Trustworthy Pearl and Jade Retailers in Hong Kong 2026

**Me Jamie, your host, I am English and I have lived in Hong Kong since January 2nd 1972 - I know the place.**

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The Top 5 Jade & 5 Pearl retailers in Hong Kong for Tourists

Trustworthy Pearl and Jade Retailers in Hong Kong 2026

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Jade Jewellery | US$1,930,000 | Hong Kong

Helping Tourists to choose the best Jade Retailers in Hong Kong

Yes, the jade bracelet on the left is on sale for HK$15,050,000 or US$1,930,000 and no, you would not buy jade like this in essentially what is a street market in Hong Kong, this was in a shop display of a very reliable jewellery retailer in Hong Kong

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Top 5 List | Jade and Pearl Retail Outlets | Hong Kong

Why you should buy from reputable retailers when it comes to buying jade and pearls in Hong Kong and I am repeating the advice below, twice in this blog post

“The Jade Market and other street markets in Hong Kong require an abundance of caution and skeptism when it comes to purchasing both Jade and Pearls trinkets and Jewellery.

These markets have been around since the 1970's and 1980's but you must approach them with the knowledge that anything sold on a stall is NOT the genuine article and you should NOT be paying tens of thousands of dollars for what is essentially costume jewellery..

This is absolutely the case when it comes to buying Jade and my advise to all my guests is that fine, go there but pretty much everything is fake jade, if you want to buy the real stuff then you need to go to a reputable store (which is where my top 5 retailers shops for both jade and pearls come in to play)

There is nothing wrong with buying gifts from these places, they remain very popular places to shop and are pretty busy most days, I mean logically speaking and frankly speaking most people cannot tell the difference between real jade and pearls and fakes

So the point of what I am saying is to make sure you do NOT overpay. Over the years I have bought jade items and always from reputable jewellery shops and not market stalls, on a market stalls you should not be paying more than US$200 for anything!

Do not let emotions get the better of you and simply apply logic”

I have a few times overt the years bought some jade jewellery in shops but never pearls as my wife prefers diamonds! but I have taken many guests to Rio Pearls both those who advised me in advance and those who asked for my recommendations and I have NEVER had a bad experience and my guests, well they where always delighted with their purchases.

The same cannot be said for shopping in the Jade Market in Hong Kong and other assorted street markets such as the Ladies Market and the Temple Street Night Market.

The Jade Market unfortunately has a lot of aggressive vendors (who will also trash verbally the stall next door in order to get a sale) but is rather oddly a great place to buy moderately priced jewellery as gifts and souvenirs as long as you keep your expectations low.I have been to the Jade Market in Hong Kong many times over the decades and since I have been a Private Tour Guide I get asked all the time about where to buy jade and pearls, I will cover pearls in another blog post, this one is all about JADE.

My personal opinion is that buying any sort of jade or pearl jewellery is a tricky business, it is not like the diamond business (which is a lot easier to understand and regulate) and I have always had the suspicion that it is almost impossible to justify buying a very expensive piece of jade.

Put another way, if I was going to blow US$1,930,000 on a piece of jewellery it would be a diamond, ruby or emerald and I would buy from Ronald Abram, Graff, Harry Winston and at a pinch Chow Tai Fook Jewellery in Hong Kong

I did after taking this image go into the jewellery store (Luk Fook Jewellery for the record) and asked the clueless shop assistant about this very expensive jade bangle, he did not bat an eyelid and went to the window display to get the bangle, I was not even offered a drink! as I know just enough to be dangerous when it comes to Jade I asked the chap why it was so expensive and all he came up with is, that the colour was very special and it was from Burma… he was a little out his depth so he called for help and I talked with a senior sales assistant and she was all about the special colour, I pointed out that the bangle next to it was only 10% of the cost and she just smiled and repeated “special colour” I made my excuses and left without the bracelet which was a little beyond my budget

