What happened
Jewelry brand Chao Hongji opened its global first 'No.1 store' in Yuyuan, a location that adds exhibitions, craftsmanship demonstrations and customization services alongside sales. The launch features exclusive items such as 'wearable gold bars' and 'filigree Ruyi,' plus displays of heritage pieces like a 'You Peng Zi Yuan Fang Lai' bracelet and intangible-heritage filigree silverware.
Chao Hongji is not the only brand moving into Da Yuyuan. Laopu Gold completed an expansion and renovation of its Shanghai Yuyuan store on August 22. Yutai Gold is scheduled to debut in late September, while the Fengling FEELING global first store and Gongting Zhizao are set to open after October.
According to Wang Peng, chief communications officer for the Da Yuyuan commercial development group, the new stores go beyond sales to serve brand display, cultural expression and consumer experiences. Da Yuyuan and surrounding areas now host more than 400 gold, jewelry and diamond companies, and generate about one-fifth of Shanghai's gold jewelry sales, per the recently released 'Shanghai International Jewelry Fashion Functional Zone Development 15th Five-Year Plan.'
Why it matters
The rush of first and flagship stores highlights a structural shift in China's gold jewelry market. The World Gold Council's new 2026 China Gold Jewelry Retail Trend Insight, published in Shanghai, finds that younger consumers now prioritize design, occasion fit and emotional value over traditional wealth preservation, with self-pleasing purchases rising for the third consecutive year to 44% in 2026.
For Da Yuyuan, the clustering creates a competitive landscape where brands deliberately differentiate: Chao Hongji targets contemporary oriental jewelry, Laopu Gold focuses on ancient handmade gold, Yutai Gold and Gongting Zhizao serve high-end court-style ancient gold, and Fengling FEELING adds intangible-heritage craft. Combined with time-honored names and recently arrived brands like Junpei and Dunhuang Gold, the district is building what Wang Peng describes as a complementary gold matrix spanning fine gold, ancient gold, cultural gold and fashion jewelry.
If the trend continues, Da Yuyuan could evolve from a traditional gold retail destination into a broader jewelry hub that combines cultural experience, design customization and multi-brand consumption—an outcome Wang Peng says the district is actively pursuing.
Key facts
Chao Hongji's global first 'No.1 store' opened in Yuyuan, offering customized services and launching exclusive items such as 'wearable gold bars.'
Laopu Gold's Shanghai Yuyuan store completed expansion and renovation on August 22.
Yutai Gold will debut in late September; Fengling FEELING's global first store and Gongting Zhizao will open after October.
Da Yuyuan and surrounding areas host more than 400 gold, jewelry and diamond enterprises, with sales accounting for about one-fifth of Shanghai's market.
World Gold Council's 2026 trend report puts self-pleasing gold jewelry consumption at 44%, up for the third straight year.
What to watch next
Upcoming openings—Yutai Gold, Fengling FEELING global first store and Gongting Zhizao—will test whether the district can sustain its momentum as a launchpad for global and national flagship retail spaces.
Watch whether lightweight design and 'solid gold +' product trends, cited by World Gold Council's Jia Shuchang as deepening forces, reshape the assortment at these new Da Yuyuan stores.
The area's ability to execute the five functional goals in the 15th Five-Year Plan—including display/trading, brand consumption, design customization, innovation integration and professional services—will determine if it becomes a genuine global jewelry industry benchmark.