Jadeite
Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
not including Khotan green
See also : Jewels II Qianlong Cartier
Chronology : 1750- 1759 1800-1809 1933
not including Khotan green
See also : Jewels II Qianlong Cartier
Chronology : 1750- 1759 1800-1809 1933
Content
Imperial Green Jadeite: Qing Court's Most Coveted Treasure, Now Shattering Auction Records
Whispers of imperial green—translucent, electric, almost glowing—once adorned the necks of empresses and concubines in the Forbidden City's shadowed halls. Sourced from distant Myanmar rivers, carved with exquisite Qing precision, these bead necklaces were the ultimate symbols of status, purity, and power in late imperial China.
This page reveals the top 10 auction results for late Qing jadeite, celebrating the surge in demand for these radiant heirlooms: unified by legendary color ("imperial green"), high translucency, flawless boulder origins, and masterful beadwork. From multi-strand masterpieces to single-strand icons with escalating bead counts and historic mountings, these pieces have exploded in value, turning ancient court luxury into modern collector obsessions.
The allure? Rarity born of imperial exclusivity, the hypnotic play of light through gem-grade material, and stories of provenance tracing back to Qianlong or Cixi eras. In today's market, they command fortunes as wearable history—bridging dynastic splendor with contemporary prestige.
Special Reports below dive deeper: Evolution of Jadeite Bead Necklaces (from court to Cartier adaptations) and Cartier Jadeite Mountings History.
Once hidden in palace vaults, now dazzling under auction lights—these aren't just jade. They're emeralds of empire, reborn as the crown jewels of the 21st century.
Whispers of imperial green—translucent, electric, almost glowing—once adorned the necks of empresses and concubines in the Forbidden City's shadowed halls. Sourced from distant Myanmar rivers, carved with exquisite Qing precision, these bead necklaces were the ultimate symbols of status, purity, and power in late imperial China.
This page reveals the top 10 auction results for late Qing jadeite, celebrating the surge in demand for these radiant heirlooms: unified by legendary color ("imperial green"), high translucency, flawless boulder origins, and masterful beadwork. From multi-strand masterpieces to single-strand icons with escalating bead counts and historic mountings, these pieces have exploded in value, turning ancient court luxury into modern collector obsessions.
The allure? Rarity born of imperial exclusivity, the hypnotic play of light through gem-grade material, and stories of provenance tracing back to Qianlong or Cixi eras. In today's market, they command fortunes as wearable history—bridging dynastic splendor with contemporary prestige.
Special Reports below dive deeper: Evolution of Jadeite Bead Necklaces (from court to Cartier adaptations) and Cartier Jadeite Mountings History.
Once hidden in palace vaults, now dazzling under auction lights—these aren't just jade. They're emeralds of empire, reborn as the crown jewels of the 21st century.
Intro
The ancient Chinese knew to work with nephrite, using sandblasting techniques to create complex shapes. Jadeite was a sensational discovery traditionally attributed to the Tang dynasty. Both materials have a similar hardness and are associated under the generic term of jade, yu in Chinese.
The rarity and beauty of the jadeite made it a prerogative of the emperors. Its shaping requires a detailed observation of the rough stone and a long patience. Its emerald green color and its transparency can be marred by cracks that will expand during grinding or carving, or by chemical impurities that will cancel the visual homogeneity of the piece.
The use of jadeite in high jewelry finds its culmination during the reign of Qianlong. The lacking of new deposits of sufficient quality made its process regressing despite an undeniable easier practice offered by modern machine tools.
Jadeite exists in various colors. Green is a common color of jadeite when it contains chromium. The finest hues are Imperial green, intense green and vivid green. They come almost exclusively from Burma, currently Myanmar. As with pink diamonds, very subtle differences significantly change the price and a direct inspection remains highly recommended.
These green variants were the most precious jewels at the Qing imperial court, in the form of beads, cabochons and bangles, without superfluous embellishment. The history of the extraction of a rough is lost. Keeping the homogeneity in a set of beads generated much waste, so that the necklaces of round beads are the most appreciated.
This mineral rock can be carved, which is not the case of the diamond which is cut. Shaping a jade bead requires an exceptional know-how and skill which culminated during the reign of Qianlong. In the 19th century the Empress Dowager Cixi was fond of them. The jadeite is polished without facets, to better display its almost aqueous luminosity.
