Bloom Filter: Messika’s Where Love Blooms 2024 Collection
Love is like a blossoming flower, delicate and radiant, and Messika Jewellery has captured its essence in their enchanting 2024 collection, “Where Love Blooms.” Known for their exceptional craftsmanship and innovative designs, Messika has once again unveiled a collection that celebrates the beauty and power of love. Drawing inspiration from nature’s most captivating blooms, this collection merges elegance, femininity, and the eternal spirit of love.
It is a symphony of floral-inspired designs, where delicate petals, intricate leaves, and vibrant blooms come to life. Each piece showcases the meticulous artistry and attention to detail that Messika is renowned for. Necklaces adorned with diamond-studded flowers, bracelets resembling delicate vines, and earrings reminiscent of blooming buds evoke a sense of natural beauty and grace. These exquisite creations capture the essence of love’s blossoming journey, making them perfect expressions of affection.
In this collection, Messika combines the brilliance of diamonds with the allure of gemstones, adding a captivating touch of colour to each design. Sapphires, emeralds and rubies are carefully selected and intricately set, enhancing the delicate beauty of the floral motifs. The vibrant hues of the gemstones symbolize love’s kaleidoscope of emotions, evoking passion, devotion, and joy. Together with the dazzling diamonds, they create an enchanting interplay of light and colour, making each piece a true work of art.
Awe Opera: Buccellati Opera – Icona Collections
The Buccellati Opera Icona Collections encompass a wide range of jewellery pieces including rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets and brooches. These designs are inspired by various elements found in nature, such as flowers, leaves and animals, which are intricately translated into exquisite jewellery forms.
While we adore the four-point Opera Tulle motif, The Buccellati Opera collection is always incorporating fresh and fascinating twists – crafted in 18K gold and adorned with luminous diamond details to create breathtaking masterpieces that are admired around the world.
A testament to the brand’s commitment to timeless beauty, exceptional craftsmanship and artistic expression, each piece is a wearable work of art, meticulously created to be cherished for generations.
Red Ringer: Embracing Luck and Fortune – The resplendence of red jewelleries in Chinese New Year celebrations
As the vibrant hues of red fill the air, and the streets come alive with the sound of firecrackers, it can only mean one thing — the Chinese New Year is upon us. This auspicious occasion, steeped in rich traditions and symbolism, holds special significance for millions around the world. Among the many customs associated with this joyous festival is the belief in the power of red jewellery to bring luck and fortune. In Chinese culture, the colour red holds profound symbolism. It is believed to embody energy, happiness, and good fortune. Red is associated with the Chinese zodiac sign of the Dragon, which is highly revered and considered a symbol of power and prosperity. This vibrant colour is thought to ward off evil spirits and attract positive energy, making it an integral part of the festive atmosphere.
The deep red hues of rubies, garnets, and red agates are particularly favored, as they represent vitality and abundance. These gemstones amplify the positive energies of the wearer and provide a stunning accessory to complement traditional Chinese attire.
Buccellati ring
Buccellati bracelet
Buccellati necklace
Chopard bangle
Chopard earrings
Chopard ring
Chopard necklace
Chopard ring
Chopard ring
Chopard earrings
Chopard earrings
Chopard earrings
Chopard necklace
Chopard necklace
Pink Layer: The allure of rose gold is its timeless elegance for modern tastes
In the realm of jewellery, few trends have captivated the hearts of fashion-forward individuals quite like rose gold. With its warm and romantic hue, it has become a symbol of modern elegance and sophistication. Whether adorning rings, bracelets or necklaces, this exquisite metal has a timeless allure that effortlessly combines tradition and contemporary style.
Also known as pink gold or red gold, this colour of jewellery has a rich history dating back to the early 19th century. Initially popularized in Russia, the captivating alloy gained widespread recognition during the Art Nouveau period. Combining the lustrous beauty of gold with a touch of copper, rose gold exhibits a delicate blush hue that sets it apart from other precious metals. Its unique colour imparts a warmth and femininity that adds a distinctive charm to any piece of jewellery.
As trends come and go, rose gold remains a steadfast symbol of sophistication and modern style, ensuring its place as a cherished treasure for generations to come.
