Using just 3–5 grams of pure gold to create the visual impact once only achieved with nearly 20 grams, Hard Pure Gold jewelry, presented by a group of Chinese manufacturers at the core exhibition zone of the Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair, drew the attention of buyers from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and India.
From September 17 to 21, 2025, the Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair, Asia’s largest jewelry industry event, was held as scheduled. The World Gold Council, in partnership with 14 Chinese gold jewelry manufacturers, debuted a new jewelry category—Hard Pure Gold—at the event’s central showcase area, marking the official launch of the “New Silk Road Initiative for Hard Pure Gold.”
At the fair, the World Gold Council and its 14 exhibiting partners co-created the Hard Pure Gold Pavilion, presenting a comprehensive display of innovations in design, craftsmanship, fashion, and cultural expression. In addition, the Council hosted the Hard Pure Gold Launch & International Buyer Matchmaking Forum, targeting key buyers and industry organizations from Southeast Asia, India, and the Middle East. The event highlighted the distinctive advantages and immense market potential of Hard Pure Gold, efficiently connecting China’s supply chain with global markets.
Wang Lixin, CEO of the World Gold Council China, stated:
“Hard Pure Gold is not just a simple ‘upgrade,’ it’s a true revolution in gold jewelry. We are introducing a new generation of gold jewelry that combines hardness, lightness, and brilliance, while integrating both Eastern and Western aesthetics and practical needs. It’s fashionable and holds value. This redefines the possibilities of gold jewelry and offers a sustainable, scalable new option for the global market in an era of high gold prices.”
A Made-in-China Innovation in Gold Craftsmanship
So, what exactly is Hard Pure Gold? According to the “Hard Pure Gold Jewelry” industry standard (QB/T 5793-2024) issued in May 2025 by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Hard Pure Gold refers to jewelry with a Vickers hardness of no less than 60HV and a gold content of no less than 990‰. Through electroforming and lost-wax casting, Hard Pure Gold achieves three key features: harder, lighter, and brighter.
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Harder: More wear-resistant and durable, supporting intricate designs and secure stone settings
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Lighter: Offers greater comfort and economic value in a high-gold-price market
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Brighter: Achieves a mirror-like shine comparable to 18K gold, enhancing appeal for fashion-forward consumers
Put simply, the same product volume can now be achieved using significantly less gold. With the Hard Pure Gold process, consumers can purchase more creatively designed pure gold jewelry within the same budget. This innovation is not just a technical breakthrough—it reshapes the consumption model for gold jewelry.
Behind this leap forward is China’s continually evolving supply chain. Zhang Likui, Deputy Secretary General of the Gems & Jewelry Trade Association of China, noted that with the establishment of national standards for Hard Pure Gold, product quality is now more clearly defined, laying a solid foundation for industry-standard development. She expressed hopes to work alongside the World Gold Council to promote China’s standards and design philosophy globally, allowing the world to see the innovative strength of China’s gold jewelry industry.
The 14 Chinese Gold Jewelry Manufacturers Participating in the Hard Pure Gold Showcase include: Swiky Jewelry, ChuiLu Manufacturing, Zijin Gold, Ming Feng Jewelry, Yuehao Jewelry, Binfen Jewelry, MFG Limited, Jinmingzhu Jewelry, Guan Hua Jewelry, Chaozun Jewelry, Jinyufu Jewelry, Ganlu Jewelry, Batar Group, and Point Gold Precious Metals. More than 80% of these companies are based in Shenzhen.
“Shenzhen’s gold and jewelry industry contributes over 70% of China’s total gold jewelry production. The R&D and manufacturing of Hard Pure Gold epitomize Shenzhen’s combined strengths in technology and production,” said Zhang Wenyang, Secretary General of the Shenzhen Gold & Jewelry Association.
Guan Hua Jewelry, based in Shenzhen, told Luxe.CO that after over a year of development, Hard Pure Gold now accounts for 20% of its total production capacity. The production process requires building a completely new line distinct from traditional gold manufacturing.
“Hard Pure Gold involves more three-dimensional craftsmanship. With this level of hardness, we can achieve a wide variety of surface finishes. Through three-dimensional techniques, we can use just 3–5 grams of gold to create the visual impact that previously required 10–20 grams,” the company said.
A representative from Zijin Gold, under Zijin Mining Group, told Luxe.CO that the Hard Pure Gold production line was developed last year and now supports full-scale product rollouts across physical retail stores. “Gold is naturally a very soft material. The Hard Pure Gold process makes it much more wearable and less fragile, while still allowing for gemstone inlays,” the representative said. These new products have been well-received by consumers. The enduring popularity of pure gold among Chinese consumers continues to drive innovation in Hard Pure Gold craftsmanship, positioning the Chinese Mainland as a global leader in this emerging category.
The Global Potential of Hard Pure Gold
In recent years, Hard Pure Gold has rapidly gained popularity across the Chinese Mainland, becoming one of the fastest-growing categories in the gold jewelry retail market. According to research by the World Gold Council, Hard Pure Gold accounted for over 20% of retail gold jewelry sales in China in 2024, particularly favored by Gen Z and millennial consumers.
Wang Lixin, CEO of the World Gold Council China, emphasized: “Building on our deep understanding of global markets and proven success in the domestic market, the time is now right for Hard Pure Gold to go global. The ‘New Silk Road Initiative’ is not just about launching an innovative product category—it’s also about integrating China’s highly collaborative and innovative gold jewelry supply chain into the global jewelry value system.”
