If you have your eye on a particular rough stone, you can first enter the bid number on your bidding device, then press the space bar, and then enter the amount you want to bid. The numbers on the big screen will immediately change according to your operation, and the amount displayed on the big screen will always be the highest bid.
In this way, there's no need for the auctioneer to say anything; everyone present can see the changes in the bidding and decide whether to raise the price based on their own needs.
This auction guidebook also emphasizes that all raw stones will be auctioned for exactly two hours, from 5 PM to 5 PM. If no one bids within this time, the stone will be considered unsold. If someone bids, the winner will be the person with the highest bid at the time limit.
It's worth mentioning that all the unsold rough stones will be auctioned again a week later. Those who didn't manage to sell, or those who initially didn't think much of them but later wanted to buy them, will have another chance.
All the bidding devices are connected to computers. If you win a bid, the computer will immediately tally the results. When the auction is over, you can use your bidding number to pay and collect the raw materials, or you can arrange on-site shipping.
Of course. If you'd like your stone cut on-site, the organizing committee is happy to oblige and will provide you with a full set of cutting tools. After all, on-site stone cutting can stimulate people's desire to buy, especially if the gamble pays off.
After reading the booklet, Zhuang Rui suddenly realized that he had been thinking about how each auction hall had 200 pieces of raw jade. If they were auctioned off manually, one piece at a time, even if each piece was sold every three minutes, it would still take 600 minutes, a full 10 hours.
The open auction time set by the conference was only from afternoon until around 5 p.m., and only by using this auction method could all the raw materials be sold.
Zhuang Rui originally thought that dividing the auction into ten halls was to speed up the auction process, but now it seems that it might be for the convenience of bidding. After all, with more than a thousand people sitting together, those at the back probably wouldn't even be able to see the prices on the screen.
"This method is good..."
After reading the booklet, Zhuang Rui nodded. He would keep an eye on lot number 129. There was a trick to it: he didn't need to bid at the beginning. He just needed to enter a higher price than everyone else when the bidding time was about to end.
Of course, Zhuang Rui wasn't the only one with this idea; all the raw material merchants present had the same thought. It all came down to who was quickest and who offered the highest starting price. It was estimated that those raw materials that were highly regarded might receive bids from hundreds of people at the last minute.
If you want to bid on several rough stones at the same time and win them all at the last minute, you can only apply for multiple bids and ask others for help. However, people who come to Myanmar are never alone. People like Qin Haoran and his group had a clear division of labor beforehand, so this problem is easy to solve.
Just as Zhuang Rui finished reading the auction instructions, a short, somewhat thin middle-aged man, guided by the staff, entered Hall One and walked directly to the head table below the screen, where he sat down. He began, "My name is Hu Rong. I will be supervising this jade auction. The auction is now beginning. Please pay attention to the prices and your bids. Thank you..."
The man named Hu Rong first repeated the above words in Burmese, and then repeated them in Chinese and English respectively. He spoke very clearly and fluently, and through the loudspeaker, Hu Rong's voice spread throughout the entire auction hall.
As soon as he finished speaking, the large screen above his head started flashing rapidly, with white numbers from 1 to 2000 appearing densely on it. Below the numbers was a clear red reserve price. Zhuang Rui immediately spotted lot number 129, with a reserve price of 20,000 euros.
"I didn't expect it to be Master Hu who's supervising. This conference really has some serious influence..."
Just as Zhuang Rui was about to take a look at the other prices he had been eyeing, Yang Hao's mutterings sounded behind him.
"Yang Hao, who is Master Hu? The one sitting in the front?"
Zhuang Rui was somewhat confused. The middle-aged man was unremarkable, around forty years old, with a somewhat aged face. He was wearing a traditional Chinese thin silk brown short jacket. In short, Zhuang Rui couldn't see any trace of a master's demeanor in him. At the start of the auction, everyone was very relaxed. For this auction, the last few minutes were the real battleground, so even if people had their eye on the rough stones, they wouldn't make a move rashly, as that would only attract attention and be a loss. Therefore, Zhuang Rui turned around and asked Yang Hao a question.
