HONG KONG: A Chinese tourist had a panic attack and fainted after she accidentally broke a jadeite bracelet priced at US$44,110 in a shop in southwestern Yunnan province, according to a report by online news site Chinanews.com.
The woman, whose identity wasn’t disclosed, tried on the bracelet in a shop in the city of Ruili, a major jade trading centre. But when she took it off, it slipped from her hands and broke in two on the tiled floor, the report said.
After being told the cost of the bracelet, she had a panic attack, made a call to her friends, and told shop staff that she felt dizzy.
As people nearby tried to calm her down, her lips turned pale and she broke out in a cold sweat before suddenly losing consciousness, the report said.
Pictures of her falling into the arms of bystanders have been circulating widely online.
“She fainted because of the shock, but fortunately she is fine after having emergency treatment in hospital” Lin Wei, one of the shop’s owners, was quoted as saying.
Shop owners did not report the incident to the police and said they were negotiating appropriate compensation with the woman based on her financial situation.
The broken bracelet was valued at 180,000 yuan by a third-party association under government supervision, according to a separate report from the official Yunnan.cn news portal.
Jade has a special significance in Chinese culture, and is seen as representing purity and having the ability to ward off evil and even to bring long life. -- SCMP
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