Despite the troubles in the China of the later Qing, the most important collections of jade beads were not mixed or separated. They have often been assembled, or re-assembled, into necklaces in the 20th century, with gently graduated bead sizes and with clasps in diamond or ruby. A perfect necklace must be uniform in color shade, in translucency and in texture, which requires that the elements have been carved from the same rough.
On October 7, 2013, Sotheby's sold for HK $ 43M a set of two homogeneous necklaces with an amazing total of 254 emerald green jadeite beads. The size of jade beads ranged between 3.5 and 10 mm and the length of the necklaces was 76 and 80 cm. That set was so prestigious that a previous owner traded it for an entire mansion in Shanghai. This story takes place about 70 years ago, during a very difficult period of the Republic of China.
The rarity and beauty of the jadeite made it a prerogative of the emperors. Its shaping requires a detailed observation of the rough stone and a long patience. Its emerald green color and its transparency can be marred by cracks that will expand during grinding or carving, or by chemical impurities that will cancel the visual homogeneity of the piece.
The use of jadeite in high jewelry finds its culmination during the reign of Qianlong. The lacking of new deposits of sufficient quality made its process regressing despite an undeniable easier practice offered by modern machine tools.
Jadeite exists in various colors. Green is a common color of jadeite when it contains chromium. The finest hues are Imperial green, intense green and vivid green. They come almost exclusively from Burma, currently Myanmar. As with pink diamonds, very subtle differences significantly change the price and a direct inspection remains highly recommended.
These green variants were the most precious jewels at the Qing imperial court, in the form of beads, cabochons and bangles, without superfluous embellishment. The history of the extraction of a rough is lost. Keeping the homogeneity in a set of beads generated much waste, so that the necklaces of round beads are the most appreciated.
This mineral rock can be carved, which is not the case of the diamond which is cut. Shaping a jade bead requires an exceptional know-how and skill which culminated during the reign of Qianlong. In the 19th century the Empress Dowager Cixi was fond of them. The jadeite is polished without facets, to better display its almost aqueous luminosity.
Despite the troubles in the China of the later Qing, the most important collections of jade beads were not mixed or separated. They have often been assembled, or re-assembled, into necklaces in the 20th century, with gently graduated bead sizes and with clasps in diamond or ruby. A perfect necklace must be uniform in color shade, in translucency and in texture, which requires that the elements have been carved from the same rough.
On October 7, 2013, Sotheby's sold for HK $ 43M a set of two homogeneous necklaces with an amazing total of 254 emerald green jadeite beads. The size of jade beads ranged between 3.5 and 10 mm and the length of the necklaces was 76 and 80 cm. That set was so prestigious that a previous owner traded it for an entire mansion in Shanghai. This story takes place about 70 years ago, during a very difficult period of the Republic of China.
Special Report
Jade Carving Techniques
Special Report: Qing Dynasty Jade Carving Techniques
The Qing Dynasty (1644–1911) marked the zenith of Chinese jade carving, driven by imperial patronage—especially under Qianlong—and abundant nephrite from Xinjiang plus emerging jadeite from Myanmar (introduced ~1784). Jade's hardness required abrasion, not cutting: craftsmen used foot-treadle rotary lathes with iron/steel discs, drills, and points charged with graded abrasives (quartz, garnet, corundum, carborundum; rarely diamond splinters) mixed in water slurry. Non-rotary aids included bow/string saws for large cuts or piercing.
Key techniques included:
The Qing Dynasty (1644–1911) marked the zenith of Chinese jade carving, driven by imperial patronage—especially under Qianlong—and abundant nephrite from Xinjiang plus emerging jadeite from Myanmar (introduced ~1784). Jade's hardness required abrasion, not cutting: craftsmen used foot-treadle rotary lathes with iron/steel discs, drills, and points charged with graded abrasives (quartz, garnet, corundum, carborundum; rarely diamond splinters) mixed in water slurry. Non-rotary aids included bow/string saws for large cuts or piercing.
Key techniques included:
- Qiaose ("skillful color"): Leveraging natural variations for pictorial effects.
- Eggshell carving: Thinning walls to near-translucency.
- Piercing/hollowing: Intricate openwork and linked chains from single pieces.
- Inlay/gold wrong: Embedding gems or metals, often with exotic plant motifs.
