From the 2025 Beijing International Jewelry Exhibition, let’s look at the trends of these major industries and categories this year
Beijing International Jewelry Fair, as a benchmark of the global jewelry industry, is an event that every jewelry investor and consumer cannot miss. This March, the exhibition focused on the entire jewelry industry chain, including diamonds, colored gemstones, jade, pearls, etc., showcasing cutting-edge technology, innovative design, and craftsmanship achievements of the jewelry industry.
The reporter saw at the scene that the jewelry on display had different levels of preciousness, including precious gems such as Burmese pigeon blood ruby, Kashmir cornflower sapphire, Colombian Muzo green emerald, Australian opal, as well as various affordable products such as crystal, pearl, amber, beeswax, turquoise, etc.
Affected by factors such as increased demand and market speculation, the prices of crystal and pearl products have risen significantly. According to our observations, we have sensed some category trends in recent years and would like to share and discuss them with our peers.
01 / Crystal products are popular
The exhibition brought together many crystal exhibitors from the professional markets of Donghai, Jiangsu and Ketang, Guangdong, presenting the full range of products in the crystal industry, including natural crystal beads, crystal rough stones, rare mineral specimens of different categories, as well as crystal artworks that cleverly combine traditional carving techniques with modern design, and crystal jewelry that incorporates fashion elements.
"The crystal market is indeed hot. Before, not many people paid attention to white crystal, sales volume was small and the price was relatively low. But now the audience for white crystal has increased and the price has doubled. The changes in the market for white crystal also reflect the changes in the popularity of the crystal market." A salesperson told reporters in the crystal exhibition area.
Among the crystal categories, amethyst is quite popular. Crystal products can be quoted by finished product single piece or by weight. During the exhibition, the transaction volume of crystal products was very large, and consumers were more receptive to crystal products. In addition, the price of such products was relatively low, so many consumers would take one with them.
02 / Pearls become the “star category” at jewelry exhibitions
According to several exhibitors, the price of Tahitian pearls has increased by about 40% year-on-year this year, making it a "star category" in the pearl market.
This change is in stark contrast to the market fluctuations in 2023. At that time, actress Ni Ni wore Tahitian pearls in public, which triggered a buying frenzy. "The market was so crazy at that time that people were buying even the dull-colored and threaded beads. The prices were hyped up and then plummeted," said buyer Mr. Zhan.
This year, exhibitors generally attributed the price increase to quality upgrades. "Look at this necklace, each bead is rich in color, rich and shiny, such goods were rare last year." Mr. Zhan, who just returned from the Hong Kong Jewelry Fair, added, "Tahiti is very popular at the Hong Kong Jewelry Fair, and the top-quality goods with rich colors are hard currency this year."
Akoya pearls with certificates will be more popular this year. Jewelers said that Akoya pearls are highly homogenized and are entry-level products, so most of the buyers are "novices". In this case, a certificate can prove whether it is a "celestial maiden" or "flower pearl" grade. When prices fluctuate, buyers are more willing to pay for this peace of mind.
Compared with the volatile Tahitian and Akoya pearls, the prices of Australian white and South Sea gold pearls are relatively stable, with a slight increase this year. The cultivation cycle of these two types of pearls is long, the output is stable, and the buyer group is mainly high-net-worth customers.
In contrast, the freshwater pearl market is showing a sharp polarization. On the one hand, the price of "baby chains" (small beads under 6 mm) has dropped significantly. When the "baby chain" was popular in 2023, a large number of breeders in Zhuji followed suit. Now there is overcapacity and the price has been cut in half, which can be called the "diving champion" of this year; on the other hand, medium-sized freshwater pearls of 6 to 10 mm have become hard currency that resists falling prices. Some merchants said: "This type of beads is comparable to seawater pearls, but the price is only one-third, the breeding time is relatively long, the technical threshold is high, and there is a great demand for versatile styles. High-quality goods are in short supply."
03 / Cultivated diamonds are popular in overseas markets, and new jewelry designs are eye-catching
In recent years, with the continuous expansion of domestic production capacity, the sales price of cultured diamonds has become more affordable, attracting more consumers to purchase.
my country's production capacity advantage in cultured diamonds has also contributed to the continued growth of exports. At the exhibition, reporters also spotted many foreign consumers. Zhang Wei, the head of a cultured diamond brand, said: "We met with four corporate customers in one afternoon and are about to sign export orders."
Zhang Wei told reporters that in the past six months, our overall overseas order sales have increased by 40%. China has great advantages in both technology and price.
The reporter also learned at the jewelry exhibition that the prices of raw materials for some jewelry are also rising. According to statistics, the purchase price of turquoise raw materials has increased by about 20% since 2025, and the purchase price of ruby and sapphire raw materials has increased by about 30%. The increase in costs, coupled with the increasing attention paid by consumers to craftsmanship in recent years, has also prompted sellers to continuously innovate in design.
04 / The prices of gold-related products are rising
Affected by the continued rise in gold prices, gold-related products have seen a significant price increase.
"In addition to cultured diamonds, the technology for cultured colored gemstones has also become very mature. We brought a lot of large-carat cultured Paraibas to this exhibition, inlaid with natural diamonds and 18K gold. Large-carat cultured gemstones are relatively expensive, and with the current rise in gold prices, the prices generally range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of yuan." Several cultured gemstone exhibitors told reporters.
In addition, affected by the rising gold price, some 14K gold products also actively participated in the exhibition. "When the gold price was low before, such products were sold as handicrafts. As the gold price rises, 14K gold products are not only weighed according to the gold trend, but also have a craftsmanship fee for each product." said the exhibitor.
In addition to the "jewelry fever", gold consumption also continued to rise. From on-site observations and other offline store experiences, the hot sales trend of gold around the Spring Festival has continued in recent times, and gold sales counters in many shopping malls in Beijing are full of guests.
The price of pure gold of some brands has exceeded 920 yuan per gram. In addition to gold jewelry, gold bars and gold coins with relatively low premiums are also favored by consumers who have physical gold investment needs.
It is worth noting that this is a continuous buying boom when the gold price remains high. This means that the previous rule that gold purchases enter the off-season in March and April after the Spring Festival and the price falls periodically is being broken.