The tourist from eastern Jiangxi province was trying on the bracelet in a shop in Ruili in Yunnan province near the border with Myanmar, where much of the jade in China is from.
When she was told the bracelet's price she quickly took it off but in her haste dropped it, state media reported.
No agreement over compensation for the shop has yet been reached.
Shop staff attempted to calm the woman after the breakage, but she turned pale, began sweating and eventually fainted, a report on news website 163.com quoted the shop owner's son as saying.
She came round after other customers who had rushed to help pinched her under her nose, the People's Daily reported.
Shop staff then told the woman she could pay $25,000 to resolve the matter, but she said she could only afford $1,500, the 163.com report said.
Police were unable to persuade the parties to reach an agreement and the matter may need to go to court.
A local precious gem association told news portal Sina that the bracelet was worth only $26,000.
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A Chinese woman fainted in a jewellery shop after accidentally breaking a jade bracelet priced at $44,000 (Â£35,000).