"Brother Zhuang, that man is no ordinary person. He's a Chinese in Myanmar, and a big shot in the global jade and jewelry industry. I've seen his picture before, but I never expected to see him here..."
When Yang Hao spoke of that person, his expression was very respectful. Zhuang Rui knew that for Chaozhou people, there were generally two types of people they respected: one was someone who was richer than themselves, and the other was someone who had achieved great success and was very hardworking. This was because Chaozhou people were called the Jews of China by foreigners because of their perseverance and ability to endure hardship.
As Yang Hao recounted the story, Zhuang Rui's expression gradually became serious. This Burmese Chinese named Hu Rong was indeed no ordinary person.
Hu Rong is not only the richest Chinese tycoon in Myanmar, but also a famous jade designer. He is a designer, not a designer, which is why Yang Hao calls him a master.
In addition, Hu Rong has another extraordinary identity that left Zhuang Rui speechless: he is the owner of 18 jade mines in Myanmar.
Chapter 448 Clearly marked (5)
Jadeite and nephrite are both types of jade. Moreover, nephrite produced domestically, such as Hetian jade, can be considered the elder brother. It has been highly valued in Chinese history, and even the imperial seals used by emperors were carved from nephrite.
However, in modern times, especially since the reform and opening up in the early 1980s, the price of jadeite has skyrocketed. At a dazzling speed, the price has increased hundreds of times in just twenty years. Now, the market price of top-quality jadeite jewelry far exceeds that of nephrite jewelry.
Zhuang Rui only owns one Hetian jade mine, yet his real estate alone exceeds 500 million. On the other hand, Hu Rong owns eighteen jadeite mines. What a fortune that must be! Even if they are all new mines, their value is immeasurable.
Zhuang Rui once read an article that specifically reported on some of the world's hidden billionaires. It stated that Bill Gates, the so-called richest man in the world, was actually somewhat undeserving of the title because most of his money was in the stock market. Let alone cashing out, even selling a portion of his shares could cause panic and significantly reduce his assets.
Not to mention the fluctuations in the stock market; otherwise, the top-ranked individuals on the annual Forbes rich list would have their net worth fluctuate by tens of billions.
The report stated that the world's truly wealthiest people should come from either the royal families of Arabia or Brunei. They share a common trait: they are all resource tycoons who monopolize a country's resources. Unlike the stock market, their wealth doesn't fluctuate because they possess non-renewable resources, which are extremely precious at all times.
Hu Rong is another example. With jade mines gradually depleting, he still owns 18 mines. His wealth is so immense that it would not be an exaggeration to say that he is richer than a country.
Of course, this wealth was not created by Hu Rong alone. He was born into an overseas Chinese family in Hpakant, Myanmar's largest jade mining area. His family had been engaged in jade mining and rough stone trading since his great-grandfather's generation. The Hu family, which had been operating in northern Myanmar for over a century, owned 18 jade mines.
Like many children in Myanmar, Hu Rong's education began in a temple. At the age of nine, he was sent to a temple to become a monk. He returned home at the age of 15 and then went to the Golden Palace Monastery in Mandalay, Myanmar, to meditate and study Buddhism.
In 1983, Hu Rong entered Mandalay University, majoring in mineralogy and philosophy. Starting in 1985, the adult Hu Rong began to take over the family business, traveling between Myanmar and Thailand to trade in rough jadeite, rubies, and sapphires. At the same time, he also began to study gem cutting techniques and jewelry design.
Hu Rong holds a pivotal position in the jade industry not only because he owns 18 jade mines, but also because he is an outstanding jade designer and sculptor. One of his designs, "Rooted Elegance," was described by Qin Xiaoyi, the director of the National Palace Museum in Taipei, as "elegant, unique, and unprecedented."