To this day I still cannot fathom why someone would walk into a Jewellery Chain Store (albeit with a solid reputation) and purchase a jade bracelet for US$1,930,000 without so much as a glass of water and an explanation that was heavy on the “special colour” and nothing else. (but they do give you a certificate to say it is real)

Basically I know of a few utterly reliable shops that sell quality jade and pearl jewellery and I send people there, but more often than not people just want a reasonably priced jade trinket and have the haggling experience and yes, you get what you pay for and therein lies the problem, with jade no matter the cost, you have no real idea if it is worth the price you are paying, only you can decide that, there is no market price and you cannot really do comparisons and when it comes to colour, well that is a fungible thing, with so many shades of green, just how do you know????

So that is where the jade market comes into play, you need to set a budget of how much you are willing to pay and I would say that you need to be looking at around HK$1,500 ish or US$200 which should get you multiple pieces - anything more than that you should be looking at purchasing in a reliable shop

Remember the Jade Market is basically a street market with 250 - 400 stalls and there is no love lost between the vendors who are quite aggressive and have no issue with interrupting a sale at a rival stall to try and get your business, now there are some vendors who are fine and polite but it is a tricky business trying to identify them and remember this is why would you drop US$10,000 on a piece of jade jewellery from essentially a market stall! go to a shop.

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Shun Tak Tong | Jade Retail Outlet in the Peninsula Hotel | Hong Kong

Shun Tak Tong has a variety of jade and semi-precious stone pendant collection to satisfy customers' need.

A wide range of collectables and necklaces are available on request.

OPENING HOURS

Mon - Sun 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

LOCATION

Mezzaine
Shop No. MW2

ENQUIRIES

+852 9401 5916

This is one of my favourite places to send people to purchase Jade Jewellery in particular, they have been around for as long as I remember in the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong, the owner has an excellent reputation and does NOT get offended if you do not buy anything and he is an expert on Jade. Remarkably his prices are very reasonable.

He does NOT appear on the top 5 list for Jade retailers which is not surprising, he does not care much for having a website or being listed on Tripadvisor. he is one of those places that simply relies on word of moutn and discerning customers who browse the shopping floors of the iconic Peninsula Hotel

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Jade and Pearls | The Jade Market | Hong Kong

The Jade Market in Hong Kong, great for souvenirs

Please note that trying a lot of these so called tests in the Jade Market is liable to get you thrown out of the stall so to speak with some colourful language aimed at you, you have to be careful and you have been warned!

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Jade Quality + How to spot fakes | The Jade Market | Hong Kong

The Jade Market and other street markets in Hong Kong require an abundance of caution and skeptism when it comes to purchasing both Jade and Pearls trinkets and Jewellery.

These markets have been around since the 1970's and 1980's but you must approach them with the knowledge that anything sold on a stall is NOT the genuine article and you should NOT be paying tens of thousands of dollars for what is essentially costume jewellery..

This is absolutely the case when it comes to buying Jade and my advice to all my guests is that fine, go there but pretty much everything is fake jade or fake pearls if you want to buy the real stuff then you need to go to a reputable store (which is where my top 5 retailers shops for both jade and pearls come in to play)

There is nothing wrong with buying gifts from these places, they remain very popular places to shop and are pretty busy most days, I mean logically speaking and frankly speaking most people cannot tell the difference between real jade and pearls and fakes

So the point of what I am saying is to make sure you do NOT overpay. over the years I have bought jade items and always from reputable jewellery shops and not market stalls, on a market stalls you should not be paying more than US$200 for anything!

Do not let emotions get the better of you and simply apply logic

Jade Market Hong Kong: History, Details, and Tips

History of the Jade Market

The Jade Market, officially known as the Yau Ma Tei Jade Hawker Bazaar, began in the early 1950s when jade traders, primarily migrants from Guangzhou, set up stalls on Guangzhou Street in Kowloon. Initially, these were simple ground-level stalls, reflecting the growing demand for jade in Hong Kong, a stone revered in Chinese culture for over 3,000 years for its associations with luck, health, beauty, and immortality.