MIKIMOTO ring
MIKIMOTO necklace
MIKIMOTO earrings
Chaumet necklace
Cartier ring
Cartier necklace
Cartier earrings
Chaumet ring
Chaumet ring
Buccellati bangle
Buccellati earrings
Buccellati ring
Chaumet cuff
Buccellati bracelet
The Wild Side: Inventive and artistic, jewellers across the globe are taking the animalistic approach
From ancient gold jewellery to contemporary gems, we have been attempting to capture the beauty of the natural world in our art and ornaments for thousands of years. Animals have served as a source of inspiration for artists, who have discovered materials that may hold the key to their creation’s mystery in stunning stones and rare metals. Our understanding of our own natures is shaped by these projections, which allude to our ancestry and the transition from nature to culture.
The urge to interpret animals as symbols is related to our understanding of what it means to be human and this comprehension links historical works of art and societies. Animal representations served as allegories, artistic inspirations, or emblems of creation, supporting widely-held myths or beliefs. Through the use of wild animals as intermediates, these animal images help us to comprehend the interactions between humans and nature, as demonstrated by top jewellery houses like Cartier, Buccellati and Chopard.
Chopard bracelet
Boucheron ring
Tiffany & Co. earring
Boucheron bracelet
Buccellati brooch
Cartier necklace
Cartier ring
Tiffany & Co. bracelet
Tiffany & Co. earring
Cartier necklace
Boucheron ring
Buccellati brooch
Peri Projectors
Create the prettiest new addition to your jewellery collection using peridot.
The mineral olivine, which naturally has an olive-green colour, is what gives Peridot its gem-quality status; however, it has a distinctive lime-green hue that truly plays up the current dopamine-dressing trend. High-quality resources, which were only recently discovered in China but were originally discovered on an island in the Red Sea, have sparked a peridot-jewellery explosion.
Peridots were the height of fashion in the Victorian era and are said to banish nightmares and bring luck. They were known as the Evening Emerald by the ancient Romans, believed to glow in the dark by the early Egyptians and adored by King Edward VII.
Don’t let the stone’s lime-green colour deter you; modern jewellers have demonstrated how its acidic tones can be tastefully complemented with other stones, especially diamonds and pearls, as shown by Chaumet, Buccellati and Mikimoto, amongst many others.
Call of Ruby: Dubbed “The King of Coloured Stones”, rubies have been a long-time favourite of royalties and warriors alike.
As a symbol of their eminent social rank, royalty from several cultures all over the world likewise proudly acquired and wore rubies. Natural ruby gemstones are extremely rare and expensive, making them a sign of opulence and dominance. As rubies have long been revered as a stone of kings, monarchs and other members of the aristocracy in Europe and Asia have adorned themselves with ornate ruby crowns. The birthstone for July, known for its associations with knowledge and beauty, can range in colour from a deep, almost purple red to a pinkish red that some might argue is edging closer to being a pink sapphire. There are no wrong choices when it comes to selecting stunning ruby jewellery for yourself or your significant other, even though the colour may have an impact on the value. In the end, the most appropriate ruby for you is the one you are most drawn to.
From Classic to Contemporary: The Best Jewellery Brands in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is known for its bustling shopping scene and is a popular destination for those in search of high-quality jewellery. With a plethora of options available, it can be overwhelming to choose the right brand. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the top jewellery brands in Hong Kong that are renowned for their exquisite designs, superior craftsmanship, and exceptional quality. Whether you’re in search of a statement piece or something more subtle, these brands have got you covered.
Qeelin
The backbone of Qeelin’s designs is deeply rooted in giving a contemporary twist to traditional symbols thus holding on to the Chinese heritage and also being in the likes of the modern consumers. For instance, one of Qeelin’s iconic collections is the Wulu which is significantly inspired by Wu Lu (or Wu Lou) which represents prosperity and positive vibes in Chinese culture. The brand is also known for its playful pieces of bijouterie like the Bo Bo Gang collection which has a diamond-embellished panda as the focal point.
Niessing
Marrying the Bauhaus philosophy of design with the concept of minimalism is this jewellery brand Niessing with a rich history spanning up to 150 years. Through these 15 decades, it has continuously stayed true to its craftsmanship by creating jewellery pieces like tension rings, as Niessing calls them Spannrings, that maintain the mark’s design DNA while also appealing to the modern crowd. Beyond this, Niessing is known for its unique range of colours, including about 15 shades of gold and its newest addition a rose gold one named Supla Grenadine, that have all been created through alloying. Such a diverse range of colours in combination with the many design options allows people to create bespoke ornates.
