquired by an Asian private collector, with a premium rate of 28%.

In addition to “Dewdrop of Jadeite”, another Imperial Green Jadeite bangle named “Jadeite Wonderland” also sold for HK$180 million, an increase of 20% compared to its HK$150 million estimate. This bangle features superb translucency, a uniform vibrant green color without any impurities, a full shape, and exquisite craftsmanship. Furthermore, a series of mid-to-high-end jadeite lots also performed well, such as a pair of Imperial Green Jadeite earrings fetching HK$58 million, and an icy-translucent jadeite Guanyin pendant with floating green patterns selling for HK$12 million, both reaching or exceeding their pre-sale estimates.

Market Analysis and Trend Outlook:

Sotheby's successful autumn auction, particularly the outstanding performance of the Imperial Jadeite section, clearly signals several market trends:

• Continued Appreciation of Top-Tier Jadeite: Scarcity is the core driver of top-tier jadeite value. As high-quality mineral resources become increasingly depleted, Imperial Green jadeite, especially large, complete, and exceptionally translucent, colored, and crafted pieces, is showing a steady upward trend in market value. Investors and collectors widely believe that such jadeite is not only an artwork but also a tangible asset that preserves and increases wealth.

• Strong Purchasing Power of Asian Collectors: Based on the buyer composition of this auction, Asian collectors, particularly those from Greater China, remain the main force in the high-end jadeite market. They possess a deep understanding and preference for jadeite culture, coupled with strong economic power, making them a key factor in sustaining market vibrancy.

• Market's Ultimate Pursuit of Quality: Even during periods of economic volatility, the market's pursuit of “ultimate quality” remains unwavering. All high-priced jadeite lots sold in this auction achieved top-tier levels in terms of translucency, color, craftsmanship, and rarity. Ordinary quality or flawed jadeite, on the other hand, showed relatively stable or even differentiated market performance, indicating that collectors are more rational in their investment decisions and tend to concentrate resources on acquiring premium pieces.

• Deepening Integration of Online and Offline: This auction continued to adopt a simultaneous online and offline bidding model, with significantly increased online participation. Some small and medium-sized lots were even entirely sold online. This indicates that auction houses have made significant progress in digital transformation, broadening buyer access and enhancing market liquidity.

Mr. Li Ming, a senior jewelry market analyst, commented: “The results of Sotheby's autumn auction once again prove that in the context of global economic uncertainty, top-tier jadeite, as a hard asset, increasingly highlights its hedging and value-preserving functions. Especially unique pieces like ‘Dewdrop of Jadeite’ with historical significance and ultimate aesthetics, still have immense potential for value growth. In the coming years, we expect the prices of top-tier jadeite to continue to rise steadily, while the mid-to-low-end market may face greater competition and differentiation.”

Ms. Lisa Wong, Head of Sotheby's Asia Jewellery Department, stated: “We are very pleased with the results of this autumn auction. The strong performance of Imperial Jadeite not only showcases its unique charm as a treasure of oriental jewelry but also reflects the continuous enthusiasm of global collectors for rare and high-quality jewelry. We will continue to be committed to presenting more unparalleled treasures to collectors.”

Looking ahead, with the continuous accumulation of global wealth and the increasing influence of Asian culture, the market demand for top-tier jadeite is expected to remain robust. Auction houses will continue to play an important role as market leaders, providing professional trading platforms and value discovery mechanisms for this unique collecting category.