The rundown village with a heart of gold

Shuibei was once the epicenter of Chinese jewelry manufacture, but the departure of local producers has prompted a transformation. Zhou Mo reports from Shenzhen, Guangdong province.

First-time visitors to Shuibei village in Shenzhen, southern Guangdong province, may be a little disconcerted by the sight that greets them. That's because the dilapidated six-story buildings that line both sides of its narrow street seem at odds with Shuibei's high-end reputation as "China's No 1 jewelry village".

For nearly three decades, this village-in-a-city has been a national hub of jewelry production, exhibition and trade. More than 50 percent of the high-end goods in the country's wholesale markets come from Shuibei.