The market gained prominence in the 1970s and 1980s, particularly after Richard Nixon’s 1972 visit to China, when a jade ewer gifted by Chairman Mao sparked global interest in jade, boosting Hong Kong’s jade trade. In 1984, to improve management and traffic flow, the Hong Kong government relocated the market to its current indoor location at the junction of Kansu Street and Battery Street, establishing a structured bazaar with over 400 stalls.

The market’s significance waned slightly over the past 20 years due to competition from mainland China, where fake jade flooded the market, and a lack of standardized certification diminished jade’s status as high-end jewelry, relegating it more to souvenirs and affordable trinkets. Despite this, the Jade Market remains a cultural landmark, complemented by the nearby Jade Street on Canton Road, known for higher-quality jade and gemstone shops. A notable monument, a 4,000 kg jade stone from Burma, was placed at the corner of Canton Road and Jordan Road in 2010 by the Hong Kong Jade Association, marking the area’s historical jade trade legacy.

Opening Details

The Jade Market officially opened in its current form in 1984 at its present location on Shanghai Street, Yau Ma Tei, after moving from Guangzhou Street. It operates as an indoor market under a freeway overpass, with two sections: the Jade Bazaar and the Jade Market, both offering similar merchandise. The market is easily accessible, about 450 meters southwest of the Yau Ma Tei MTR Station (Exit C) or a short walk from Jordan MTR Station (Exit A).

Number of Stalls

The Jade Market comprises approximately 400 registered stalls, split between two zones: Zone A with around 340 stalls and Zone B with about 100 stalls. These stalls are tightly packed, offering a bustling atmosphere. Additionally, Jade Street, a section of Canton Road between Kansu Street and Jordan Road, features numerous permanent jewelry shops specializing in jade and gemstones, complementing the market’s offerings.

Products on Sale

The Jade Market offers a wide variety of jade products, including:

Jewelry: Pendants, bangles, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings, and amulets, often featuring Chinese zodiac symbols or lucky charms like Buddha figurines.

Decorative Items: Carvings, statuettes, beads, loose stones, and souvenirs such as jade chopsticks, mahjong sets, and traditional Chinese coins.

Other Gemstones: Pearls (white, pink, black), semi-precious stones like agate, tiger-eye, malachite, coral, turquoise, and mother of pearl.

Miscellaneous: Some stalls offer non-jade items like Chinese fans, drawings, swords, and trinkets, as well as letter-writing services, a traditional practice for tasks like tax declarations or English correspondence, particularly active between April and October.

The market primarily caters to mid-range and affordable items, with prices varying widely based on quality. High-end jade is less common, often held by private collectors or sold in nearby Jade Street shops.

Opening Hours

The Jade Market operates daily from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, though some sources indicate hours from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM or 11:00 AM to 5:45 PM, with variations depending on the day or stall. It is typically closed on Sundays, though some stalls may open. Visitors are advised to arrive early, as vendors believe early transactions bring good luck, potentially leading to better deals.

Reputation

The Jade Market has a mixed reputation. It is celebrated as a cultural attraction, offering an immersive experience of Hong Kong’s urban life and jade trade heritage, making it popular with tourists and locals, especially around Chinese New Year when zodiac-themed amulets are sought after. Positive reviews highlight vendors like Sandra Chau (Stall 152), praised for honest dealings, fair prices (e.g., HK$250 for earrings, HK$300 for a bangle), and a pleasant buying experience without aggressive sales tactics. However, some visitors describe the market as a “tourist trap,” citing aggressive vendor behavior, such as grabbing customers or pressuring sales, which can feel overwhelming. The market is known for affordable souvenirs but criticized for inconsistent quality, with risks of fake or low-grade jade (e.g., Grade B or C jadeite, which is treated or dyed, or imitation materials like glass or plastic). For high-quality jade, experts recommend licensed shops endorsed by the Hong Kong Tourism Association (HKTA), which display a red junk sticker and provide certificates of authenticity.