Many collectors know that the "Jadeite Cabbage," a national treasure of the National Palace Museum in Taiwan, was originally part of the dowry of Consort Jin, a concubine of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty. It was carved from a piece of jade that was half white and half green, and the cabbage was so lifelike that it was almost indistinguishable from a real cabbage. There were two small insects on the leaves, a grasshopper and a locust.
Hu Rong's "Roots and Elegance" is a work carved from withered lotus leaves in three colors of jade. It presents a brocade-like intricate network with branching veins that are well-arranged. The delicate, net-like veins curl inward, exuding a quiet and elegant demeanor. There is also a carved golden tortoise on the lotus leaf. The work is not only full of poetry, but also has a unique style of noble and unrestrained elegance.
According to Dean Qin, this piece of jadeite withered lotus is comparable to the "Jadeite Cabbage" treasure in the National Palace Museum in Taiwan. This assessment confirms Hu Rong's reputation in the jadeite industry.
After learning Hu Rong's identity, Zhuang Rui's gaze couldn't help but fall on him. The two were sitting only a few meters apart. As if sensing Zhuang Rui's gaze, Hu Rong looked at Zhuang Rui, smiled slightly, and nodded. His seemingly ordinary face, once it showed a smile, gave people a very friendly feeling.
Zhuang Rui returned a smile and then began to focus on the prices displayed on the big screen. After all, no matter how rich Hu Rong was, it had nothing to do with him; they were just fellow Chinese. Zhuang Rui still held the Hu family, who remained in Myanmar, in high regard.
All the bids on the big screen were initially red, but as soon as someone bid, the color immediately turned blue, making them extremely conspicuous among the red and white numbers on a black background. Now that the numbers have changed, some impatient people have started bidding.
However, these people were still a minority. Only a few dozen numbers on the big screen changed, which were probably just testing the waters. Zhuang Rui observed carefully and found that no one had bid for the icy jade he had his eye on.
Zhuang Rui was fairly confident in acquiring that rough stone. From its appearance, it looked no different from a worthless rock. The only attractive feature wasn't the stone itself, but the annotation from the Masa mine next to it, explaining its origin. This might tempt some people who were casting a wide net to try their luck, though they probably wouldn't offer a very high price.
Unlike the tense auctions Zhuang Rui had witnessed in China, the open bidding auction at the Myanmar jade auction was remarkably calm. The venue was filled with a buzzing sound, the voices of merchants chatting amongst themselves as they awaited the final moment.
And the phone rang quite frequently. Zhuang Rui had just received a call from Qin Haoran, who asked him a few questions about the auction. Qin Haoran hadn't participated in the open auction and was currently outside selecting raw jade for the sealed bid. Meanwhile, Yang Hao, behind Zhuang Rui, was also talking quietly to his uncle, the content of which was completely unrelated to the auction.
As time went on, the numbers on the big screen gradually began to change. Not everyone waited until the end to place their bids. They also wanted to see how many people were interested in the rough stones they had selected, so they could adjust their prices later to secure them.
Although gambling on jade can be crazy, no one's money comes from thin air and they don't just throw it away on these stones for no reason. Of course, everyone here wants to bid as close to the reserve price as possible, so it is very necessary to test the waters by offering a price slightly higher than the reserve price.
Most auctions are quite exciting and thrilling, but this kind of auction was very dull and tense in silence, making people feel a bit depressed, as if a huge rock was blocking their chest. Only when the auction ended could they breathe freely.
Chatting is the best way to relieve this oppressive atmosphere, so while waiting for the final moment to arrive, Zhuang Rui would occasionally turn his head to chat with Yang Hao and his nephew behind him. Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, more than an hour had passed.
"Um?"
Zhuang Rui's eyes suddenly fixed on the big screen, because at that moment, the number below lot number 129, priced at 20,000 euros, suddenly jumped and changed to 25,000 euros in blue. Someone had placed a bid.
