EASTERN EXPRESSIONS
Five designers champion Asian motifs and
Asian motifs and symbolisms in fine jewellery
SINCE THE EARLY CIVILISATIONS, symbols have always found a place in jewellery — mostly in the form of amulets for protection and wellness. With vast differences in cultural traits, countries in the Far East have various symbolisms Taiwanese jeweller Anna Hu wants her creations to make and the contemporary art pieces that are steeped in cultural references, to have that deep relevance and resonance in both the East and the West.”
of jewellery artists and connoisseurs. It is one of the most common motifs used in
“The butterfly has meant a lot to me throughout my life. When I was a young boy, butterflies were flying colours, for I didn’t know their name then. And then they were the Butterfly Lovers — a tragedy, a love story, a symbol of eternal love. As I grew older butterflies became the embodiment of Lao Tzu’s great philosophy — life is but a dream, only that we need to decide whether we want it to be the dream of a man, or the dream of a butterfly. I want to capture the life and spirit of the butterfly in the light of gemstones, through a wearable work of art.” – WALLACE CHAN
DRAGONFLY
into many a precious piece of jewellery. The artist, as each one has their own interpretation
LOTUS
Its ability to bloom in difficult situations makes it a symbol of purity, perfection, and perseverance. Commonly seen in various Chinese art and architecture, the lotus is also one of the most common motifs used in fine jewellery, be it in form of a silhouette “As a proud Chinese, it’s hard for me to pick only one Chinese symbol as my favourite. Butterflies, koi fish, lotus flowers, and orchids are all classic Chinese symbols that I’ve been using in my creations. These motifs all bear very lucky and positive meanings in Chinese culture, believed to bring blessings to the wearers. That’s why I like to use them in my jewellery.” – ANNA HU
JADE
yin and yang Feng Shui,
“Chinese art is all about intricacy and amazing attention to detail, and that‘s something philosophical meaning that goes much deeper than the object’s surface qualities and its functionality. – FEI LIU
FISH
Chinese art and, subsequently, jewellery. Associated with wealth “I always use jadeite, a widely accepted material among the Chinese and now very welcomed by the Western world. With the advantage of easy sourcing of jadeite in Hong Kong, I ask my jadeite cutter to cut collection.” – ANITA SO