SHINY as New
Newcomer Ching’s Diamond Collection turns a spotlight on quality craftsmanship and artistic expression
Every great artist has something in common: the natural ability to tell a moving story, to translate human emotion onto a canvas, into a song or onto a stage. Ching Ng, jewellery designer and founder of Ching’s Diamond Collection, certainly fits the mould.
The passionate entrepreneur manages to capture everyday beauty and personal experiences in her designs, each of which seems to tell its own captivating story. “When I’m designing jewellery, I feel free, like a duck in water. I can put my thoughts or elements into one piece, or into the collection, and it feels really good,” says Ching.
Growing up in a musical family and having studied classical music for two decades, Ching is no stranger to artistic expression. She has the rare ability to transfer human emotion into her unconventional jewellery designs, which have been made to feel more like an extension of the body rather than a mere accessory.
Ching’s commitment to creativity and traditional craftsmanship ensures that each bespoke Ching’s Diamond Collection piece begins with a personal experience. “When my friends come to me and want something one-of-a-kind, they need to share their stories and memories with me—this is my favourite part,” she explains. “I listen to the stories and come up with ideas. When the pieces come out, the feeling for them, and for me, is so warm and wonderful.”
This love of storytelling is not the only inspiration behind her pieces. If you look closely, you can see the subtle influences from all sides of Ching’s life: an appreciation for ancient Chinese culture, her experiences abroad in the United States, a penchant for contemporary art and her deep knowledge of classical music.
Ching has a personal motto, “Believe in Art,” which she has cleverly engraved into all her pieces. “Art is my life; I think life is art,” she says. And art is really the only word you can use to describe her intricate, imaginative jewellery designs, which use top-quality diamonds and precious stones.
The collection’s four major themes are inspired by traditional Chinese music: Fly Wing to Wing channels the sounds of a Chinese drama, while Chasing the Moon captures the essence of a traditional Chinese music composition. Just like a mother cradling a baby, Ching gently lifts each of her works of art, telling every story with great pride.
“I made this phoenix brooch for my mum,” she says, pointing to a drawing of a powerful bird. “She’s like a queen. And when people think of queens, they think of someone strong and in the highest position. The phoenix has her head down and eyes closed, represented by blue sapphires. It’s like a dancing phoenix that means happiness and love—just what I think of my mum.”
Believing that jewellery should be treated with as much care and detail as fine art, Ching has created a collection that’s meant to last a lifetime, eschewing trends in favour of timeless pieces, attention to detail and artisan craftsmanship. “I hope that when people see my jewellery, the first thing that they think of is my motto—to believe in art,” she says.