- 3D picturesque carving (jade mountains/shan zi): Large boulders with layered landscapes, figures, and inscriptions (e.g., Qianlong's poems).
- Bead-specific: Selecting homogeneous rough, massive waste for uniform color/translucency, tubular drilling, gradual rounding/polishing for graduation.
Necklace
Intro
The following lots highlight exceptional imperial green bead necklaces, unified by Myanmar sourcing, Qing-era carving, high translucency, and escalating auction demand. Cross-references note evolutions in bead count, boulder origins, or mountings—see Special Reports on Evolution of Jadeite Bead Necklaces and Cartier Jadeite Mountings History below.)
1
Hutton-Mdivani Necklace
2014 SOLD for HK$ 214M by Sotheby's
The prestige of jade reached the Western world. A lot of 27 highly reflective emerald green jadeite beads, between 15.4 and 19.2 mm in diameter, is included in 1933 in the inventory of Cartier.
It is mounted in the same year by Cartier as a necklace with a clasp in ruby and diamond, to be offered as a wedding gift to the wealthy Barbara Hutton by her father. As Christina Onassis later, Barbara Hutton had a difficult life. The husband's family kept the precious necklace.
Considered as the greatest jadeite necklace in existence, this jewel wins the highest auction price in its category each time it comes to auction : HK $ 15.6M in 1988 and HK $ 33M in 1994. It was sold for HK $ 214M from a lower estimate of HK $ 100M by Sotheby's on April 7, 2014, lot 1847.
The Hutton-Mdivani Necklace: 27 graduated jadeite beads measuring 15.4 to 19.2 mm, highly translucent bright emerald green color, with an Art Deco ruby and diamond clasp by Cartier. Originally from the Qing Dynasty, once owned by Barbara Hutton.
History of the Hutton-Mdivani Jadeite Necklace
The Hutton-Mdivani jadeite necklace, often hailed as one of the most iconic and valuable pieces of jadeite jewelry in history, combines imperial Chinese origins with Western high society provenance and Cartier craftsmanship. Below is a detailed overview of its history, drawing from auction records, expert analyses, and historical accounts.
Origins and Creation
The necklace features 27 graduated natural Type A jadeite beads, measuring approximately 15.4 to 19.2 mm in diameter, known for their exceptional translucency, fine texture, and vivid "imperial" emerald green color. These beads are believed to originate from the late Qing Dynasty (likely the 18th or 19th century), possibly from a Chinese imperial court necklace or similar artifact. Speculation suggests the beads may have been part of treasures lost or looted during the turbulent late Qing era, including European interventions such as the Opium Wars, though exact details remain mysterious. The jadeite was mined from the Hpakan region in Myanmar (Burma), renowned for producing "old mine" jadeite with dense structure and high quality. Crafting such large, perfectly matched beads required an enormous boulder of top-grade rough jadeite, with significant material wasted to achieve uniformity in color, size, and translucency—qualities that make it a "true and rare treasure of nature." The beads surfaced in Europe in the early 1930s, reflecting Cartier's growing fascination with Chinese jade during that period.
In 1933, the beads were commissioned into a necklace by Franklyn Laws Hutton, the father of American heiress Barbara Hutton, as a wedding gift for her marriage to Georgian Prince Alexis Mdivani. Prince Mdivani (or his family) brought the 27 flawless beads to Cartier in Paris, where they were strung into a necklace with an initial simple clasp featuring a single navette-cut diamond. The following year, in 1934, Barbara Hutton returned to Cartier to redesign the clasp into an Art Deco style, incorporating calibre-cut rubies (of brilliant red color) and baguette-cut diamonds, set in platinum and 18k yellow gold. This red-and-green contrast enhanced the jade's vibrancy, symbolizing Cartier's blend of Eastern gemstones with Western design. Hutton also commissioned a matching jadeite, ruby, and diamond ring, now part of the Cartier Collection.
Ownership and Provenance
Auction History and Significance
The necklace has shattered records multiple times, reflecting the growing global demand for imperial jadeite:
It is mounted in the same year by Cartier as a necklace with a clasp in ruby and diamond, to be offered as a wedding gift to the wealthy Barbara Hutton by her father. As Christina Onassis later, Barbara Hutton had a difficult life. The husband's family kept the precious necklace.
