In China, Hard Pure Gold Jewellery Segment is Getting Stronger

Ever heard of 3D or 5G gold jewellery? The names might suggest wearable tech. In reality they are nothing of the sort. 3D and 5G are types of pure-gold jewellery that is driving young Chinese consumers back to local stores; a demographic that had written off gold jewellery as a bygone trend of their parents' generation.

3D and 5G gold are simply variations of - ‘hard-pure gold’ jewellery, a rapidly expanding and highly lucrative segment that has become an indispensable revenue generator for domestic jewellers across China.

According to the World Gold Council, hard pure gold jewellery became not only the fastest growing segment in 2025, “but also the most profitable for local retailers”, reveals Roland Wang. regional CEO, World Gold Council, China.

Hard pure gold is 99.99% pure gold. It matches the hardness of 18-karat gold, without losing gold purity - by using manufacturing innovations such as electroforming.

Pure gold is naturally soft. It bends and scratches easily, and lacks the structural strength to securely hold gemstones. To make it stronger, jewellers have traditionally mixed it with other metals, diluting gold's purity, a quality Chinese consumers deeply value. With the alloy method, jewellers were stuck with a trade-off; they could retain purity by keeping designs simple, or reduce purity to create intricate pieces.

Hard pure gold manufacturing techniques that debuted in China in 2008-2009 solved that dilemma by making it possible for pure gold jewellery to be strong enough for gem-setting and intricate designs. It can also be used to craft super light pure-gold jewellery, “which happens to be the kind of jewellery younger buyers prefer”, explains Roland Wang.