— Southeast Asia
According to the ASEAN Gems & Jewelry Association, Hard Pure Gold is beginning to attract attention in the Southeast Asian market. Lighter in weight and more stylistically innovative than traditional gold jewelry, Hard Pure Gold offers a compelling new choice for local retail markets.
“Singapore, as Southeast Asia’s jewelry trade hub, has always strived to connect regional markets with global innovation. Hard Pure Gold is precisely the kind of cross-regional breakout product we’ve been looking for,” said Albert Cheng, CEO of the Singapore Bullion Market Association. He noted that some Singaporean brands have already reached out to Chinese companies to explore potential collaborations. With the coordination of the World Gold Council and Chinese manufacturers, the goal is for Hard Pure Gold to quickly expand into surrounding markets such as Malaysia and Thailand, becoming a new growth engine for gold consumption in the region.
— India
“India is one of the world’s most important gold consumption markets. Gold is deeply embedded in Indian culture and daily life. With its high purity, superior hardness, and lighter weight, Hard Pure Gold offers exciting new possibilities for Indian consumers,” said Sachin Jain, CEO of the World Gold Council India.
Vipin Sharma, Chief Merchandising Officer of Indian jewelry brand BlueStone, who frequently attends the Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair, shared his insights into the local gold market:
“In India, consumers are most familiar with 22K gold, and 24K has yet to become a mainstream product category. However, as gold prices continue to rise, it’s the right time to promote 24K gold.”
After viewing Hard Pure Gold products at the exhibition, Sharma commented,
“Hard Pure Gold combines high hardness and high purity seamlessly. With fashionable designs and intricate craftsmanship, it’s truly impressive.” He added that the company is now seriously considering introducing Hard Pure Gold into the Indian market.
— Middle East
“I was surprised by the complexity of the designs in Hard Pure Gold. This is a revolutionary innovation that could shift the mindset of consumers who want to invest in 24K gold while still wearing it as jewelry,” said Mamtha Maria Francis, General Manager of the Dubai Jewellery Group.
“Although the Middle Eastern market traditionally favors 18K, 21K, and 22K gold jewelry, the lightweight and value-retaining nature of Hard Pure Gold has strong potential to attract younger consumers. Its high brilliance, comparable to 18K gold, delivers the kind of sparkle that appeals to Middle Eastern aesthetics, while its hardness makes intricate stone settings more secure,” she added.
Andrew Naylor, Head of Middle East and Public Policy at the World Gold Council, further noted, “Dubai, as a global gold trading hub, is already beginning to recognize the potential of Hard Pure Gold. We plan to introduce it to Middle Eastern fashion scenes through local exhibitions and partnerships—positioning it as a new category that combines investment value with everyday wearability, helping to diversify the regional gold market.”
He continued, “The Middle East is a fascinating market—it’s the third-largest gold consumption market globally. Traditionally, it’s been primarily a jewelry market, with about 60% of demand for jewelry and 40% for investment. What’s more, the consumer base here is quite diverse, including a large number of Indian tourists and residents, who form the largest population group in the UAE, even surpassing the local population.”
“In addition, the Middle East is changing. There’s a growing number of new residents from Europe, China, other parts of Asia, and the United States,” he told Luxe.CO.
“Consumers in the Middle East tend to be highly brand-aware and brand-loyal,” Naylor advised Chinese gold jewelry companies looking to expand into the region. “It’s essential to identify your target audience, starting with the growing Chinese community in the region, for instance, and begin building brand awareness early. Equally important is choosing the right local distribution partners and developing close collaborations.”
The Future of Branding in China’s Gold Jewelry Industry
As early as 2023, Luxe.CO Intelligence released an exclusive research report on the gold jewelry industry (see link), raising a critical question: After evolving through the stages of material-driven, craftsmanship-driven, and design-driven development, how can China’s gold jewelry industry move into a new, brand-driven era—and build globally recognized brands?
At the “Opportunities and Challenges for China’s Gold Jewelry Brands” seminar held on August 19, 2025, Luxe.CO Intelligence released a follow-up report on the branding landscape in the industry (see link).
At the Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair, Luxe.CO spoke with the World Gold Council on this very topic. Wang Lixin shared, “Brand building has long been one of the biggest challenges for the Chinese gold jewelry industry. While China has many gold jewelry retail brands, their brand identity and product differentiation remain unclear. One historical reason is that the supply chain previously lacked the production capabilities to support a sustainable brand—once a product reached a certain volume, the supply dried up. But today, we’ve made significant progress in both production technology and supply capacity.”
He added, “Another reason stems from the earlier stage of market development. In a period of rapid growth, the dominant business strategy was ‘land grab and scale’—being broad and comprehensive was enough to generate returns. But in today’s more competitive environment, gold jewelry companies are being forced to become more specialized and more innovative.”
“The era of ‘big and broad’ is over,” Wang stated. “We’re already seeing processing manufacturers begin to specialize. Some are focusing on just one product category and building their own unique strengths.”
He emphasized that branding is the only path forward for the gold jewelry industry, and the emergence of clearly positioned brands is a promising sign for the market.
About the World Gold Council
The World Gold Council (WGC) is headquartered in the United Kingdom, with operations in India, China, Singapore, and the United States. Comprising some of the world’s most forward-thinking and influential gold mining companies, the WGC is the authoritative body on the global gold market. Its mission is to drive and sustain demand for gold while building industry leadership.
｜Image Credit: World Gold Council
｜Editor: LeZhi