Considered as the greatest jadeite necklace in existence, this jewel wins the highest auction price in its category each time it comes to auction : HK $ 15.6M in 1988 and HK $ 33M in 1994. It was sold for HK $ 214M from a lower estimate of HK $ 100M by Sotheby's on April 7, 2014, lot 1847.
The Hutton-Mdivani Necklace: 27 graduated jadeite beads measuring 15.4 to 19.2 mm, highly translucent bright emerald green color, with an Art Deco ruby and diamond clasp by Cartier. Originally from the Qing Dynasty, once owned by Barbara Hutton.
History of the Hutton-Mdivani Jadeite Necklace
The Hutton-Mdivani jadeite necklace, often hailed as one of the most iconic and valuable pieces of jadeite jewelry in history, combines imperial Chinese origins with Western high society provenance and Cartier craftsmanship. Below is a detailed overview of its history, drawing from auction records, expert analyses, and historical accounts.
Origins and Creation
The necklace features 27 graduated natural Type A jadeite beads, measuring approximately 15.4 to 19.2 mm in diameter, known for their exceptional translucency, fine texture, and vivid "imperial" emerald green color. These beads are believed to originate from the late Qing Dynasty (likely the 18th or 19th century), possibly from a Chinese imperial court necklace or similar artifact. Speculation suggests the beads may have been part of treasures lost or looted during the turbulent late Qing era, including European interventions such as the Opium Wars, though exact details remain mysterious. The jadeite was mined from the Hpakan region in Myanmar (Burma), renowned for producing "old mine" jadeite with dense structure and high quality. Crafting such large, perfectly matched beads required an enormous boulder of top-grade rough jadeite, with significant material wasted to achieve uniformity in color, size, and translucency—qualities that make it a "true and rare treasure of nature." The beads surfaced in Europe in the early 1930s, reflecting Cartier's growing fascination with Chinese jade during that period.
In 1933, the beads were commissioned into a necklace by Franklyn Laws Hutton, the father of American heiress Barbara Hutton, as a wedding gift for her marriage to Georgian Prince Alexis Mdivani. Prince Mdivani (or his family) brought the 27 flawless beads to Cartier in Paris, where they were strung into a necklace with an initial simple clasp featuring a single navette-cut diamond. The following year, in 1934, Barbara Hutton returned to Cartier to redesign the clasp into an Art Deco style, incorporating calibre-cut rubies (of brilliant red color) and baguette-cut diamonds, set in platinum and 18k yellow gold. This red-and-green contrast enhanced the jade's vibrancy, symbolizing Cartier's blend of Eastern gemstones with Western design. Hutton also commissioned a matching jadeite, ruby, and diamond ring, now part of the Cartier Collection.
Ownership and Provenance
- Barbara Hutton (1912–1979): Dubbed the "Million Dollar Baby," Hutton was the granddaughter of Woolworth founder Frank Winfield Woolworth and inherited a vast fortune. A passionate collector of exquisite jewels, she amassed pieces like the Pasha diamond ring, the Marie-Antoinette pearl necklace, and Romanov emeralds. The jadeite necklace complemented her refined yet opulent style, symbolizing understated elegance. She wore it during her glamorous but tumultuous life, which included seven marriages (the first to Mdivani ending in divorce in 1935).
- Post-Hutton Ownership: After Hutton, the necklace passed to her close friend Louise Van Alen, who married into the Mdivani family (specifically to Prince Serge Mdivani, Alexis's brother). It then went to Princess Nina Mdivani, Alexis's sister and a prominent socialite. The Mdivani family—Georgian nobility exiled after the Russian Revolution—held the necklace for over 50 years, adding to its aristocratic allure.
Auction History and Significance
The necklace has shattered records multiple times, reflecting the growing global demand for imperial jadeite:
- 1988: Debuted at auction (likely Sotheby's or Christie's), selling for $2 million—the highest price ever for jadeite jewelry at the time, sparking international interest.
- 1994: Sold at Christie's Hong Kong for $4.2 million, doubling the previous record and cementing its status as a legendary piece.
- 2014: Auctioned at Sotheby's Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite sale for HK$214,040,000 (approximately $27.44 million), far exceeding its $12.8 million estimate after a 20-minute bidding war involving six bidders. Purchased by the Cartier Collection, it set world records for any jadeite jewel and any Cartier jewel.