Described as vividly artistic in nature, Taiwanese jeweller Cindy Chao’s The Art Jewel has heavy influences from both Eastern and Western techniques. It is appreciated for its unique jewellery designs that are a result of its creative process that begins with a two-dimensional layout of the jewel which is followed by the lost-wax casting technique to form a three-dimensional sculpture thus resulting in the brand’s standout 3D jewelleries. This particular style of craftsmanship is also reflected in the brand’s latest collections – Black Label Masterpieces and White Label Collection – especially in one standout piece, the Cabochon Colombian emerald-centred Spring Cardamom Brooch.
Austy Lee Art Jewellery
Rooted in creating vintage-inspired jewels that also look edgy, Austy Lee Art Jewellery is a brand that focuses on creating unique pieces of jewellery that cater to fashionable people. As Austy Lee Jewellery precisely puts it, the designs from the brand are “psychedelic.” Moreover, with its founder having a strong connection with jade, the brand has many earrings, necklaces, rings, and more that feature jade gemstones in them. In fact, there is even a collection named Jade Dynasty that has jade as its main attraction.
As a recipient of the prestigious A’ Design Award and Competition, Kajal Naina is a jewellery brand that tries to narrate a story through every single ornament. The jewellery makers here pay attention to every single detail – every stone and every carving – so that the result is nothing but an enticing ornament that will easily catch people’s attention. As its founder explains, the purpose of these pieces of jewellery is not just to elevate a person’s beauty but also their spirit. Moreover, Kajal Naina is particularly known for its collection of pearl necklaces with zodiac symbols.
Pride Burning: Rounding up some of the most colourful pieces of jewellery for you to wear during Pride Month and beyond
Pride and fashion, in this case, jewellery, go hand-in-hand like no other. Pride month is a time to showcase self-expression and freedom and what better way to do that than with these latest collections from the top jewellery houses like Tiffany and Co., Cartier and Faberge. This year, many brands that specialize in jewellery and accessories came out with beautiful Pride collections that range from subtle and classy to fun and totally out there. Truly, there’s definitely something for everyone’s sense of style and there’s no better time to shop for rainbow jewellery that will give all outfits a nice pop of colour. Also included are gems which are blessed with one or two of the colours from the celebrated flag and icon. Above are some designers who are showing their pride this month and supporting LGBTQ+ communities. Celebrate Pride this month and all year long!
Jewel Identity: Lab-grown gems vs properly-provenanced stones as the divide in the diamond market grows
Recent interest in the proliferation of Lab-Grown Diamonds (LGDs) factories in India has left many diamond lovers wondering whether they could one day oust the natural rocks from the jewellery market. These man-made beauties display the same physical, chemical and optical characteristics as diamonds found deep in the earth. Put simply, are they here to stay?
Surprisingly, synthetic diamonds have been sparkling among us for decades. There are two ways to make LGDs: one is High-Pressure High Temperature (HPHT), involving a seed placed within pure graphite carbon and exposed to temperatures of about 1500°C; another is Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD), which involves putting a seed in a sealed container filled with carbon-rich gas and heating to 800°C. HPHT diamonds have been around since the 1960s, but the real game changer, according to Roi Sheinfeld, Managing Partner of diamond manufacturer M&B Group, has been the more recent introduction of CVD-made LGDs. “This is a much more efficient and cost-friendly process. Also, the size of the reactor in the HPHD process is the size of a room, the CBD reactor is the size of a table,” he says.
Questions of quality Of course, those interested in buying a diamond will naturally want to know whether the quality of LGDs can compare to those of natural diamonds. Sheinfeld affirms that, at the top of the scale, they are indistinguishable. “If you are taking a very high-quality growth and you are putting it next to a natural diamond, and both of them would be high-colour and high-clarity stones, the chance that me, as a professional diamond dealer and manufacturer, will notice if it is an LGD or a natural diamond is basically zero,” he says.
However, he suggests quality can vary from one factory to another and buyers will need to be careful. Trustworthy sources are essential when procuring diamonds.