Scandals or Strange Events

No major scandals or strange events are explicitly documented in the provided sources. However, concerns about fake jade have persisted since the market’s peak in the 1970s–1980s, when China’s market liberalization led to an influx of counterfeit jade, impacting the market’s reputation. Complaints about aggressive vendor tactics, such as physical grabbing or high-pressure sales, have been noted, particularly post-COVID, possibly due to reduced tourist traffic. The market’s relocation from its original site (now a construction zone) caused confusion for some returning visitors, but it continues to operate with proper signage at its current location.

Safety for Large Purchases

Spending large amounts at the Jade Market carries risks due to the prevalence of fake or low-quality jade and the lack of standardized certification. Real jade (Grade A jadeite or nephrite) should be cold, smooth, and translucent, ideally green, without bubbles or artificial dyes. However, distinguishing genuine from fake jade requires expertise, as some vendors may sell treated (Grade B/C) or imitation (Grade D) jade. For significant purchases, it is safer to buy from reputable jewelry stores, such as those recommended by the HKTA or established chains like Chinese Arts & Crafts Ltd. or Lukfook Jewellery, which offer certificates of authenticity specifying weight, dimensions, color, and origin. Jade Street shops or M & B Private Jewelers on Wellington Street are also suggested for authentic, mid-range jade with modern designs. At the market, negotiation is expected, but without jade knowledge, buyers risk overpaying or purchasing fakes. For small, affordable purchases (e.g., a few hundred HKD), the market is generally safe, but for high-value items, reputable stores provide greater assurance.

Tips for Tourists and Jade Shoppers

Do Your Homework: Learn to identify real jade (cold to the touch, translucent, no bubbles) versus fake or treated jade. Grade A jadeite is the purest; avoid Grade B (bleached), Grade C (dyed), or Grade D (imitation).

Haggle Smartly: Bargaining is essential, as initial prices may be inflated up to four times the item’s value. Start by offering 40–50% of the quoted price and negotiate firmly but respectfully. Early morning visits may yield better deals.

Stick to a Budget: Affordable items like zodiac pendants or small charms are ideal for souvenirs. For example, jade earrings may cost HK$250, and bangles HK$300 at trusted stalls like Sandra’s. 9

Visit Trusted Vendors: Stalls like Sandra Chau’s (Stall 152) or Irene’s (Stall 278) have positive reviews for honesty and quality. Look for vendors with long-standing reputations or media mentions.

Consider Jade Street: For higher-quality jade or professional authentication, explore Jade Street shops on Canton Road, which offer certificates and expert advice.

Combine with Other Markets: Pair your visit with nearby Temple Street Night Market or other Kowloon markets for a broader cultural experience. Guided tours covering multiple markets are available.

Be Prepared for Crowds: Expect a lively, sometimes chaotic atmosphere with vendors actively attracting customers. Stay firm and browse at your own pace.

Check Authenticity: For significant purchases, request a certificate of authenticity. If unsure, visit HKTA-endorsed shops or consult a gemologist.

Accessibility: The market is easily accessible via MTR (Yau Ma Tei or Jordan stations) and has straightforward access for visitors.

Conclusion

The Jade Market is a must-visit for its cultural vibrancy and vast selection of affordable jade and gemstone products, ideal for souvenirs or small keepsakes. While it has a rich history dating back to the 1950s and remains a tourist favorite, its reputation is mixed due to quality concerns and aggressive sales tactics. For large purchases, reputable jewelry stores with HKTA accreditation or established chains are safer bets to ensure authenticity and value. With preparation and caution, the Jade Market offers a rewarding experience for casual shoppers and jade enthusiasts alike

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Rio Pearls | Trustworthy Retailer | Hong Kong

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How to spot fake Pearls | Particularly in the Jade Market | Hong Kong

and please re read my comments above about purchasing both Jade and Pearl items from the Jade Market or dodgy looking retailers, you will be absolutely fine if you buy from a trusted retailer.