2
2012 SOLD for HK$ 106M by Tiancheng
An imperial green fei cui jade necklace featuring 23 round beads from 17.35 to 20.71 mm was sold for HK $ 106M on November 28, 2012 by Tiancheng International, lot 158.
3
2017 SOLD for HK$ 96M by Christie's
A jadeite bead, ruby, and diamond necklace made of 29 jadeite beads measuring approximately 14.7 to 15.9 mm, pure green color, high translucency, with ruby and diamond clasp, was sold for HK $ 96M from a lower estimate of HK $ 56.8M by Christie's on November 28, 2017, lot 2047.
4
2014 SOLD for HK$ 92M by Tiancheng
An imperial green jade necklace featuring 10 fei cui cabochons and a matching cabochon ring measuring from 25 × 20 to 14 × 7 mm was sold for HK $ 92M by Tiancheng International on December 7, 2014, lot 303.
A composite parure of intense Imperial green jadeite and brilliant cut diamonds mounted in 18 karat white gold was sold for HK $ 46M by Sotheby's on April 29, 2022, lot 1885. The jadeite is described in the Gübelin report as evenly saturated combined with high translucency and fine texture.
The parure is made of a 42 cm necklace, a pair of earrings and a ring, with a total of thirteen oval jadeite cabochons. A row of three diamonds separates any suite of two cabochons in the necklace while the three rings are mounted with one cabochon over a diamond. The length of the oval cabochons is from 19.00 to 17.65 mm, except that of the ring which is the biggest at 20.05 x 18.45 x 6.45 mm. The overall jadeite weight is 231.70 carats.
A composite parure of intense Imperial green jadeite and brilliant cut diamonds mounted in 18 karat white gold was sold for HK $ 46M by Sotheby's on April 29, 2022, lot 1885. The jadeite is described in the Gübelin report as evenly saturated combined with high translucency and fine texture.
The parure is made of a 42 cm necklace, a pair of earrings and a ring, with a total of thirteen oval jadeite cabochons. A row of three diamonds separates any suite of two cabochons in the necklace while the three rings are mounted with one cabochon over a diamond. The length of the oval cabochons is from 19.00 to 17.65 mm, except that of the ring which is the biggest at 20.05 x 18.45 x 6.45 mm. The overall jadeite weight is 231.70 carats.
5
2020 SOLD for HK$ 81M by Sotheby's
The Imperial green is slightly more yellow than other emerald greens, without other secondary hues. The best gems have a similar saturation, translucency, inner luminosity and surface smoothness. It is named Type A jadeite jade by the gemologists.
A necklace of jadeite beads was sold for HK $ 81M by Sotheby's on July 10, 2020, lot 1808.
It is composed of 37 jadeite beads of highly translucent brilliant emerald green that meet the characteristics of the Imperial green. Its largest bead is approximately 13.69 mm. The clasp is set with a cabochon ruby surrounded by diamonds. Its length is about 50 cm.
A necklace of jadeite beads was sold for HK $ 81M by Sotheby's on July 10, 2020, lot 1808.
It is composed of 37 jadeite beads of highly translucent brilliant emerald green that meet the characteristics of the Imperial green. Its largest bead is approximately 13.69 mm. The clasp is set with a cabochon ruby surrounded by diamonds. Its length is about 50 cm.
6
The Heavenly Harmony
2019 SOLD for HK$ 74M by Christie's
The Heavenly Harmony jadeite bead and spinel necklace is made of 68 jadeite beads measuring 12.3 to 15.9 mm, evenly green, high translucency, with cushion-shaped and cabochon spinels. It had been created from two nearly identical rough stones.
It was sold for HK $ 74M from a lower estimate of HK $ 55M by Christie's on November 26, 2019, lot 2007.
It was sold for HK $ 74M from a lower estimate of HK $ 55M by Christie's on November 26, 2019, lot 2007.
7
Doubly Fortunate
1997 SOLD for HK$ 73M by Christie's
The Doubly Fortunate Necklace is made of 27 jadeite beads measuring 15.09 to 15.84 mm, imperial green, cut from the Doubly Fortunate boulder.
It was sold for HK $ 73M from a lower estimate of HK $ 45M by Christie's on November 6, 1997, lot 1843.
It was sold for HK $ 73M from a lower estimate of HK $ 45M by Christie's on November 6, 1997, lot 1843.
