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Top 10 Most Expensive Jade Bangles

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Written By: Wai Yan
8 June 2023

Jadeite Bangle Sets New Auction Milestone in 2023

In a remarkable auction held on April 3, 2023, at Poly Auctions Hong Kong, a jade bangle named "MAGNIFICENT IMPERIAL JADEITE BANGLE" shattered the world record for the most expensive jadeite bangle. This exceptional bangle surpassed the previous record set by a Guifei jade bangle, which sold for a staggering 43.8 million HKD at Sotheby's in 2014. The auction, titled "Magnificent Jewels & Important Watches," attracted numerous discerning collectors and enthusiasts eager to witness the historic moment. With its unrivalled beauty and significant historical value, this jadeite bangle captivated the world and set a new record for auction prices.

Legendary Jadeite Bangles

Some of the world’s most exclusive and expensive fine jadeite bangles are traded through the Sotheby's auction house in Hong Kong. Here’s a list of the world’s top 10 most expensive jadeite bangles; plus a bonus piece at the end.

10. EMERALD GREEN JADEITE BANGLE

A small, 54mm sized Type A jade bangle carved to a classic round shape. Bright emerald green colour with good translucency. Some cloudiness on one side of the bangle but not visible when worn. The bangle was auctioned and sold in 2014.

SOLD FOR $13,240,000 HKD ($1.68M USD)

9. BARBARA HUTTON’S JADEITE BANGLE

In 1988 Barbara Hutton's Jadeite bangle was auctioned and sold for $7M HKD which in today's money would be worth about $1.73M USD. It's a finely carved jadeite bangle in a twisted ribbon design. Barbra inherited her fortune from her grandfather Frank Winfield Woolworth, founder of the successful Woolworth department stores. She was an avid collector of jadeite and after her death in 1979, Hutton left behind a fine collection of jadeite jewellery.

SOLD FOR $7,040,000 HKD ($1.73M USD IN TODAY'S VALUE)

8. A RARE PAIR

A rare pair of grade A jade bangles of imperial green colour with patches of intense green and lighter green with good translucency. Likely to have been carved out of the same boulder. The pair was sold at auction in 2015.

SOLD FOR $16,880,000 HKD ($2.15M USD)

7. BRILLIANT IMPERIAL GREEN JADEITE BANGLE

An average sized (58mm) type A jadeite bangle of imperial colour with sections of light green. Some black spots and clouds under intense lighting. Carved into a half moon style with flatten inner rim. It was sold at auction in 2017.

SOLD FOR $116,900,000 HKD ($2.16M USD)

6. VERY RARE PAIR FROM THE QING DYNASTY

A very rare pair of imperial green jade bangles believed to have been worn by a member of the imperial consort in the late Qing dynasty (1636-1912). The pair was sold by Sotheby's in 1989.

SOLD FOR $12,320,000 HKD ($3M USD IN TODAY'S VALUE )

5. CIRCLE OF HAPPINESS

A small sized bangle of 55mm with very high translucency and vivid green emerald colour. Some white clouds can be seen under strong transmitted lighting.

SOLD FOR $30,425,000 HKD ($3.88M USD)

4. IMPRESSIVE TWINS

An impressive pair of fine jadeite bangles with excellent translucency and colour uniformity. A phone bidder put in the winning bid for the twins in 2013 through the Tiancheng auction house, Hong Kong.

SOLD FOR $53,690,00 HKD ($6.85M USD)

3. THE CIRCLE OF HEAVEN

Previously number one on this list with an estimated auction price of $80,000,000- $100,000,000 HKD however, this bangle did not sell at auction in 2018.

ESTIMATED $100,000,000 HKD ($12.75M USD)

2. FINE GUIFEI BANGLE

The Guifei (Nobel consort) bangle design originated from the Tang Dynasty where, Yang Yuhuan, an imperial consort to Emperor Xuanzong came up with the innovative oval shaped bangle. A finely textured and uniformly coloured oval shaped bangles with highly translucency are extremely rare. This fine Guifei bangle was sold in 2015.

SOLD FOR $43,800,000 HKD ($5.59M USD)

1. MAGNIFICENT IMPERIAL JADEITE BANGLE

Behold the jade bangle that set a world record for the most expensive jade bangle in April 2023. It a small 52mm diameter round style bangle with exceptional translucency and imperial green colour.

SOLD FOR $60,000,00 HKD ($7.65M USD)

BONUS: THE HUTTON-MDIVANI NECKLACE

A noteworthy jadeite necklace from the Barbara Hutton collection that in 2014, set a new world auction record for any jadeite jewellery at $214,040,000 HKD ($27.3M USD), double the initial estimate.  The 27 graduated, highly translucent and intensely coloured beads are held together by an platinum and 18K yellow gold clasp set with rubies and diamonds. That's a mega one million dollars per bead! The necklace was bought by the Cartier collection at the Sotherby's auction in Hong Kong. 


About the Author
WAI YAN
Wai was born and raised in Yangon, Myanmar (Burma). Trained by the Gemmological Association of Australia, he is a qualified Gemologist and a fellow of the GAA. Throughout his life, he has been in constant contact with gemstones and jewellery through the family business and has been fascinated by the beauty and rarity of them all. He is now operating a branch of the business in Australia, supplying all kinds of gemstones especially of Burmese origin to international markets.

Further Reading

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