Zhuang Rui suddenly felt nervous. He had never experienced this kind of auction before and didn't know if it was speculative capital casting a wide net to try their luck or if someone really had their eye on this rough stone. For a moment, Zhuang Rui's expression became serious.
"Brother Zhuang, has someone made an offer for the material you've been eyeing?"
When Yang Hao saw Zhuang Rui suddenly stop talking, he knew it must be the material that Zhuang Rui had his eye on, and someone had submitted a bid.
"Um……"
Zhuang Rui nodded, feeling somewhat irritated. The market value of this piece of icy jade was at least 20 million RMB, and if it were processed into jewelry, it would be worth no less than 50 million RMB.
So Zhuang Rui was determined to win the bid no matter what, but he was definitely unhappy if he offered too high a price. If no one else was bidding, Zhuang Rui would have just added 10,000 euros to take it over, but now that someone was scouting ahead, he was uncertain.
"Xiao Zhuang, it's alright, don't be nervous. In this kind of open bidding, many people deliberately cast a wide net and randomly bid on some rough stones with relatively low starting prices, but their purpose is to confuse others and thus get the rough stones they want..."
Seeing that Zhuang Rui was a little nervous, Yang Hao's uncle explained to him and followed Zhuang Rui's gaze to the big screen. He wanted to see which bid this lucky boy had placed.
However, Uncle Yang Hao was destined to be disappointed, because the dense numbers on the big screen made it impossible for him to know the rough stone number in Zhuang Rui's mind. In the end, he could only reluctantly withdraw his gaze and focus on the rough stone he had his eye on.
"To confuse others?"
Zhuang Rui was enlightened by what Uncle Yang Hao said. The prices of these bids were not very high. Even if he bought them, it would only cost a few hundred thousand yuan. Moreover, not all of the rough stones were devoid of jadeite; it was just that the quality of the jadeite was average.
Thinking of this, Zhuang Rui pulled out his notebook containing records of jadeite, and looked through the numbers of the rough stones that looked good but had average jadeite quality. He then had an idea in mind.
"Lot 318, nobody's bidding? I'll bid 31,000 euros. Lot 420, I'll bid 51,000 euros. Lot 769, damn, the starting bid of 60,000 euros has already been driven up to 280,000. I'm not joining this frenzy, I'll bid on something else..."
Zhuang Rui started working non-stop. He added one or two thousand euros to the bids for the rough stones that looked good on the outside. Zhuang Rui wasn't worried that no one would bid higher. Given the current booming jade market, those rough stones were sure to attract a lot of attention.
Zhuang Rui's disruption was not a big deal, but it made everyone in the hall restless.
Chapter 449 Clearly marked (6)
The rough stones that Zhuang Rui invested in all contained jadeite. Although the quality wasn't very good, they could still be used to make some low-end jewelry. Even if no one raised the price, he wouldn't lose money if he bought them. After all, a jewelry store isn't just supported by jewelry worth hundreds of thousands or millions.
Zhuang Rui's disruption threw the entire auction hall into chaos. The once noisy hall suddenly fell silent, as if someone had muted a television, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Everyone wore expressions of astonishment.
The silence lasted less than ten seconds before a loud "boom" rang out, and some people were making phone calls; these were probably henchmen sent by the boss to quote prices.
Some people were muttering to themselves, calculating how much the rough stone they had their eye on would cost, and whether they needed to renegotiate the bid. Others were looking around, trying to spot the person who had submitted the bid.
It's important to understand that nobody's money grows on trees. Although the people in the auction hall were eager to acquire some rough stones, they were still quite restrained. Apart from a few exceptionally good rough stones, there was basically no malicious bidding for the remaining stones. Now, someone has intervened and submitted bids on more than sixty rough stones in succession, causing a huge uproar.