8
2022 SOLD for HK$ 69M by Christie's
A necklace of jadeite fei cui beads with a clasp of ruby and diamonds on gold was sold for HK $ 69M from a lower estimate of HK $ 55M by Christie's on May 25, 2022, lot 1949. It is made of 33 beads ranging from 12.3 to 15.0 mm.
On October 7, 2020, Sotheby's sold as lot 1662 for HK $ 63M a necklace composed of 43 Imperial green jadeite beads from 13.00 to 11.26 mm weighing a total of 630 carats. The beads are in a highly translucent brilliant emerald green that meets the characteristics of the Imperial green. The clasp is set with diamonds. The necklace is about 53 cm long.
The Emperor's Treasure is a 57 cm necklace of intense Imperial green jadeite mounted in 18 karat white gold. Its clasp is decorated with rubies and diamonds. The matched set of 43 jadeite beads is described in the Gübelin report as richly and evenly saturated combined with high translucency and very fine texture. They are slightly graduated from 13.05 to 11.55 mm. The necklace was sold for HK $ 61M by Sotheby's on April 4, 2023, lot 88. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
On July 13, 2022, Poly sold a jadeite necklace for HK $ 50M, lot 2081. It is made of 43 Type A beads 13.59 to 11.42 mm in evenly intense green color with high translucency, This necklace 53 cm long is mounted in 18K gold with a diamond clasp.
On April 7, 2010, Sotheby's sold for HK $ 43M as lot 1457 a necklace 53 cm long, assembled with 35 jadeite beads, selected for their homogeneous vivid green color and for their similar size, between 12.5 and 15 mm. This piece is equipped with a clasp in platinum and diamonds signed by Cartier.
On October 7, 2020, Sotheby's sold as lot 1662 for HK $ 63M a necklace composed of 43 Imperial green jadeite beads from 13.00 to 11.26 mm weighing a total of 630 carats. The beads are in a highly translucent brilliant emerald green that meets the characteristics of the Imperial green. The clasp is set with diamonds. The necklace is about 53 cm long.
The Emperor's Treasure is a 57 cm necklace of intense Imperial green jadeite mounted in 18 karat white gold. Its clasp is decorated with rubies and diamonds. The matched set of 43 jadeite beads is described in the Gübelin report as richly and evenly saturated combined with high translucency and very fine texture. They are slightly graduated from 13.05 to 11.55 mm. The necklace was sold for HK $ 61M by Sotheby's on April 4, 2023, lot 88. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
On July 13, 2022, Poly sold a jadeite necklace for HK $ 50M, lot 2081. It is made of 43 Type A beads 13.59 to 11.42 mm in evenly intense green color with high translucency, This necklace 53 cm long is mounted in 18K gold with a diamond clasp.
On April 7, 2010, Sotheby's sold for HK $ 43M as lot 1457 a necklace 53 cm long, assembled with 35 jadeite beads, selected for their homogeneous vivid green color and for their similar size, between 12.5 and 15 mm. This piece is equipped with a clasp in platinum and diamonds signed by Cartier.
Imperial Artifacts
While bead necklaces dominate modern records, jadeite's imperial role extended to functional prestige items like archer's rings and seals, reflecting Manchu traditions and dynastic innovation (see Qianlong Emperor's Jade Collection Special Report below for context).
1
1752 Cinnabar Lacquer Box with Archer's Rings
2023 SOLD for HK$ 65M by Sotheby's
Since the Shang period the archers were using rings to protect the thumb from the string. This small piece was made of jade for the commanders and of hide for the troops. It was named 'she' in ancient China.
With time being, archery became less useful on the battlefield. The Qing dynasty, of Manchu origin, was fond of horse riding and revived the tradition of archery in their provincial armies known as the Eight Banners.
In the 17th year of his reign matching 1752 CE, the Qianlong emperor was presented with a jade ring which he praised in two poems as a reminder of the Manchu family law.
Around that time a cinnabar lacquer box and cover 12 cm in diameter was prepared to keep seven imperial rings. It is superbly carved in later Ming style with leaping carps, a homophony with joy and delight. These fish are swimming amidst cherry blossoms and crested waves. The base has the four character Qianlong mark.
