Eastern Promises
Japan inspires Austy Lee’s latest creations
Austy Lee’s goal is not only to bring more light into the lives of those who see and wear his jewellery. He approaches his craft with the loftier aim of delivering “psychedelic healing” through colour and beauty.
So it should come as no surprise that Lee’s work bursts with vibrant hues that are reminiscent of a garden in bloom. Having grown up among the greenery of Tsing Yi in the New Territories, this talented designer frequently looks to nature as a key influence.
Although his aesthetic touchpoints have been as broad and varied as hippie counterculture, Scandinavian mythology, sex and punk rock, Lee’s latest pieces herald a return to the natural realm, drawing upon the flora and fauna of ancient Japan.
Hemp flowers and leaves, once a popular pattern for kimonos, adorn the Asanohamonyo Bridge Ring crafted in yellow-gold, antique Japanese wood and lacquerware, with onyx, Burmese purple spinel and a flourish of fancy intense yellow diamonds and white diamonds.
An exquisite melange of yellow gold with Burmese yellow jade, coral, onyx, white and fancy Colorado diamonds, the Crane Dance Brooch (shown left) depicts a Japanese red-crowned crane called the tanchōzuru in Japanese. Legend has it this graceful creature lives for a millennia, while Japanese myth says cranes are able to grant favours to those who’ve committed acts of sacrifice. The symbolism of this piece is rich indeed.
Asia’s signature perennial evergreen serves as the muse for the Golden Bamboo Period Bangle. This stunning piece of wrist-worn art integrates yellow gold along with an antique Japanese lacquered wood kimono belt buckle, glistening with grey spinel, onyx and white diamonds.
Foliage and floral touches also decorate the Ōoku Bangle, comprised of a gold and antique lacquered kimono buckle resplendent with onyx and tsavorites, plus orange, yellow, champagne and white diamonds. This latest collection from Austy Lee is indeed a garden of earthly delights.