Gold jewelry consumption dropped by 30% in the first half of the year, prompting gold brands to collectively increase their investment in lightweight, high-purity gold.

In the first half of this year, China's gold jewelry consumption fell by 30% year-on-year to 136 tons, but the total consumption amount rose by 5% to 143.7 billion yuan.

This set of data showing "decreased volume but increased value" comes from the "2026 China Gold Jewelry Retail Trends Insight" report released by the World Gold Council in Shanghai on September 4.

With gold prices soaring, Chinese consumers are reducing their purchases of gold jewelry, and the consumption scenarios for gold jewelry are also changing.

A survey conducted by the association in conjunction with the China Gold Economic Development Research Center of 744 gold jewelry retailers showed that the proportion of gold jewelry consumption for personal use increased from 27% in 2024 and 37% in 2025 to 44% in 2026, marking three consecutive years of growth and surpassing other occasions such as gifting and weddings.

High gold prices have reduced consumers' acceptance of heavy gold jewelry, while the increased proportion of personal wear has made style, comfort, and personal expression more important.

Hard pure gold, which combines lightweight and design flexibility, has thus become an important direction for gold brands to adjust their product structure.

Hard gold is not simply gold with higher purity; rather, it's gold with increased hardness achieved through advanced processing techniques. This increased hardness allows for the creation of hollow, three-dimensional, and intricate designs, achieving a greater visual impact with less gold and thus reducing the overall price per piece.

Xia Hongchuan, director of Chow Tai Seng Jewellery Group, told Wall Street Insights and other media outlets that the Vickers hardness of pure gold can reach over 60HV, with some products exceeding 100HV; taking some of the company's hard gold bead products as an example, the average order value is about 1,000 to 2,000 yuan.

The World Gold Council has been promoting this category for the fourth consecutive year.

According to the timeline provided by the association, the focus in 2023 is to establish category awareness, starting in 2024 to emphasize product characteristics such as "hard, light, and bright", and in 2025 to emphasize brand spirit and the self-expression of young consumers.

This year, the association has further shifted its marketing focus to everyday wear scenarios and used the MBTI personality test, which is familiar to young people, as an entry point.

On September 4, the World Gold Council, together with twelve retail brands including Chow Tai Fook, Lao Feng Xiang, and Caibai Jewelry, launched a new round of promotional activities for hard pure gold in Shanghai, with the theme "Hard Pure Gold, Reflecting Your True Self, Wear It Like This".

Related marketing efforts were also rolled out both offline and on social media platforms. From September 4th to 16th, the association and Xiaohongshu Life MOODSFIT set up four offline check-in stations featuring the four main personalities at four stores on Yuyuan Road in Shanghai, and also placed advertisements on a giant LED screen in Lujiazui.

For many gold retail brands, with the simultaneous rise in high gold prices, lighter weights, and demand for personal wear, hard pure gold offers a product solution that is closer to current consumer changes: reducing the price per piece while retaining design and wearing experience.

The ability to meet this demand is becoming a new competitive advantage for gold brands.

Risk Warning and DisclaimerInvesting involves risk; please exercise caution. This article does not constitute personal investment advice and does not take into account the specific investment objectives, financial situation, or needs of individual users. Users should consider whether any opinions, views, or conclusions in this article are suitable for their specific circumstances. Any investment decisions made based on this information are at your own risk.