The box was filled in compartments with archer's rings of identical form and size 3 cm in diameter and 2.2 cm high but in seven different colors of the jade : mutton fat white, translucent white with brown inclusions, mottled white and brown, translucent green jadeite with darker mottling, translucent spinach green with darker mottling, green-grey with brown skin and russet inclusions, white with a small russet patch. The rings have one rounded and one chamfered edge. A zitan liner was added in 1761.
All these elements were gradually inscribed with imperial appreciations. The poems inscribed on the rings date from 1757 to 1790. One of the white jades is also painted with a fishing scenery.
This set was sold by Sotheby's for HK $ 47M on April 8, 2007, lot 602 and for HK $ 65M on April 8, 2023, lot 15. Please watch the video shared in 2023 by the auction house.
With time being, archery became less useful on the battlefield. The Qing dynasty, of Manchu origin, was fond of horse riding and revived the tradition of archery in their provincial armies known as the Eight Banners.
In the 17th year of his reign matching 1752 CE, the Qianlong emperor was presented with a jade ring which he praised in two poems as a reminder of the Manchu family law.
Around that time a cinnabar lacquer box and cover 12 cm in diameter was prepared to keep seven imperial rings. It is superbly carved in later Ming style with leaping carps, a homophony with joy and delight. These fish are swimming amidst cherry blossoms and crested waves. The base has the four character Qianlong mark.
The box was filled in compartments with archer's rings of identical form and size 3 cm in diameter and 2.2 cm high but in seven different colors of the jade : mutton fat white, translucent white with brown inclusions, mottled white and brown, translucent green jadeite with darker mottling, translucent spinach green with darker mottling, green-grey with brown skin and russet inclusions, white with a small russet patch. The rings have one rounded and one chamfered edge. A zitan liner was added in 1761.
All these elements were gradually inscribed with imperial appreciations. The poems inscribed on the rings date from 1757 to 1790. One of the white jades is also painted with a fishing scenery.
This set was sold by Sotheby's for HK $ 47M on April 8, 2007, lot 602 and for HK $ 65M on April 8, 2023, lot 15. Please watch the video shared in 2023 by the auction house.
2
early Jiaqing pair of Seals
2010 SOLD for HK$ 79M by Sotheby's
The Jiaqing emperor succeeded his father Qianlong in 1796 CE. In terms of jade seals, he innovated early in his reign by having made three small sets in jadeite instead of the usual nephrite. The inscriptions of his seals often include his name.
A pair of large 7.1 cm square seals was sold by Sotheby's on October 7, 2010 for HK $ 79M from a lower estimate of HK $ 8M, lot 2102. The archives of the Jiaqing reign confirm that they were originally housed in the same case.
They respectively read Jiaqing yubi zhibao and jiaqing yulan zhibao meaning Treasure from the hand of the Jiaqing emperor and Treasure for the viewing pleasure of the Jiaqing emperor.
Their jadeite is transparent and lustrous, their green varying from dark to light with patches of white. Each button is made of an intertwined pair of carved and incised dragons with a detailed expression including bulging eyes and sharp fangs.
A pair of large 7.1 cm square seals was sold by Sotheby's on October 7, 2010 for HK $ 79M from a lower estimate of HK $ 8M, lot 2102. The archives of the Jiaqing reign confirm that they were originally housed in the same case.
They respectively read Jiaqing yubi zhibao and jiaqing yulan zhibao meaning Treasure from the hand of the Jiaqing emperor and Treasure for the viewing pleasure of the Jiaqing emperor.
Their jadeite is transparent and lustrous, their green varying from dark to light with patches of white. Each button is made of an intertwined pair of carved and incised dragons with a detailed expression including bulging eyes and sharp fangs.
Miscellaneous
Special Report: Qianlong Emperor's Jade Collection
Qianlong (r. 1736–1795) amassed one of history's greatest jade collections, exceeding millions of items empire-wide, with jades central due to his passion for their purity and pictorial potential. He commissioned imperial workshops (Beijing, Suzhou, Yangzhou) for new works, often inscribing pieces with poems, seals, or colophons. Favored qiaose, eggshell-thin vessels, pierced openwork, archaistic revivals, and massive jade mountains evoking paintings.