Some friends may not understand why, with more than 2,000 bids for the raw jade to be auctioned, only more than 60 bids were submitted. Wouldn't that be too conspicuous?
If you think that way, you're wrong. Although there are quite a few rough stones up for auction, only a couple hundred yuan worth of them are worth anything. These rough stones are being closely watched by people with ulterior motives, just like Zhuang Rui. When he saw someone bid on rough stone number 129, his heart immediately jumped.
"Xiao Rui, you're in the auction hall, right? Don't be nervous. Just stick to your pre-determined plan and don't change your bids randomly. Call Auntie if anything happens..."
Fang Yi, seeing that Zhuang Rui was young and impatient, quickly made a phone call to him. Although she was not good at gambling on stones, she was very skilled in business operations. Fang Yi immediately realized that this behavior of bidding in bulk and raising prices was just someone trying to stir up trouble.
Don't be fooled by the fact that the highest bid is only 600,000 euros. Once the bidding opens, it's estimated that none of the best-performing pieces will be below 600,000 euros, which is more than 6 million RMB. If the bidders want to acquire all these rough stones, they probably won't even be able to think about it without spending 500 to 600 million RMB.
"Thank you, Auntie, I understand..."
Zhuang Rui replied politely, and after hanging up the phone, he was laughing so hard his stomach almost hurt. What did his buddy need to worry about? Looking at the chaotic auction hall, Zhuang Rui felt a sense of pleasure after successfully playing a prank.
"Brother Zhuang, you weren't the one who did that just now, were you?"
Yang Hao leaned close to Zhuang Rui's ear and whispered a question. He had just seen Zhuang Rui turn his head and then keep operating the bidding device. He guessed that Zhuang Rui was most likely the one who did it.
"Brother Yang, it definitely wasn't me. Don't make things up..."
Zhuang Rui, feeling guilty, glanced around. If he admitted it, he would become a public enemy. He had already heard a lot of cursing and swearing around him. If everyone knew that he was the one who did it, some impulsive people might come and challenge him to a fight.
"Hehe, it's okay even if you did it..."
Seeing Zhuang Rui's actions, Yang Hao could easily guess what was going on. However, knowing it was Zhuang Rui, he felt more at ease and started chatting with his uncle, occasionally observing the condition of the raw materials they had their eye on.
Wow, one million euros?
Suddenly, a voice rang out in Hall One, followed by gasps of astonishment from the adjacent auction halls. Even the best quality materials in an open auction are relative; they are far inferior to those in a sealed auction. One million euros is over ten million RMB. This is considered a relatively high price for an open auction.
Zhuang Rui took a look and said that the rough stone was a pretty good one among the first 2,000 rough stones. It could yield dozens of kilograms of green jadeite, but its value was at most six or seven million RMB. 10 million would be too high. Even if it was made into jewelry, it wouldn't make much money.
"Damn it, I pressed the wrong button!"
A bloodcurdling scream suddenly came from four or five rows behind Zhuang Rui, causing everyone to turn their heads to look. Even Hu Rong, who was sitting on the platform, couldn't help but chuckle.
Although such things have happened at previous Myanmar jade auctions, the chances are very small. Most of the time, it's just a mistake in filling out the form during the sealed bid and adding extra zeros during the open bid auction. This is very rare, and this person is really unlucky.
"Who was bidding recklessly just now? Come out here if you dare..."
After sitting there for a few minutes with a long face, the unfortunate man shouted loudly, looking indignant. He had been a little impatient and was about to raise the bid from 70,000 euros to 100,000, but in his nervousness, he had accidentally entered an extra zero. He didn't realize it at the time and pressed the confirm button. It wasn't until someone in the auction hall shouted that the unfortunate man snapped out of his daze, realizing that this had happened to him.
Seeing the man's bowed head and stamped feet, Zhuang Rui couldn't help but shrink back, feeling somewhat unconvinced. What does it have to do with him? He entered the wrong amount; his composure isn't up to par. Don't make excuses.