Hey guys! So in March, I snagged a gold chain bracelet for only 299 RMB at Shuibei. I was surprised by the price because it was a lot cheaper than other places. Can you believe that when the gold price in some brand stores approaches 600, the gold price here is only over 400? I was worried I got scammed, but after searching for info online, I found out that 70% to 80% of gold and jewelry transactions in China are completed here, making it the largest wholesale market for gold and jewelry in Asia and one of the biggest in the world!

So, in May I visited again to explore it. It was packed with visitors. I finally squeezed through to the counter and bought some gold. And I had a short conversation with the seller. She told me that the gold sold here is priced according to the gold price at the Shanghai Gold Exchange in China. But with other brands, you gotta pay more than 100 yuan extra because of all those fancy fees they charge for branding and franchising and whatnot. Crazy, right?

After shopping, I went to the Jewelry Museum located on the fourth floor. And then I learned of the development history of Shuibei. The earliest jewelry industry in Shenzhen was located in the Sha Tau Kok（沙头角）area of Yantian. Since the 1980s, with its proximity to Hong Kong and low labor costs, it has attracted many Hong Kong jewelry manufacturers to settle in, And began to have a clustering effect. In addition, guided by the “three-plus-one” policy, the jewelry industry in Shenzhen was thriving even then. Even in 1989, Xi Zhongxun wrote an inscription for the gold industry: 'Strive to revitalize China's gold industry'. However, due to ecology, costs, and government directives, the jewelry industry has gradually gathered in the Shuibei area of Luohu District since the mid to late 1990s. In the early 2000s, the Shuibei gold and jewelry wholesale market was established, which is what we see today.

A few days ago, I got a chance to talk to Mr. Xiao, who is my colleague's cousin. He is a jewelry businessman in Shuibei. He mentioned that the past few years have been tough due to the pandemic, but they adapted by trying webcasts and online sales. The gold market is slowly returning to normal now, so they are offering more discounts for interested shoppers.

Overall, I highly recommend visiting Shuibei if you're a jewelry lover like me. Not only can you find affordable jewelry here, but you can also learn about its fascinating history and experience the excitement of a bustling trading center. Thanks for watching my vlog, and I hope I've inspired you to check it out!