Highlights: "Yu the Great Taming the Floods" boulder; "Gathering of Scholars at the Lanting Pavilion" mountain (1790, Minneapolis Institute of Art, with poem); archaic covered vases traced from tribute rough; eggshell bowls; imperial yellow/spinach-green washers; archer's thumb rings. Many in Palace Museums (Beijing/Taipei); others dispersed/auctioned. His inscriptions authenticate and elevate pieces as bridges between nature, art, and virtue.
Special Report: Evolution of Jadeite Bead Necklaces
The form evolved from Qing imperial symbols to global auction icons. Origins: Qianlong-era mastery of homogeneous beads from single boulders (20–30+ large 15–20 mm), simple strands emphasizing natural glow. Late Qing/Cixi popularity scattered collections post-1911.
20th-century fusion: 1920s–1930s Art Deco restrung with Cartier clasps (e.g., Hutton-Mdivani 1933). Market entry modest 1980s; explosive 1990s+ Hong Kong surge: fewer larger beads for rarity vs. more smaller for wearability; modern ruby/diamond clasps, shorter lengths. Milestones: 1980s modest → 2010s eight-figures (e.g., HK$214M Hutton-Mdivani 2014; HK$106M 2012; recent "Emperor's Treasure" HK$61M 2023). Core pursuit—perfect matching imperial green—endures amid scarcity.
Special Report: Cartier Jadeite Mountings History
Cartier's jadeite engagement peaked in Art Deco (1920s–1930s), blending Qing jadeite with Western gems/metals amid Orientalism and post-Qing dispersal. Early: 1890s–1910s chinoiserie objects (flasks, cases). Zenith: Geometric contrasts (emerald green vs. ruby/onyx/diamond), bold clasps/settings for sautoirs, pendants, necklaces.
Icon: Hutton-Mdivani (1933 mount, 1934 clasp redesign). Post-war: Continued high jewelry use. 2014 acquisition of Hutton-Mdivani by Cartier Collection affirmed patrimonial value. Transformed imperial gem into cross-cultural luxury symbol.
Qianlong (r. 1736–1795) amassed one of history's greatest jade collections, exceeding millions of items empire-wide, with jades central due to his passion for their purity and pictorial potential. He commissioned imperial workshops (Beijing, Suzhou, Yangzhou) for new works, often inscribing pieces with poems, seals, or colophons. Favored qiaose, eggshell-thin vessels, pierced openwork, archaistic revivals, and massive jade mountains evoking paintings.
Highlights: "Yu the Great Taming the Floods" boulder; "Gathering of Scholars at the Lanting Pavilion" mountain (1790, Minneapolis Institute of Art, with poem); archaic covered vases traced from tribute rough; eggshell bowls; imperial yellow/spinach-green washers; archer's thumb rings. Many in Palace Museums (Beijing/Taipei); others dispersed/auctioned. His inscriptions authenticate and elevate pieces as bridges between nature, art, and virtue.
Special Report: Evolution of Jadeite Bead Necklaces
The form evolved from Qing imperial symbols to global auction icons. Origins: Qianlong-era mastery of homogeneous beads from single boulders (20–30+ large 15–20 mm), simple strands emphasizing natural glow. Late Qing/Cixi popularity scattered collections post-1911.
20th-century fusion: 1920s–1930s Art Deco restrung with Cartier clasps (e.g., Hutton-Mdivani 1933). Market entry modest 1980s; explosive 1990s+ Hong Kong surge: fewer larger beads for rarity vs. more smaller for wearability; modern ruby/diamond clasps, shorter lengths. Milestones: 1980s modest → 2010s eight-figures (e.g., HK$214M Hutton-Mdivani 2014; HK$106M 2012; recent "Emperor's Treasure" HK$61M 2023). Core pursuit—perfect matching imperial green—endures amid scarcity.
Special Report: Cartier Jadeite Mountings History
Cartier's jadeite engagement peaked in Art Deco (1920s–1930s), blending Qing jadeite with Western gems/metals amid Orientalism and post-Qing dispersal. Early: 1890s–1910s chinoiserie objects (flasks, cases). Zenith: Geometric contrasts (emerald green vs. ruby/onyx/diamond), bold clasps/settings for sautoirs, pendants, necklaces.
Icon: Hutton-Mdivani (1933 mount, 1934 clasp redesign). Post-war: Continued high jewelry use. 2014 acquisition of Hutton-Mdivani by Cartier Collection affirmed patrimonial value. Transformed imperial gem into cross-cultural luxury symbol.
