Reimagining Jiuquan Jade: A Fusion of Heritage, Design Innovation, and Youth Cultural Aesthetics

Background and Aim: This study focuses on the “design and development of Jiuquan jade products that align with youth aesthetics,” drawing on Pandora’s successful design experience to propose a design framework integrating traditional Jiuquan jade symbolism with contemporary minimalist aesthetics, resulting in necklace, bracelet, and ring prototypes that combine emotional storytelling with cultural heritage. Materials and Methods: The research methods include: synthesizing Jiuquan jade’s historical and cultural value and its current market status via literature reviews and industry reports; applying jewelry composition theory and design principles to propose a “culture + modern elements” product‐design framework; and, concerning Pandora’s product‐design successes, crafting four Jiuquan jade items—a necklace, a bracelet, a ring, and a customizable series. Results: Literature review and expert interviews identified limited innovation and superficial cultural integration in traditional Jiuquan jade products, constraining their market recognition. Analysis of 2024 Taobao sales data for Pandora highlighted that necklaces, rings, and bracelets constitute nearly 70% of sales, with 83.33% featuring 925 silver, informing quantitative design criteria. The resulting designs integrate jade-metal combinations and an East-West fusion approach, iteratively refined through stakeholder feedback. Conclusion: This study provides a design framework for cultural heritage industries seeking to adapt traditional craftsmanship to the aesthetic preferences of young consumers, offering insights applicable beyond the specific case of Jiuquan jade.