He compared LGDs grown under professional and less expert hands: “There is a very wide spectrum of quality. I am not saying that the end product is not the same crystal or hardness level as a natural diamond. In terms of quality, usually, lowend growth you see the certificate will be F colour like a better quality LGD, but it will not be lucid as the better quality LGD diamond,” he says.
He then adds: ”A high-end growth of lab diamond will shine and sparkle exactly like a good quality natural diamond.”
Sheinfeld sees this embryonic industry from all angles as his company is heavily involved in both natural and LGDs. A big part of their business is rough diamond sourcing, polishing and manufacturing, including polishing very expensive and unique stones. In the LGD sector, they are one of the biggest contract holders with Diamond Foundry, a US-based factory that makes huge quantities of cultured diamonds.
Compare & contrast M&B Group is soon to open a retail outlet in Hong Kong where discerning shoppers can compare the two types of diamonds in the same space. “It is going to be the first shop that combines natural and lab-grown diamonds in the same space together. You can see LGDs and natural diamonds together and compare and hear everything that we have to say and decide for yourself.”
Price differential The million-dollar question is how the proliferation in the supply of LGDs is going to affect the pricing structure within the industry. Sheinfeld has noticed that some major clients who bought huge quantities of natural diamonds are now switching to LGDs for the less expensive section of the market.
“It is an amazing product; it opens a whole new market,” he says. “We have clients coming in and saying for the very small stone, like those in a tennis bracelet, we don’t want to spend money on a natural diamond because, at the end of the day, there is no value for those stones when they are already set in a tennis bracelet.”
According to Roi, a two-carat natural diamond that costs in a shop around US$30-32k will cost around US$4500-5000 for an LGD with the same specs. Fun jewellery items like tennis bracelets and eternity rings, once the stones are set within the jewellery, lose much of their resale value. “If we were to try to take all of the stones out, probably you are going to damage some of the stones, or you cannot resell those five points that you took out of the tennis bracelet. I think in this segment, a lot of the people that are buying natural would move to buy lab-grown.
He also notes that lower-grade natural diamonds usually come without certificates so this could be a further incentive to consider LGDs.
No resale value One of the main issues concerning LGDs is whether they hold value. On this issue, Sheinfeld is unequivocal. “It is very important to say that for the LGD there is no resale value whatsoever,” he declares, adding that this is the main advantage and disadvantage between the two products, as natural diamonds do usually hold some resale value.
He does not think this will change in the foreseeable future either. “Basically, you have endless production of something; I do not think it will ever be an investment per se.”
Luxury arousal Despite these considerations, the luxury sector has been dipping its toes into LGDs. Last year LVMH Luxury Ventures, an investment arm within French luxury conglomerate LVMH Group, announced they had joined a US$90 million investment round in Lusix, an Israeli LGD factory. Industry rumours suggest other big conglomerates are entering the field.
“You are going to see more and more high-end fashion conglomerates getting into the field for sure. It is definitely here to stay,” says Sheinfeld.
Man-made diamonds offer luxury houses certain advantages: “I think using LGDs gives better precision and better quality control for a big brand that wants to do a big line of jewellery. It is easier to do it with LGDs than with natural diamonds.”
According to Sheinfeld, this potentially could have two effects on market pricing: the LGDs will become accessible, but will also ramp up the prestige factor of certain lines made of natural diamonds as discerning consumers will understand the complexities of their manufacture.
“Investment-grade diamonds that are appreciating over time are usually very large and very well-cut fancy shapes of high colour and high clarity,” he says.
Profit or loss? Naresh Jain, CEO of Belgium-based Sanket BV, who is involved in fine jewellery, wonders whether labgrown diamonds can be profitable. “As production is increasing, the price for LGDs is getting lower and lower,” he says. “The value of LGD stock is depreciating at the end of each year due to surplus goods. I wonder how it can be a profitable business or an investment.”
“LGDs will be like silver [jewellery] or freshwater pearls. You need big volumes to sustain [their production], and on the other hand, a long-term high turnover is not easy. Falling prices and lesser acceptance will be the main hurdles,” he says.
Jain suggests industry players are trying to keep one foot in the LGD market, but nevertheless have no real confidence in their future. Despite this, he is certain that man-made diamonds will have a bearing on the price of their earthly counterparts in the long run.
